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We’ve all been there. You’re steaming down a sweet piece of singletrack when, from out of the bracken, a group of sheep emerge to block the path. Cruelly, they don’t turn back into the opening in the bracken from whence they came but, spooked, run off in front of you and you can’t get around them. Your momentum is lost and you are not a happy chappy. What do you do?
- Ride slowly behind and hope they turn off, but risk herding them for hundreds of metres?
- Give it even more beans and hope that the sea of sheep parts?
- Take a quick break and hope that they bugger off?
- Get lost in the moment as you realise just how attractive these babes/ruminants are?
In all seriousness, what do you do?
I saw a video a while back when a rider was following a flock for ages at pace. I thought that it couldn’t be good for the animals, who were pretty much sprinting.
I spoke to a former sheep farmer who told me that some sheep die from exhaustion after being chased by dogs, rather than actually being attacked. So, is this an issue?
I've always insisted on at least buying her a drink
Oh, I see - stop, obvz
pedal slowly behind them chuckling to yourself about how stupid sheep seem, so option 1 for me.
Instructional video for you OP
Does depend on time of year, early spring they will be heavy with lambs so giving it beans is a definite no-no. They are herd animals so it's the one at the front who'll be looking for a way out and the others will follow. If you are pushing them on then they get flustered so don't see potential exits. Like most animals they escape by short sprints not long endurance runs so can't cope with being chased for more than a few tens of seconds.
Just ease off to walking pace, stick to one side of the track if possible so that one of their escape routes is back past you. A bit of talking - not "Come here me lovelies" 🙂 can calm them as well.
Earlier this year in Scotland we rode up behind a ewe and well grown lamb who took off down the road which was on a bank with a wire fence at the bottom of the bank they then leapt off the road straight over the fence into the field, a good five metres from take off to landing!
I thought common practice was to 'Baaaaa' at them and try to ride past.
Give it even more beans and hope that the sea of sheep parts?
STRAAAAABAAAAAAAAA!
That video was disturbing.
Flash your Mint Sauce key ring...
Which reminds me.. has anyone got a spare one?
Either back off completely and allow them to moveor blat right up behind them, they'll only turn if you catch right up to them.
What on earth has Rubber Buccaneer been googling to come across that film?
Don't blame me! Someone else posted that video up years ago and I was so damaged by the content that I have been unable to forget it🐑
You remember that they are someones livelihood so stop to let them wander out of your way whilst wondering if they mind having clag nut encrusted tails and back ends.
Sounds like we’re mostly on the same page, except Rubber_Bucc.... WTF! Fairly niche, I hope.
You just do a sheep hop. It’s like a bunny hop but higher. Taller grazers, you see?
Don’t blame me! Someone else posted that video up years ago and I was so damaged by the content that I have been unable to forget it
I'm pretty sure it was that druidh fellow. A wrong'un if ever there was ....
Practice track standing. Or herd them by going high and changing their angle of attack.
But not aggressively just to persuade them sideways.
If you see the white of their eyes you are stressing them.
I like sheep you can trust them except sone rams. They ear ear their way through nettled so goid trail keepers.
A lot of the good single track around here is full of sheep so it's a common problem, probably number 3 works best for me.
I find once you stop and they're not being chased anymore they just wander off to the side.
I’m pretty sure it was that druidh fellow. A wrong’un if ever there was ….
There are some dodgy folk around here for sure
What was the question I got distracted part way through the thread
I’m pretty sure it was that druidh fellow.
No wasn't druidh.
I think you might find it was that Onion bloke.
I just try and pass them as soon as possible. Once you get slightly up the side of them they soon turn off.
If you try and stay behind them you'll be there all the way to Aberystwyth farmers market.
Don’t blame me! Someone else posted that video up years ago and I was so damaged by the content that I have been unable to forget it
Think it was me.... In fact I read the op and then went off to find a link and was bitterly disappointed when I saw that rubberbuc had already posted it.
Rather than baaaa-ing at them you could really get them questioning their place on the farm by mooing at them.
Is that not a short version of the original video?
I'm sure the longer version shows him building up a 3 sheet construction before the "sheep" become appealing?
Option 3.
Sheep have a gestation 5 and you typically see lambs out in March/April but round here we do have a few farmers who have lambs out in Dec/Jan so they must be tupping now. We normally aim for April with some missing first time and then making an appearance in May as I prefer the warmer weather than trying to keep lambs alive in cold wet weather.
Outside of that they are already easy stressed to death enough.
Give them plenty of space and they will find a way off the track. If you chase them they will very rarely turn to the side as to do so while being chased by a predator (which is how they see you) means certain death, since you could cut the corner and intercept them.
sorry that should be gestation of 5 months
Sheep aren't ruminants.
EDIT oh shit, yes they are. All this time....
Molgrips: I notice you didn’t dispute they were babes! 😉
Say "hello"?
If the wolf is around as well:
don't say such silly stuff!
Molgrips: I notice you didn’t dispute they were babes!
I'm too much of a gentleman for that.