Peaches galore

  The peach tree is so full it's almost breaking off.  I have invited everyone and anyone to come and pick peaches.  Some are ripe now and they will continue to ripen all week.

I got my bricks for my new front walkway delivered. Now if I can only get someone to put them in.  I have a guy lined up but not sure when he can come.

Boring day. No dog work , at least not my dogs and not much work done either.  lazy me

kippy kippy cow cow

Kip seems to like the cows now.  AFter 3 days of working them, he has gained some courage and wanted to go in for a heel.  He still does not like them turning on him but who does. ?  He was working  away from me on a 6 ft line and taking commands to get back and walk up.  I was pleased with him

Edge worked cows today and he was all about kicking butt and taking names.  He went in on the side of one and came out behind the rear legs.  It didn't seem to faze him.  He dodges the kicks quite well.  Dually is not nearly as fast at dodging them.

I worked in a round pen today and tried to teach Dually to go under the panels when they were too close to the panels for him to get around.  I had limited success at that.

Done working and we went shopping and then I stopped at the Congregational church to pick up lobster and haddock chowder dinner for Greg and I. Laura can't eat it.  Not bad.. I can do better.

Greg and I ran over to Kathy and Eds to taste the striper that Greg and Stewart caught this am.  It was rather spongy I thought, but the taste was good.

Home tomorrow. 

Day 3

THat was yesterday.  But I forgot to blog.  I worked Kip on ducks for the very first time.  He did very well.  I was pleasantly surprised. He liked working them a lot. He likes working anything a lot. I worked Dually and Edge on ducks too. Dually did not bust in on them.  Not sure why.  Maybe because I was ready to go after him.  Edge worked on some flanks and some stops.  I had a lot of trouble getting him to do an inside flank away from me without coming off the stock way too much. He's way to square on the inside flanks. He takes all pressure off.  Not sure how to fix that. I tried having Cindy out there with him with me at the fence. but she could not get him to flank in close either.

Newt worked the sheep yesterday.  And he did a very nice job.  No blow ups. Today we are going to try and see if we can provoke a blow up so we can figure out how Cindy could fix it on her own without me or anyone else there so she will more confidently be able to work him on sheep.

We started Laura's dog Riddle on the ducks too. She was a little dive in and lose interest, dive in and lose interest, but I think we can work with that.

Today we are going to start with the cows.  and then later go to Ellesworth to the LL Bean outlet and to a Japanese restaurant for dinner. Sounds like fun.

Day 2

Yesterday my hip hurt so badly I  barely did anything.

Today was better.   Greg and I went to the local flea market this am.  I got a goat door stop and he bought some fishing poles.  I also got some plants for the front yard.

Then I took the dogs to Cindy's and Dually worked 3 cows in a small pen.  I took one of the cows out because she kicked at him for no reason and it was an 'I want you dead kick".  So we worked 2 cows for a while with the other dogs.

Newt did a very nice job on ducks and cattle and Kip got turned on to the cattle.  He thought they were fun  fun fun.  I kept him on lead because I know he is going to try and go up under them.  I want smaller cows when I let him go so at the end of the week, we will bring the baby cows down and work him off leash on them.  Laura worked Riddle on line too. 

Edge did not get to work. I had run out of energy.  Kip got so high that I was sitting outside with him while Laura was quietly working the cows and I put my hand down to pet him and he snapped at me.  NOT one of his better ideas.

Vacation

I had an eye appt in the am yesterday which took 2 hrs and but while I was waiting for the DR. I wrote a calendar and directions for my farm sitters.  Thank you farm sitters!! My field of vision test came out excellent by the way.

So  I started to pack around 10 and got on the road about 12:30.  I made good time and only made 1 stop for gas and munchies which I should have bought ahead of time.1 bad of cheese popcorn, 1 soda and a pkg of m&m's cost me $8.83. YIKES.   Anyway traffic was not too bad and I got to Laura and Gregs's around 5:30.   I set up the trailer no problems , let the dogs run and went inside for dinner. 
Back to the trailer,, walked the dogs again and then played with the shower to get it to work.  You need to turn the gas on apparently.  I was exhausted but could not sleep of course.  I thought it was going to be cold and it must have warmed up in the middle of the night because I had to get up and turn the AC on.  I slept in till almost 9 but I'm still tired and my hip \/back is bothering me partially from driving.  Kip and EDge are in a fenced in yard right now and I can see them both from the table inside the trailer.  They are both waiting for me to come out.

I was talking to Laura last night about the Owner of the Black Prong and she said it sounded familiar. Well it turns out her neighbors across the street winter in Morriston every  year.  We are going over for lunch so I can quiz them on the area I hope.

