Daddy-O

I pulled Braveheart's coat off today so he could get uniformly dirty (hey, that's how I see it now that I've experienced covered fleeces!) before Black Sheep Gathering. I knew he had grown and filled out a lot since shearing at the end of February; it was a pleasant surprise to see just how much. Compare the after-shearing photo below with the photos above that I took today, just two months later!I no longer think he'll be the runt of the yearling ram class. Not that I was too worried about that. Lettie Klein is going to be the judge again this year. Last year I appreciated how thorough she was in evaluating the Shetlands, and she placed the most correct individuals at the top of their classes regardless of size.

The lambs and ladies got to be out for 12 hours today. Rain is supposed to move in again tonight, so I rode both my horse and the one I'm paid to ride weekly (there is only an outdoor round pen where the other horse is boarded, and our arena is uncovered as well). After I rode Russell I rinsed him off, then let him graze on his lead while he drip-dried. He enjoyed the treat; Jackson tried what was on the menu out of curiosity or politeness, but didn't seem to relish it as much.
That's it for now at . . .