A Nice Day!

It truly felt like spring today and it sure was nice to be out.  The mud is dried up and the grass is starting to grow, although not near fast enough to suit the farm animals as they won't be turned out into the pasture until it is about 8 inches long.  I am letting the ducks out to go graze however, they have to brave the dangers of predators but they really need a break from their pen and it is cutting down on the fighting if they can move out over larger distances.  The interesting thing is they have divided themselves into two flocks.  One heads one direction the othe heads the opposite.  These ducks have always been together but still they are two flocks.

First up I sorted the sheep into the pens.  Then Rave and I worked a singleton.  We haven't done this since last spring I think.  Rave had a bit of a problem getting him going.  The sheep started playing keep away behind me.  So I moved up against the fence and with a bit of cow ponying Rave was able to take him and go down the arena.  It was a very good exercise for both of us.  He pulled hard to the draw and Rave had to move up to almost his eye to hold him.  I learned quickly that I was stopping her from doing so as I was anticipating her turning him back.  So after a bit of jocking back and forth we both got our picture straight and Rave was able to take him around the arena and pull him off the fence for the center.  I thought maybe as a singleton he would be threatened by the pen but not so, he saw it as sanctuary and went right in.

Next turn in I took the heavy sheep and took them out of the pen.  After finding a collar for Rave I hooked up the long line and we worked on the slow and fast exercise again.  I would give the walk-walk-walk-walk command and have Rave speed up, checking her if she tried to swing around to head.  Then I would request her to slow down.  I did get a change of speed but not dropping back to a walk, but a nice controlled trot.  I thought that was an improvement.  I am finding if I do this exercise once every two weeks or so Rave listens a bit better.  With Rave I wouldn't do it more often as I think I would frustrate her.  There where many times that she wanted to move out or up to hold the sheep in a group and I interfered from her using her instinct to automatically fix things.  But I do think it is helping for her to feel that she can use speed to tuck a sheep back in and then drop back to the slower pace to control them.

I really enjoyed being out in the warm day.  Hope we have some more like it.