I have debated about sharing my Herding experience from this last weekend…This is the beginning of “Our Journey”…
Drover and I entered the AHBA Trial this last weekend in Burlington, NC. We entered Saturday and Sunday HTAD Level I course #2.
Level I is for the beginners. There are 4 courses.
#2 course consists of (and there can be variations on the course and per the judge)
1. a small pen 12 x 12 approx and round, attached to the side of the arena with a 4 foot gate, and the sheep are held here for the start and you send your dog in to bring the sheep out (you may walk in with your dog (level one).
2. The arena is 100 x 200 approx. and this one was rolling not level. but grassed and very nice.
3. as your sheep come out with your dog behind them and you in front your dog should hold the sheep to you but not too close and you shut the gate and start diagonally across the 100 width of the arena to a cone that is approx 125 feet from the gate . You travel with the sheep behind you and the dog behind the sheep counterclockwise around the cone, and proceed even and smoothly around the free standing pen approx 50 feet from the cone in the direction of the gate you just took the sheep out of as you go around the free standing pen you head back across the arena to a Y chute along the fence. (a” Y” chute is a narrow alley along the fence line with a half Y at the opening. You cannot go into the chute with the sheep and your dog has to push the sheep ever so easy like down and into the chute and out the lower end where you take up with the sheep again and walk to the next obstacle two panels with a opening in the middle for your sheep and dog to walk through but not you!Moving along you proceed by the cone (your first obstacle) and into the gated free standing pen and pen the sheep and shut the gate “ta dah!”… you open and bring the sheep out to a spot and hold them for a few seconds in the open and then back to the original gate and starting place where the dog holds the sheep off the gate and you as you open the gate and then the sheep are re penned by you and your dog.
For our Saturday run imagine all the above and sheep that look like big marbles thrown into the Arena! (it was bad) I can laugh now. But I so wanted to run hide and cry too!
I felt defensive . Everyone was complementary and nice and Drover was not horrible he was just not ready nor was I!
I thought how bad I had made English Shepherds look to everyone. When in fact they are the BEST! To tell the truth I had bought the line “They do not need training!” in the depths of my heart and I know better….
Sunday was okay. At least we had some control. The downs and stays much better. The sheep not flighty. It was more me not knowing what to do.
The Arena and sheep were very good. The place was well set up and the gates ALL worked easily! The ground was rolling (Helpful for me going faster down hill!) All the obstacles easy to understand and well maintained!
First: and foremost I learned so much!
Second : It was FUN!
Third: No we did not qualify either day.
Fourth: We need more training and work on down, stay, away, come bye, and walk up!
but I knew that… but entered with the hope that we might do really good (and I am thankful we did not place) because I would not have learned so much! I am so appreciative to all the people that encouraged me to TRY IT!!! THANK YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE!
Fifth: I now have a plan and know what to do and how to do it! (before I was just doing what I knew to do because of my lack of knowledge I was not making progress.)
Sixth: No I am no expert nor will I ever be. And One Trial does not make me able to qualify the next time. But it is a start on “The Journey”!
You might be asking why do I want to do this…this is an example of why I need and want my dog(s) trained:
Last Tuesday evening all my sheep were out and too close to the highway for my comfort. Drover and I brought them back to the farm and he ended up ahead of me and I was afraid to send him around to bring them forward to me (he was not in balance with me and the stock) not the dog’s fault mine. I knew if I sent him and he was in to close they would scatter and go who knows where?!! My job and his could have been very easy but wasn’t because I did not know how to send him with confidence that the sheep would not scatter into the woods and the highway.
the ending was I had a neighbor help me and Drover bring the sheep up my driveway. All ended well.
I am working on sending my dog and having him bring the stock to me. (he has a beautiful outrun) and tons of intelligence as well as instinct!
Drover is an easy dog to work with and learns FAST! So I really want to do this correctly as I go.
Because I tried, I learned. Without my trying I would be still in the same place stuck! And ALL my dogs will benifit from this experience!
I so want to encourage each and everyone of you to get out there and give “IT” a try whatever “IT” is you and your dog is interested in (whether you think you can or not) … If it is agility, herding, Frisbee, fly ball or walking down the street, etc… Go Have Fun !!!!! TRY IT!!!!
