October 2, 2007: Back to Work.
Our short holiday was over all too quickly and now we are back at work. Yesterday was a spectacular day here in the Scottish hills. The weather was perfect. Cool and crisp to start the day - a touch of frost on the ground - and then warm sunshine without a cloud in the sky or even a breath of wind. We were up early gathering on the toughest gather on the property. This is the hill that Roy cut his teeth on so it seemed a logical choice from him to accompany Blade. This gather is just a little easier at the moment as the bracken fern is starting to die off and the dogs are better able to sight their sheep.

The first part of the gather went off like clockwork. No mishaps! As we got to the far end of the hill, Roy and Angie crossed the burn and walked up the hill so they could get a better view of the hill being gathered. Richard and Rock were up the top of the hill ably sending sheep to us. It was from here that Angie sent Roy on his most challenging outrun to date. Down the hill, across the burn at a fairly precarious spot, and then up a steep incline blind to the sheep which were perched on the top of some rocks and a scree slope. It wasn't that the outrun was particularly long, but the nature of the terrain made it quite tricky. One tricky spot was crossing the burn with its steep rock walls. Roy picked a good spot to cross although it took him 3 attempts before he could get out of the burn and onto firm footing on the other side. Roy worked like a seasoned hill dog, and not the young, inexperienced - and somewhat goofy - dog that he is. He got his sheep quite easily and managed to carefully guide them down the hill navigating around the steeper craggs, deep chasms, and various patches of bracken fern. Once down in the valley, he drove this group of sheep to the waiting flock being held by Blade.
Not to be outdone, Blade had his turn on some of the more challenging situations. Three sheep had made their escape up the hill and into a very difficult spot for a dog to see them. Being guided by Kelvin, Blade - going on blind faith alone - managed to find these sheep and bring them quietly back to the group. Blade is a tremendous hill dog and it is a true delight to watch him work.

That was only the start of our day. After a quick cup of coffee and a belly full of baked goodies - I think we polished off a whole tin of assorted squares and truffle encrusted marshmellows (very yummy)- we were back out gathering in more sheep. This time it was from the inbye fields to start with and then around the hill and down to the 'new field' - a walk of a couple of miles there and back. This time Angie took Meg - and, of course, Bailey. Bailey was on fine form after spending most of the hill gather chasing anything that moved in the grass and the odd pheasant, jumping in and out of the burn, and occasionally droving the sheep when the whim took her. She was just 'out of her skin' pleased to be with us and on such a fine day.

The dogs love bringing in the sheep from the inbye fields. The outruns are all easy being over flat terrain and they love being able to navigate the sheep through gates, across the burn, and then the drove to the pens. Although they all love to push into the sheep to make them run, we make them slow down and walk so the sheep arrive at the pens quite calmly. Walking is not the most favoured task of any of our dogs!

The beauty of gathering sheep and bringing them into the pens is that they also have to be taken back to their respective fields in the evening. Meg and Angie spent a couple of hours running back and forth from pens to fields taking out group after group of sheep. A perfect way to spend one of the warmest days we have had this summer - except it's now autumn!

The pups - Ace, Kenny, Sioux, and Tui - all got out today as well. We have some new hoggs for training and they are perfect for the young ones to work with. All are showing terrific style and are desperate to work sheep. Angie is threatening to try Kenny and Tui as a brace team. Perhaps she should master the art of running one dog first before trying two!

We went to a 'practice' trial on the weekend. At this trial, each person had 5 sheep set out at the post and 10 minutes to get around the course - including a pen and a shed. The trial was judged, as a normal trial, but unlike any regular trial, if things went wrong, you could leave the post and go and work with your dog until your 10 minutes expired. Of course, once you left the post, the judging stopped. It cost £1 to enter each dog and you could run your dog twice - once with a left hand crossdrive and then a righthand one. The 'entry' fee was paid back as prizes. It was a terrific opportunity to practice in a trial-like situation - good for us 'newbies' who have not done this before, especially having to do a pen and a shed. Between us, we came home £1 'richer' with some modest winnings - Angie and Meg taking the aggregate title in our friendly household challenge! Angie was thrilled to get a shed both times with Meg, the first time they have even attempted shedding. The first shed just happened - so quickly that Angie almost forgot to turn Meg onto the sheep. Angie is still not sure how the sheep split so perfectly. The second one they worked for a bit more but still got it quite quickly. Perhaps all the work we have been doing in the pens is paying dividends...but still, we profess to knowing so little about shedding that we are almost an embarrassment to all shepherds. Kelvin managed to get his second shed but missed the first having run out of time. It was a great learning experience. And what better way could one spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon if not running around the Scottish hillside?

Archives:

September 17, 2007: The International Sheepdog Trial, Ireland

September 12, 2007: Foot and Mouth Again

September 4, 2007: Blackies go to the Beauty Salon

August 25, 2007: Sheep Spa and Nationals

August 14, 2007: Roy goes Gathering for the First Time

August 7, 2007 Foot and Mouth Scare

August 3, 2007 Country bumpkins go to London

July 28, 2007 Whales and Wales

July 21, 2007 Blood sampling ewes.

July 16, 2007 A week of gathering sheep