Sheep Jail Break

It was a long day and we were headed home from the sheepdog trial, when at the turn before my place, we saw a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness and realized it was a loose ewe. Then about ten more ewes crossed the road and we saw that Josh’s sheep had gotten out. We parked the van, got the one tiny flashlight to evaluate the situation and saw most of the 100 sheep had escaped and had bedded on the hill above the pasture. Unfortunately it was the neighbor's lawn and even though he was a cool guy, the sheep could wander down the road and get hit or go on the highway. We looked at the dogs in the back and saw Tess was passed out on the seat. The hill would be too steep for her and she is partially blind not to mention almost 14 years old. Ron grabbed Kiki and it would be a good lesson for her in practical work.

Ron started up the trail and the sheep bolted so we jumped back in the van and backed up to the other side of the driveway. Ron pulled the van forward and I mentioned to him he was right along a deep ditch as the van began to tilt and he pulled it forward and we didn’t become a victim of the deep abyss. You could see up the driveway the glowing eyes of the sheep and Ron sent Kiki. The sheep came racing down the hill and Ron called off Kiki so the sheep began to slow down. He worked then down to the north end of the pasture where they went down another hill as I opened the gate. Half of the flock came back and went into the pasture. Ron called me over and he found a ewe that was cast. Cast is when a ewe is rolled on her back in a dip and cannot get up. We rolled her to her side and she galloped into the night to join the few that had not been put away.

We walked over to the remaining sheep and they were by the old area that formerly had a gate. I unwound the wire and made a small opening, the sheep rushed in and that was the end of the night escapade of the 100 sheep.

Tess woke up as we got in the van and asked us, “What took you so long?”