A Snip Snip Here and a Snip Snip There

I feel the need to preface this post with a disclaimer. When I was growing up we had nearly every traditional farm animal you can think of. We had chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, goats, pigs, rabbits, a horse, countless cats and dogs and even a ferret and a pet raccoon. My aunt and uncle raised cattle. The only farm animal I have no real previous experience with is sheep. Thinking back now I don't know why we never had any, but we just didn't. So I just want to make it clear, I've never given a sheep a haircut before. Not ever. As a matter of fact I've never given anything a haircut. So what you are about to see is not my fault.

Here's Sophia (the sheep formerly known as Under the Son Golda) shortly after we brought her home. She had been shorn early in the spring before she had her lambs, but her natural break in her wool hadn't occurred yet so she has little mats clinging to the tips of her wool. Theresa has about two hundred sheep to deal with and just hadn't gotten around to trimming her up yet. Luckily that gives me the chance to try my hand at it.


I had no idea Sophia would just stand there and let me do it. I didn't even have to put her on a halter. She actually seemed to like it. It must have felt like a day at the spa. Granted, I just snipped away at whatever part of her body she felt like getting close to me. She led the way but eventually we got her half way done. We then decided that was enough for one day.

The next time I sat in the pasture she came back to have her bottom half finished. It proved to be more difficult to determine where I should be cutting compared to the top so some of it I was just eyeballing. There's still a little bit on her belly but I'm not sure how to get to it without standing on my head. I have some plans around here somewhere to build a stanchion. That of course doesn't help us today. So maybe it can just stay where it is. Unless, of course, someone knows of a good reason I absolutely have to get it off there?

Overall I think we both really enjoyed the experience. I don't think she looks too awful. Although I'm hoping a few rinse sessions in the rain will help hide my blatantly obvious beginner cut a little? I just love the color of her fleece though. I see a matching hat and scarf. What do you see?