Graduated to the training paddock

[Tassie]

I know, I know ? it?s a very small step in the whole scheme of things, but for me and my wild little girl, it?s a very big step in the right direction. When she started on sheep, she got into really bad habits of splitting and chasing, and slicing in on her sheep and pulling wool. It?s taken us weeks since we started with our new trainer, but finally she seems to have realized that she can get on better if she keeps her sheep together and works them to me. She?s still coming in too tight on her sheep, but she is starting to listen to a get back command if I can time it right. This week she was finally covering her sheep well enough and working calmly enough, that my trainer decided we were ready to move out into the 10 acre training paddock. We?ve worked there twice now, and today we were able to keep our five sheep together, and she was even able to do little gathers and pull them nicely off a fence where there was a big draw to other sheep. We were doing walkabouts, and although we weren?t able to maintain a line for very long, she was covering her sheep pretty well if they got past me. Now we have to work on lie down, and take time. She?s got a lot of power over her sheep, so she has to learn to work further back and to keep out wider. But she?s made huge strides (and so have I) and I feel like I can trust her more now, so we?re on an upward curve I think. (I should add that all this is on pretty well dogged merino wether hoggets, but my trainer commented about the lot I had today that they were not entirely cream puffs!)

[blackacre]

Way to go Barb. It sounds like you're making real progress. I think it's about time you posted some pics my friend.

I'm off to a clinic and another trial. Toby the Kelpie is making progress picking up off a holder and taking flanks on the drive, so I'm hoping to get to the pen with him this time.

Andrea

[Tassie]

Thanks Andrea. Photos??? Maybe we?ll wait till we can wear in a straightish line for more than a few metres at a time! Just before we worked yesterday I watched my trainer working one of her dogs through a 3-sheep trial course getting ready for a trial today ? I am so in awe of you folks who trial and of your dogs. We may never make that ? after all she?s not working bred ? but it?s still a magical experience to be in the field with just me and the dog, and have her doing even little gather and fetches ? and being able to get her to move them with me to a particular place ? even if by a very ?drunken? route. It really gives me incentive to keep going with her ? even though petrol is now A$1.08 a litre now ? about US$2.80 a gallon ? and my trainer is nearly 100 km away.

 

Well done on Bluegrass ? and good luck with Toby the Kelpie this weekend.

[blackacre]

Thanks Barb,

Stick to it. You never know where this road will lead you.

As for Toby, his first run this weekend we had pretty decent outwork and a nice first leg of the drive. Unfortunately, the inside flank at the drive panel was too much for him and I had to retire. Second go, he crossed over and we timed out at the Maltese cross after some not real pretty attempts at the drive. So, still no pen but progress.

There was a professional photographer taking pics at the Bluegrass. After I find his card, I'll post the website where the pictures are posted. He got one of Hobbes coming in on the split which is really neat. You should be able to see pics of Denise, Sam, Robin and Terry as well, to name a few people on these boards whose names you might recognize.

 

A.