Dry Lake






     Thoughts on Dry Lake Sheep Dog trial over Memorial Day weekend.  Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures.  It was good.  I think we were over our heads a bit, and I expected that.  The trial will stand as a barometer to see where we are at.  And blaringly shout out what we need to improve on.  Watching is so much different than doing.



Pic by Gloria Atwater



     I ran Val in nursery.  It was on the last day, and the sheep were on their fourth go.  The field was 300+ yards, with some rise and falls and plenty of little prairie dogs-like rodents spectating.   I was very proud of how she hustled out there on the outrun.  She came in a bit flat and slow at the top, which gave the sheep a opening to take off at the 10 O'clock at a dead run.  Nothing I could do but look to see where the 4-wheeler was.  But, oh me of little faith, the little hustler got out and around them and was bringing me sheep.  Briskley.   Then they decided that going to exhaust sounded like a better plan, than the post.  Val took her 'come-by' command and lined them out to me.  Once we got around the post I tried to settle them, but they weren't having it. We popped them like pop-corn and they went off course.

     Tic ran in PN.  He got out there just fine, and took his lie-down on the second whistle.  Brought me sheep drifting a little off line toward exhaust.  Around post.   Taking all whistles I could manage to blow.  Started out drive away and got about half-way there and we had a communication breakdown.  So we wobbled around the panels and wobbled to the cross-drive panels.  He brought me back sheep and had them pretty nicely settled, as we timed out at the pen.



Pic by Gloria Atwater



     So what I learned is that we need more miles as a team.  I need to lie-down both dogs and then give commands until our communication is clearer.  Slowing things down, would of course be nice.  Giving Val commands on the fly in the excitement just throws energy and pulls her into slicing.  Tic I was happy with a lot of our communication.  He didn't check out, he stayed with me the whole time.  I missed  my whistles and he just interpreted the best he could.  Many of his decisions where right, without good input from me....  But he would really like me to step it up, even more.

     My whistle..... sucks!!!  I think it was all full of saliva(blood?) and it wouldn't blow.  I went to my fingers and my mouth was too dry and I couldn't whistle (how does that happen?)  Went back to my whistle.  Missed about 3 whistles there.  I need to help my dogs out.  And I really don't care for my whistles (the actual whistle in my mouth).  Had a nice fever blister that was also bleeding the whole time, which didn't help.  Really?  It can't be that difficult!

     Off to practice!!!

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