May be long, I suppose…but here goes!
We were getting ready for the AHBA March 9,10,11 herding trial at Maple Grove Farm…
Thursday March 8th was a cool grey, cloudy day …it was late in the afternoon, and we had much still to do…Last minute things that can only be done last minute…. and then things I forgot or did not see…like the Foot Bath entrance needed to be blocked! I never even thought of that one! Not a big deal …but needed.
The big issue was moving the 4 ewes with lambs from the duck arena to a different location. Marianne and I brainstormed the problem and came up with a good plan. We would relocate the 2 feral ewes and their lambs along with the dog broke ewes to the 40 foot round pen, on the upper side of the 7 acre field.
We planed to separate the lambs from their Mothers and take the lambs in arm up to the round pen. We planned to turn the tame dog broke ewes loose to follow their lambs up to the round pen. Afterwards we would turn the 2 feral ewes loose and use the lambs and ewes all ready in the round pen for the draw and use our dogs to help move the ewes as needed. A good plan!
What is the problem with just herding all the lambs and ewes together? (you are thinking) well the lambs were just days old. Mother ewes are crazy, protective…and it is a 7 acre field to cross…Lambs can be stupid at this age…and they are not use to a dog… and Mother Ewes can be unmovable…The plan was solid! Everyone and the stock and dogs should have been safe.
We gathered and penned. Sorted. and took the lambs and the 2 ewes that were dog broke and that left the two feral ewes to move. All was well…
Just as I was walking thru the sitting area which has a wooden gate …it happened! no one knows why or how!
The 2 feral ewes broke thru the wooden gate and ran into that area…I have no idea why! there were many ways the ewes could have went and should have! What happened next only KAT really knows… But I heard something running fast and the next thing I knew I was in the air! My knee cap dislocated and then a second hit to my leg while I was still in the air sent me to the ground in extreme pain. As I hit the ground I heard 2 dogs one on the left side of my head and one over my head going at it. ( I had my head covered with one arm) the other hand was on my knee cap. There was a pup tied close to where I hit the ground and I thought KAT and Ting were fighting each other. I remember thinking great! I am on the ground with a dislocated knee cap and now there is a dog fight on top of me!
Turns out there was no fight between dogs. They were fighting that ewe and keeping her off my head and body! She had me down and meant to harm me! KAT was doing her job keeping the ewe off me. Ting tied to the fence and 2 feet from me was helping KAT!
NO WAY ….you can’t teach this! It is one of the time cherished instincts that is rarely proven in the English Shepherd Breed any more! Some Australian Shepherds have it too… But it is a rare thing to prove it in this day and time! one hopes it is in the breed…and not the sort of thing one goes about trying to prove:-) But thank God this trait is still alive and well in some of the English Shepherds and Aussies.
After the ewe was taking care of … KAT laid down beside me and would not move. She went to the house with me and stayed with me for several days.
With the Lord’s help I was able to put my knee cap back into place…I have had a lot of experience thru the years with this type of injury…by morning I was walking, in pain and swollen but able to do the stock handling with KAT. We made it thru the 2 days of trialing and called off the Sunday Trial because of the weather.
I have good friends, a loving husband, good dogs, and I am most blessed! Without my friends and husband the trial would not have been a success… I had to trust and be able to let go and let someone else do what I thought I could only do!
The knee is healing, I am walking better and have an appointment with a knee specialist the 8th of May!
I thank God I was not hurt worse! I thank God for a good solid breeding foundation of good strong working dogs that I have been proofing and working.I thank God for all the Farmers and Ranchers that have went before me that have bred their good dogs so that I can today continue their work and legacy!
KAT, BOO, Drover and Journey…The Maple Grove Farm Dogs…2018.
