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unicorndukeYesterday I took the day off work and helped a friend (C) with their shearing day. I was primarily sheep mover, catching them and getting halters on, bringing them out to the shearers and taking the finished sheep from the shearers and putting them away in the pens. C's husband was also doing this but he has some kind of long term medical condition that makes him wobbly on his feet, so I was trying to do as much as possible. The sheep were shits of course. The didn't appreciate being haltered and handled so they were jumping around and being very dramatic. They also had a guard llama in with the sheep and while it didn't do anything, it was very large and disconcerting. It kept pinning its ears and circling us as we caught sheep but didn't behave badly in any way, so I guess it was fine.
In total, there was 31 sheep and towards the end, S (one of the shearers) said I could hop on a sheep and practice using her equipment, which is the electric motor clippers that have the motor hang above and the hand piece is very lightweight. It requires facing the machine since it's a flex shaft but not very long. And of course, I got a difficult sheep. Ah well. S was very kind and gave me some good pointers and the clippers were very nice to work with. I messaged her this morning on instagram and thanked her again for teaching me and mentioned that if she had a big job and would be willing to let me tag along, I'd love that. She said she'd keep me in mind, so good enough!
Afterwards, C fed us lunch. It was full of gluten. I ate it all. It was amazing and delicious. I don't care about the consequences of that. eta: now I remember what the consequences are, sharp pains oh no
I'm pretty sore this morning which is is only unusual because my back is sore. That normally isn't the case after shearing. I suspect my several hours of hauling sheep around before doing a shearing job relatively cold (I was sweating a lot at that point but didn't stretch, I need to stretch more!) plus all the weaving I've been doing didn't help. I did my workout this morning but like, half assed it and then laid on the floor for a while. It feel like muscle soreness rather than anything else so shrugs.
I did accidently leave my shearing box there, mainly because I didn't use it and was tired at the end of the day and didn't remember that I had brought it in. Ah well, I'll be up that way at some point in the next few weeks and can grab it. C knows and put it in the milk house.
In total, there was 31 sheep and towards the end, S (one of the shearers) said I could hop on a sheep and practice using her equipment, which is the electric motor clippers that have the motor hang above and the hand piece is very lightweight. It requires facing the machine since it's a flex shaft but not very long. And of course, I got a difficult sheep. Ah well. S was very kind and gave me some good pointers and the clippers were very nice to work with. I messaged her this morning on instagram and thanked her again for teaching me and mentioned that if she had a big job and would be willing to let me tag along, I'd love that. She said she'd keep me in mind, so good enough!
Afterwards, C fed us lunch. It was full of gluten. I ate it all. It was amazing and delicious. I don't care about the consequences of that. eta: now I remember what the consequences are, sharp pains oh no
I'm pretty sore this morning which is is only unusual because my back is sore. That normally isn't the case after shearing. I suspect my several hours of hauling sheep around before doing a shearing job relatively cold (I was sweating a lot at that point but didn't stretch, I need to stretch more!) plus all the weaving I've been doing didn't help. I did my workout this morning but like, half assed it and then laid on the floor for a while. It feel like muscle soreness rather than anything else so shrugs.
I did accidently leave my shearing box there, mainly because I didn't use it and was tired at the end of the day and didn't remember that I had brought it in. Ah well, I'll be up that way at some point in the next few weeks and can grab it. C knows and put it in the milk house.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-28 03:12 pm (UTC)“The sheep were shits of course.” I think this can be applied to just about every animal that I’ve ever watched being shorn except my late llama. Hercules would stand on a slack lead while being shorn. His big sign of displeasure was an ear semaphore monologue.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-28 04:01 pm (UTC)I think the thing is, they were big shits. So they're all medium or longwools, Corriedales and Wensleydales and those crosses and in really good condition coming off the summer on pasture. Such good condition that the shearer asked if they'd been bred. Nope! So probably in the 125 to 175lb range.
Llamas are so funny! J and I sheared a llama in a stock in the spring and he was extremely well behaved other than the constant screaming.
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Date: 2023-11-28 08:40 pm (UTC)“…other than the constant screaming.”
Ok, I laughed!