Okay, wow. Well, we have hogs, this you know. I have stopped singing "Chicago" in my head, and now expect to go see the happy little grunters a couple times a day. They like Mentos and marshmallows, and they like to lie in the straw and be scratched, like odoriferous big dogs. And, Youngest has to "walk" them. So far, this mainly entails encouraging them to leave the pen, singularly, and then following them around until they decide to go back. When Youngest shows "Wilbur" and "Willis" (names which caused Middlest to sniff her nose in disdain until I pointed out that she had called her geese "Henri" and "Henrietta"), he will walk them out of their pen, down a chute (no options in a chute) then pen the hog beside the show ring. When the judge points to him, he will open his pen, allow his hog out into the show ring- with the other hogs- and then close the pen behind himself. Then, he will try to locate his hog, and guide him to politely walk back and forth in front of the judge, no galloping, no rooting, no biting. In preparation for this, he will practice walking alongside the hog, and get him used to the idea of being guided. Seems like making the hog desire to do so is wise. I advise lots of bribery.
The hog showman carries an instrument to help guide the hog. There are three main choices, a whip, a pipe made of plastic and a cane. The showman is supposed to tap the shoulder of the hog when he wants him to turn away from the tap. This takes a lot of practice. We don't have any of the preferred guidance aids yet, so Youngest is using one of my dressage whips. It is the right size, but oh, how I dread trying to collect Oslo's trot and smelling hog.
So far, I have been pleased by the piggies not going for a run. I mean, there is nothing between our yard and Canada, and if he made it across the border I do believe he'd be welcomed as bacon, eh?
Meanwhile, a much more sensible way to walk an animal is with a halter and lead rope, right Middlest?
Eldest just steers fairly clear of the barn and it's unruly creatures. Here she is getting ready to address the local Kiwanis, as a Kiwanis Academic Scholar, about high school academics and plans for the future.
And, for those of you who always buy white eggs in cartons at the grocery store, you're missing out on variety. I call this little fairy tale "The Three Bears", with an appropriate amount of sympathy for the hen who managed "Papa Bear." Ouch. And, yes, the eggs are blue and green. All by themselves.
Okay, wow. Well, we have hogs, this you know. I have stopped singing "Chicago" in my head, and now expect to go see the happy little grunters a couple times a day. They like Mentos and marshmallows, and they like to lie in the straw and be scratched, like odoriferous big dogs. And, Youngest has to "walk" them. So far, this mainly entails encouraging them to leave the pen, singularly, and then following them around until they decide to go back. When Youngest shows "Wilbur" and "Willis" (names which caused Middlest to sniff her nose in disdain until I pointed out that she had called her geese "Henri" and "Henrietta"), he will walk them out of their pen, down a chute (no options in a chute) then pen the hog beside the show ring. When the judge points to him, he will open his pen, allow his hog out into the show ring- with the other hogs- and then close the pen behind himself. Then, he will try to locate his hog, and guide him to politely walk back and forth in front of the judge, no galloping, no rooting, no biting. In preparation for this, he will practice walking alongside the hog, and get him used to the idea of being guided. Seems like making the hog desire to do so is wise. I advise lots of bribery. 
The hog showman carries an instrument to help guide the hog. There are three main choices, a whip, a pipe made of plastic and a cane. The showman is supposed to tap the shoulder of the hog when he wants him to turn away from the tap. This takes a lot of practice. We don't have any of the preferred guidance aids yet, so Youngest is using one of my dressage whips. It is the right size, but oh, how I dread trying to collect Oslo's trot and smelling hog. 
So far, I have been pleased by the piggies not going for a run. I mean, there is nothing between our yard and Canada, and if he made it across the border I do believe he'd be welcomed as bacon, eh?
Meanwhile, a much more sensible way to walk an animal is with a halter and lead rope, right Middlest? 
Eldest just steers fairly clear of the barn and it's unruly creatures. Here she is getting ready to address the local Kiwanis, as a Kiwanis Academic Scholar, about high school academics and plans for the future. 
Will the hogs in an open show ring not fight each other?
ReplyDeleteYes, they will, sometimes get in a "to do". There are members of the Junior Fair Board that stand around the edges of the arena, wielding these big plastic "dividers". They jump into the middle of the fray and try and block the view of the two tussling 270 lb hogs. Not for the faint of heart.
DeleteAs the Middlest, I would like to point out that Henri and Henrietta are perfectly good names for a pair of geese. Wilbur and Willis are not a couple.
ReplyDeleteOkay, Middlest, but I would like to point out, although Wilbur and Willis are a couple, they are both boys.
ReplyDelete