Spring Is Just Around The Corner...

   Seven weeks. That's how long it had been since we worked stock until yesterday, March 1st. I have committed myself to going out to Indiana to trial in April and to be ready for that Diva and I have to get out and dust off the cobwebs. The time for softness and excuses has passed. We are 5 Q's away from a WTCH and I want it so bad I can hardly stand it. Perhaps after the first one I won't feel so much excitement about the next? Who knows, but I am not too ashamed to admit that at this point and time it is foremost in my mind.

   When we got out to the farm yesterday the workable sheep were out in the large pasture. Most of the older ewes are separated now into the back pasture with the ram for lambing time so what is left are a few ewes that are pregnant but not as close to lambing and last years ewe lambs. A total of 11 sheep which gave me plenty to work with. I started Diva by gathering the sheep and then working on flanks out in the large pasture. Diva has a notoriously strong sense of balance and it can be hard to remind her that she must continue on her flank until I say otherwise. Particularly to the go bye side. It's the basics that make the whole and so I find myself wanting to re-visit and polish good flanking, "there", and walk up. Once I accomplished what I wanted in the pasture I had Diva drive the sheep down to the smaller fields and sorted sheep off into various areas. I put the 3 older ewes and one lamb in the round pen and 3 lambs back out into the big field. After a short break I took Diva back out in the large field with the 3 lambs and worked on driving and inside flanks. There is a free standing pen out in this pasture and it wasn't long before the lambs figured out that they could use it as a shield. It was a great opportunity to get Diva taking her flanks and walking up so we worked at it until she was able to push them past the pen without them cutting around it and coming over to me. After getting them driving up the field I had her navigate the lambs through the panels and around the cone. This was all done out in the open and off the fence line. We took another short break and then went in and worked the ewes in the round pen. This is a pretty small area and with very fetchy broke sheep it was a nice way to work on inside flanks again and challenge Diva to keep them driving while I stayed stationary in the center. For not having worked in a so long I couldn't have been happier with how she did!

   Rae came down to Hog Dog and joined me which was another wonderful part of getting out to work stock. She brought along with her a 6 month old puppy that belongs to a friend and is visiting for some training, Esme. Those who know me know how much I adore watching first exposures. I find it so interesting to see the raw product! I ended up taking Esme in to the round pen with some nice broke sheep to give her a first exposure to stock. She showed a lot of interest for a 6 month old puppy but naturally she wasn't 100% secure working with me(a stranger). To help her get comfortable after the first time in the pen we brought in Diva to show her the ropes. Diva likes to work with other dogs and she really thinks its fun when I am not on her case about working to close or cutting her flanks ;-). Below is a video of Diva and Esme having a good time!