All set now

So I studied the on line motorcycle permit tests all day off and on on Sunday. There are questions that I got wrong when I was 16.5 and still got them wrong today.   Yes I can remember the questions.  Because I got them wrong and could not figure out why for the life of me.  Obviously since I keep getting them wrong.  Anways, I figured they could not keep asking me that same question over and over and I was doing pretty good on the other questions so  I went to the registry,paid my money, took the test and PASSED.  They have given me a motorcycle learners permit. Now I have to sign up for the class and see if I can learn to ride a motorcycle. How hard can it be?  Nat said I could use her dirt bike to practice which sounds like a good idea.

I got some patch material in the mail for one of the agility tunnels which are for sale. I have a blue 15 ft tunnel and a purple 20 ft tunnel. I also have a panel jump for sale.

I cut a piece of metal for a screen guard but I am not sure I have the right screws for it. I need short self tapping and I have some but they might be too long. 

I am starting to think about packing for Maine.  I am taking a short vacation, I have peeps to take care of the livestock.

I filled the hay feeder up and backed the trailer up to it in case they need to refill it when I am gone. I tried to get Kathy to take the silky hen but she can't because hers would kill it.  So I guess I won't be taking that to Maine.  A student tonight might be able to get rid of it  and maybe the call ducks too this fall.

Still trying to find some hay for next year.  Not having a lot of luck.

Worked Kip tonight on driving.   He's kinda fun to work.  He liked to bite the goats.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

    I met Gail at the Rider Skills of New England Open house and fundraiser for cancer today in Sturbridge.  They had some booths and some raffles and some demos that we got there too late for.  I did here one of the cops fell off of his bike doing a demo and was so embarrassed would not get back on.  Darn I wish I had seen  that. 

    They had a walking poker run which Gail and I virtually ran because it was late in the day and at the end of the run when I turned in the sheet, I had WON.  I won a motorcycle safety and skills class.  I had been thinking about doing it since Gail just bought a new motorcycle and I thought what good transportation for Fla.  Anyway I was hesitating because I thought it would be expensive, but no problem now it's free!! whooo whooo. So I have been online studying for my learners permit test.  I'll try to schedule the class in Sept.  fun fun

      Gail won 2 of the raffles. One was the 59/50 which she generously donated back to the relay for life and the other was $50 to BT's smokehouse.

    I got to meet up with the Caplette clan.  Nora, Mo,Danny,Cassie .  Good to meet some of you and catch up with some others.  Really enjoyed talking ot everybody.    

Training Day

Wow what a successful day!!

First of all Kip is dead lame on left front today. No idea why.  He worked goats yesterday and did a great job.  But no work for him today. He was crated all day although he seems to get a little better if he stays out of the crate. 

I worked Edge on the goats in the control pen .  But first I have to day he is getting better at gathering the livestock without my telling him every step to go on.  Tough love.
So I set some panels up and we worked on me being outside the pen and him taking my commands.  I find that this exercise sharpens them up so much because there is no body language involved. It has to be voice commands only.   He did a good job getting the goats to go in the panels the ways I directed him.

 Dually not so much.  So I go in there and we worked the corner exercise go by.  Apparently I have worked away so much his go  bye is  broke.  I moved the panels in and made a wall so that he could not break out after I sent him around the goats.  Worked like a charm. 

Then later tonight, I took the 2 of them to the top of the hill behind the arena and Dually found a stick to hold and Edge worked the flock in the arena with me on the hill. He did a good job of walking up and he took most of my flanks.  I was very pleased with him.

Dually then worked some aspects of the course and he did a great job.  We had 4 sheep that really did not want to stay together that well and he kept then together and they nade most of the panels and he took my go by at the 3rd panel.  He was a star.  

Sorry I know you probably have no idea what I am talking about but suffice to say I am happy with both of them tonight and I can see where we can go and how to get there.

Sick Sheep

Ok so the sick sheep that I had put in the barn is apparently better.  This morning she was down in the stall and I thought ok this must be the end.   But I gave her penicillin, banamine, b12, BOSE, probios powder, probios paste and nutri drench. And then I wormed the hell out of her.  If the cure didn't kill her then whatever was wrong shouldn't either.   Then I thought, damn it if she dies in the stall I am going to have trouble getting her out so I opened the doors, she got up and wobbled out.  She wandered out to the arena where the other sheep were and started to eat grass. She has eaten nothing in 2 days.  I thought well maybe she is just nibbling and not really eating.  I put her out with the others and she continued to eat.  I left for an hr and came back and she was still eating.  I guess she it not going to die although I have yet to see her chew her cud.  Tomorrow will be the key. 

Went to see Ricky and the Flash.  -don't bother

I got an email from a guy who wants  to take herding lessons from me in Fla.  He also has goats and cows.  Hmmmm sounds good to me.

