Anticipation

We gathered up the boys this week into the catch pen.  You can see the the anticipation on their faces - or is it dread?  We didn't have to use the long white sticks to guide them into the pen as they almost went in of their own accord, clever boys.  Faro who is at the very front of the photo is the least comfortable in the pen, always anxious to get out so when we've finished doing our work with them, we lead him out first.  He is then completely relaxed.

The halters are now on, at the last hole of the fastener due to the thickness of their neck fleece. The three guys in the middle are Fidget (L), Fyta in the middle and Gully (R).  Fidget is the least happy to have the halter fitted, but once it's on, he's fine.

Here is Rufus, halter fitted and (almost) ready for a wee walk and getting a neck rub with the back of my hand.  I always use the back of my hand for neck rubs.   I've noticed that Rufus is now quite relaxed whilst having his halter fitted whereas when he first arrived last year he usually tensed up, although never refused the fitting.  As he's settled into the herd he's become more dominant, pushing and shoving himself into the group and spitting into the air if he's not happy with the others.  He's a lovely chap though and when he gets a bit above himself Wee Eck comes along and brings him down a peg or two!

Fyta eating his sugar beet.  I've been trying to capture on camera something which only Fyta does in the herd.  If another animal comes near his bowl when he's eating, he puts his right foot into the bowl as if to say, "This is mine" and if necessary, will overturn the bowl.  He frequently does this but never when we have the camera handy........one day!

And finally.........a long shot from a dip in the field showing the boys on the sky line in their paddock with the snowy Beinn in the background.