Baymule’s Journal

[Bruce]

Seems like some shears would be of use!

 

[Alaskan]

Eve had a Dorper sire. He gifted her with a heavy Matt of wool that doesn’t shed. She hates for me to mess with it. I usually run her through the chute, put a halter and lead rope on her and snub her up tight. Today I took a different approach. With a full belly, she laid down to ruminate. I sat down next to her with a pair of scissors and started snipping a tiny bit at a time.

Her daughter, Cookie, stuck her head through the cow panel and helped. Cookie nibbled at the scissors and stuck her nose in everything.

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Ewenique wasn’t getting any attention so she pawed my leg with her hoof. I pushed her away and she came right back. Between Ewenique pawing at me for attention and Cookie nibbling on the scissors, I had lots of help.

Eve looks like a squirrel on meth chewed her woolly mess off, but at least it’s an improvement.

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Cookie next to her mom.

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Really cool the white body, speckles, and then with the black head.

 

[Baymule]

Seems like some shears would be of use!

I have some hand shears, to use them on Eve, I’d have to restrain her. A pair of scissors and she was relaxed. She got up once, she really hates me messing with the matt of wool, but patience won and got her cleaned up.

@Alaskan Eve is Miranda’s daughter. Miranda had big black spots and was speckled like a blue tick hound dog.

 

[Bruce]

But hand shears are basically scissors that reopen by themselves. How does she think they are different?

 

[Ridgetop]

Sheep shears are much larger and have wickedly sharp points. Much more obvious in the hand and harder to use sitting down than scissors. But scissors are so much harder on the hands. Electric sheep shears are so much easier and faster - sys the woman with 2 sets who never bothers to remove the mohawks from her Dorpers. Maybe once we are in Texas with a proper set of chutes to the head gate I will start removing the mohawks However, I hope to start culling all sheep that retain wool and don't shed clean. Slick shedding is my goal.

 

[Baymule]

But hand shears are basically scissors that reopen by themselves. How does she think they are different?

Scissors are much smaller. Hand shears are big, sharp points and make a sound when they close. By taking tiny snips at a time, Eve was slightly nervous but was much more relaxed than when I use the hand shears.

 

[Alaskan]

Scissors are much smaller. Hand shears are big, sharp points and make a sound when they close. By taking tiny snips at a time, Eve was slightly nervous but was much more relaxed than when I use the hand shears.

Also why when we trim mats off of the dog, we prefer the safety scissors with the rounded tips.

 

[Bruce]

When we've done the boys, after giving up on the electric shears (who knew you could blow all the dirt out with a leaf blower???) I'd use the hand shears, DD1 the kitchen scissors. I have decent size hands, she's not 5'2" small hands, too small for the shears. But she got blisters from all the opening and closing.

I don't find the sharp points on the hand shears to be a problem as I hold them flat against the animal, the points are always visible away from the skin.

 

[Baymule]

I prefer the hand shears. But I don’t have my sheep working equipment set up, no chute to put her in.

In Corpus Christi, stopped in Victoria yesterday on way through to see my new car. Salesman stuck his foot in his mouth when he offered to deliver it to me. He didn’t know where Groveton was! He’ll follow me home Thursday with a driver following him to take him back.

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm certain you'll give a description, eventually! 🙃👍