Herding (v.) Sheep
Last week we watched as sheep were tormented round a field, three at a time, in the Bluegrass Classic Stockdog Trial. The competition is one of the most prestigious in the nation and held right here in the Horse Capital of the World.
The weather was hot and muggy, which tripped up some of the herders. Even so, every dog deserved our admiration. The concentration and intelligence they exhibited while following the shrill whistle instructions of their owners was mesmerizing. Some had fairly easy sheep to herd across the field and through all the gates and tricks of the course; others were challenged by stubborn woolies who clearly just wanted to stand in one place and graze.
We don’t frequent dog shows or agility competitions, so being surrounded by one breed of canine was new to us. And odd—most of them were traditional black-and-white Border Collies. There was little variation in the dogscape. Even so, I couldn’t help but reminisce about our precious collie mix.
She was our first dog (i.e., we had no idea what we were doing), and because she was an emaciated rescue, no one knew for certain what her heritage was. She had no problem walking on lead, but she walked in circles—around and around us. It took her doltish guardians a while to realize she was a herding breed. Later, her DNA would kick in at the sight of any large appliance or hand-pulled item: She herded lawn mowers, vacuums, weed whackers, strollers, wagons, and anything we would drag home from the beach. She was clever enough to give those Border Collies a run for their money in the Stockdog Trials, but her humans fell a wee bit short in the training department.
Herding (adj.) Sheep
Sissy, the blind quarter horse, hit the animal press this week. And with her came news of sheep who herd horses.
Sissy needed new
digs because the shelter she called home was closing. Enter Deer Haven Ranch, sanctuary to unwanted animals of varying disabilities. The hitch? Sissy came with a posse of guides and bodyguards: 5 sheep and 5 goats who artfully surround her and navigate her toward food, water, pastures, and away from every perceived danger. The herded are herders. (Too bad there’s no video of this.)Taking in one more creature to feed and provide vet care for is one thing; taking in 11 creatures is quite another. Kudos to Deer Haven Ranch for accepting the challenge.
Warning: Every link I tried in the Sissy story turned out to be an advertisement. Maybe that’s what you’re used to, dear readers. However, I assure you there is NO advertising on Lull. The links I provide have been carefully chosen to either give you more information about a subject or to remind you of a related post on Lull. (And, to be perfectly transparent, the links to related posts are meant especially for Lull newbies as a way of explanation and a way to entice them deeper into Lull.)
[Photo of Sissy from Michelle Feldstein, co-owner of Deer Haven Ranch.]
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