Training

So I took Dually and Edge out back and locked mr noise(Kip) in a crate in the house and closed the doors so theoretically we can't hear him.  It doesn't really work that way but at least it does not upset Dually when he can't hear as well.

I worked Dually first and we worked on the center panels and had some lighter sheep.  We were getting some consistency and then I put them in the take pen and tried that.  They run to the shed when they come out so he had to catch them and turn them back which is not the way I want to start the course.  I have to figure a way to keep them closer to the take pen so I can finesse the center panels.  I also tried to go on but panel 1 we make ok and panel 2 but then when I want him to take a fast and wide go by I am not getting in.  well that is what training is for right?  Then we worked on the center again with not much success. Sheep were too light and I was not helping enough. 

Switched to Edge and he did some driving. He did a pretty good job holding them to the fence all the way around, but it occurred to me after that they were light sheep and he did not have to push at all.  I need to set up a chute and find a way that he has to push them thru without my help. He was more willing to go get sheep tonight after our training session yesterday. 

Tomorrow it's supposed to rain so maybe no training. 

I gave the sick sheep a beer and some pro-bios.  She has not had anything to drink since yesterday.  It's not easy to poor beer down a sheep.  I think she will die.

ASCNE trial in NH

It was a one day trial yesterday.   Dually was the only dog entered.  It took me 2.5 hrs to  get there and I had to be there by 8am.   short night.

We started on cattle first.  I had a really nice group although they seemed pretty equal to me all day. They moved off the dogs and didn't want to fight. It was A course so there was a take pen. I sent him in on an Away to me, but he would not go so I said go by and he would not go.  Finally he went away to me on his own.  Maybe I should just say get around and let him pick.  Anyway it was a good take pen when he finally went. He did not go in and fight with them.  Maybe that close pen work in Maine had some residual effects.   Started right down the right side of the arena nicely but for some reason he turned them back twice.  Gotta fix that.  We got to the first panel and they wanted to go around but I gave him a go by and he took it and neatly turned them into the panel. Then took a nice away to keep them moving and held them on the back fence for the cross drive.  I gave him the away to me on the 2nd panel and MY timing was perfect according to the video but he hesitated for too many steps and they went in too deep which caused them to come out and hug the fenceline.  I was trying to avoid that so I could get a perfect turn to the chute. Anyway I kept saying away to me and he did turn them but past the opening so we were a little offline.  He got them over to theopening of the chute and they were about to turn out but I gave him a go by and he turned them nicely into the chute and they all went thru like little soldiers.  We won the class with a 113. Hmmm not sure where all those points came from.  It was not obvious to me and I'm usually a tough critic.

My sheep class was very nice too.  He took them out of the pen his way again and then before I could get the gate closed he had them half way to panel 1.  Thru panel 1 and the he had to adjust them back into the crossdrive.  I timed the turn around panel 2 perfectly and he took my flank but not my stop which caused the sheep to overrun the chute opening.  We took them around twice i think before Igot them thru.  We placed 2nd.

The geese run was interesting.  We won but only because we had a good set of geese. There were good and bad. 

We were HIT cattle and HIT aussie.

So today I went out and worked the damn E course again.  This time I used heavier sheep and I broke the sections down.  We were more successful that way.  I will continue to do that until he understands the course but in the meantime I will also throw a chute to the side and practice C course too. fun fun.

Edgie worked a lot tonight.  I worked driving and flanks.  And then I sat by the shed and sent him to get the sheep by himself  in the field back of the arena.  It's only about 150 ft but so far for him.  He stopped to look at me but I insisted and he got better. Then I sent him to get them at the barn .   He needs more of this. But it's frustrating for me because this is on part I feel should be built in already. Not that hard. Get the sheep. I don't care how you do it, just bring them.  He feels it's hard.

E course

     I have been trying to work E course all week and we just can't seem to get it together. I usually cannot make the center panels , I make the 2 up near the crossdrive and then mixx the center again coming back.  Dually has not been taking my flanks fast enough. Or Kip is barking and Dually is not working at all.  Tonight I had to walk back from the arena and put Kip in the house to shut him up which of course did not really shut him up.  I could still hear him in the arena but Dually was working in spite of it. I guess the sound was far enough away.

    I worked Edge out on E course also but not really on the course. I am doing the cross drive with him and trying to get him to walk up on the sheep.  He is doing better on walk up.  time I guess.  Tonight the stopped and he stopped and would not move so I used a "HIT" command and even that took a few to get him to dive in and bite.  He loves that command so I thought it would loosen him up. It did but not as quickly as I wanted it to.  He is doing much better at leaving me and getting around the livestock.   more time

      I used Kip to put the sheep and goats out in the arena this afternoon and we had a bit of a discussion about down means down and does not mean pop up immediately when I bat and eyelash.  I think he started to get it, but will check tomorrow when I work everybody again.