During lunchtime today I had a free performance, or demonstration, of how sheep were being herded on the hillside just opposite from us. Unless one has seen the landscape here this may not seem interesting, or of any particular significance, but there is very little even or level terrain here. And the sheep are not kept in fields like in South Africa, but they roam around freely on the hillsides and mountain slopes. Lately while cycling I have seen many sheep looking very colourful due to having been sprayed with some paint or other substance. At times it is as part of counting, but then also to mark which sheep has already been inoculated or given some other medication, or whatever it is that they do to the sheep here. After all, it’s not New Zealand. ;-)
Initially the sheep look like they have been prepared for a race, as they have different numbers sprayed onto them, one a big 60, the next a 13, then a 27, and so on, which is obviously part of the counting process. Eventually the colours also change, and at times it is just a general spraying of one or other part of the body, or a specific marking, and in order to do this one obviously has to be able to get close to the animal. But with the animals generally roaming around freely they are not exactly accustomed to the close proximity of humans, and even when I go walk-about they invariably run for their lives long before I get even anywhere close to them. The fact that the young sheep are now also being educated by the older ones probably contributes to their skittishness. With it being late spring most young sheep are fairly grown up already, and hence there is now obviously a need for the farmers to take stock and to ensure the wellbeing of the herd.
So how do you round up a flock of sheep on a hillside which has ravines, and then also the remains of an old system of growing crops called rig and furrow, plus the occasional currently mainly dry streams, and rocks, and bushes and meter-high heather? Not forgetting, of course, that these sheep run along those hills all day long, hence not only do they know the territory very well, but they are also quite adapt at crossing and overcoming various obstacles, and extremely swift considering their awkward figures or body shapes. Yes, up close they all look rather awkward and clumsy, until they get into motion and stampede off down or up the hillside.
Well this is when mans trusted old friend, the dog, comes to the rescue. With the terrain being what it is it would obviously be extremely difficult for one dog to do this all on its own, in particular with a larger flock of sheep, but today I witnessed two of them being extremely adapt at their task. Not only were they amazingly swift and agile, but it seemed that they were actually really enjoying doing what they do. The dogs can certainly handle and control the sheep extremely well; however the dogs also need to be given instructions as to how and where the farmer wants the sheep, and whether he wants to them all together, or in two groups on opposite sides of the ravine, etc. Trust me, the sheep have no problem in ‘flying’ across the ravines, and naturally the collies will not allow themselves to be outdone. So how and where does the collie get his (or her) instructions from?
The farmer needs to be within shouting distance, and obviously also be able to see where the sheep are relative to where he wants them to be. And with neither sheep nor dog allowing the other to outrun it, it would be impossible for any human being to even remotely keep up or get anywhere close. This is where a human-made contraption called a quad-bike come to the rescue, and it may be one of the very first instances where I have seen these noise-making contraptions being sensibly utilised. Without a quad-bike it would be equally impossible for the farmer to keep up with the animals, and hence though they always lag behind, or otherwise ensure that they end up just ahead of the flock, they can make sure that they ultimately can also be where they need the sheep to be at the appropriate time. As long as they are within line of sight and shouting distance they can instruct the collies what to do. And follow instructions the collies do exceptionally well. At times they even seem to have a mind, or knowing, of their own, and they almost pre-empt the sheep’s’ next move.
The reader may now quite easily be thinking along the lines of a half-hour’ entertainment, but alas, such was not to be. Probably not even ten minutes and the dogs had demonstrated their mettle by coaxing around fifty sheep across an area of probably around half a square kilometre across rugged terrain, with ravines and all, plus gone back and checked that none had slyly tried to hide away somewhere. I kid you not; each one in turn backtracked and circled the area to ensure that all the sheep were accounted for. All the while the two farmers stayed within close proximity on their metal contraptions and gave directions or instructions. They probably considered them to be instructions, but to the dog I am sure it was more like a direction. These collies know their tasks so well, it is almost mindboggling. I have previously seen them on TV in competitions, where they have to round up and corner, or whatever, a certain number of sheep in an arena, but never before have I seen them actually do so ‘in action’.
Seeing them perform today made all previous TV competitions I have seen look like Childs-play. This was something which has to be seen to be believed, and when contemplating it I came to realise that neither one nor the other could do what they did, in the very short time that they did it in, on their own. There is certainly no way that the human being could have moved across those slopes adequately on foot, and even less chance of them controlling the sheep like the dogs did. I would even venture to say that on level ground and in a controlled environment it would not be possible for a human being to do what one well trained dog can achieve. The swiftness, the instinct, the mindfulness, an absolute delight to witness!
On a different note, the wind has finally changed direction, and with a bit of luck we may finally be getting some long overdue rain. For the past more than two weeks we have not a drop, which is not only unusual for here, but when seeds have just been sown, and seedling planted, then every bit of moisture is welcome. But Scotland being what it is, more than likely we will find the seeds and seedlings, if not the ground as well, being washed away once it does finally start raining again.
!O-3|-W;-
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