Dances With Sheep

[no, not the ones at Things Celtic this afternoon]

S has been shearing the 2-years-past-due Karakuls while he's been off this week. None of them have been cooperative, but this last "gelding" was an extra-special piece of work. S originally attempted to shear him on Thursday after the flock had been penned (the good farmer lets his sheep fast overnight so there's minimal gastric stress when put in the proper sitting position), but the sheep wiggled loose from the hog-tie and took off. This put him in the front yard, away from his flock; in the meantime, S sheared the "newer" ewe, and wound up with a horrible sunburn--I've been on aloe duty for the past few days. S tried again to catch the rogue, but Bucky managed to clear the fence, but not without injuring his nose (S thinks it may be broken). Reuniting with the flock was probably the best, as it's easier to corral all than to cull one on 9-something acres full of cedar.

On Friday, as I was doling out pellets, husband yelled across the yard "I'd appreciate it if you'd step on that lead rope." Well, I did, thinking it couldn't be that difficult. Alas, the sheep was too quick for me, and he pulled my foot out from under me. The only thing that kept me from falling over completely was the fact that he had a horn to grab--not that it was the most stable thing to hang onto. I, of course, panicked and screamed like an ax murderee (we were both surprised that we didn't get a visit from the neighbors, or the sheriff). S quickly ran from the house to the pen (wish I could have seen that), and rescued me from Bucky.

Later on this afternoon, S eventually wrestled the sheep onto its side and hogtied it again. In his words:
"My [shearing] technique did improve, though what this psychotic gelding lacked in nicks he made up for in self-injury [prior to being tied up], insisting on ramming into the side of the garage side of the pen, the 2x6 boards on the back side of the pen, and the metal gate, culminating in leaping into the air and landing on his head, twice."

Apparently, this one is not hooked up to the sheep matrix, as its "anti-wiggle reflex" (their will to fight is supposed to switch off when all their feet are off the ground/immobilized) doesn't seem to be operational. DH said that he took a few hits to...sensitive parts. *wince* I hope everyone's OK. I'm fixing to ovulate soonish.