Working in Public

Only one work day this week, but that’s okay – it rained and that makes me happy. So today we rolled out again to Creston, and just put the miles in. I don’t have too many expectations and don’t want to do too much “training” because I feel like Rippa needs to learn how to manage her sheep. An outrun here, a fetch there, a lot of walking. Some fence work. I pulled out a couple lambs with this group but they were just panicking too much so we put them back. Sorting is going really well – as is just sitting back and having her bring me sheep – she’s doing less sheep bowling and more “getting” out, which I kind of figured would happen if I helped her and also trusted her.

I’m really happy with Rippa as a stockdog, and I realize I’m just a hobby person but the end goal for me is to be an ambassador to the cattle community here and everything I’m seeing in Rippa is what I want to see – she’s got a better sense of group than her mother, but a bit more biddable (though again, that could be because I didn’t mishandle her for years). She’s willing to take it down a notch and takes commands pretty well – though I’m not expecting too much yet. Good team work, good instinct, I feel like I’m getting so much from her without having to show her too much. Good stuff.

Anyway, Stephanie was gone today so again I was on my own. I’m getting into a rhythm on the drive: look for the exit, through the trees with the deer, up the grade, there’s the lavender farm with the lavender trailer for selling it . . . long horns, vineyard with the old car parked on the ridge, and turn.

Stephanie lives on the top of some rolling hills so the arena I’m working in is in plain view of two of her neighbors – both of whom happen to always be home. The neighbor with dogs doesn’t pay me much mind, but the neighbor that loads the horse trailer every time I’m there (what are you doing? Every time?) watches us. I generally think I do a good job of keeping my voice down compared to how I handled in the past, but once in a while it gets “western” (a term I recently learned for . . .  less quiet control of stock, if you will) and I’ll start yelling to get some dog respect and I’m sure people in a mile radius can hear me.

It’s different – that. I’m used to working in a canyon with no one but dog people around. I think it’s good to know you’re accountable to the outside world like that, though. As I said, I’ve been doing a good job keeping my voice down and now that I’m not panicked like I used to be, I can manage situations before they get ugly. The neighbors watched Rippa try to bring a lamb in really hard but she was too close and it became kind of pointless so I had to call her off and do it myself, but you know, that’s okay. At least they know I’ve got the little baa baa backs.