Originally from: Ron
                        
Dear Frances,

The use of sheep as an analogy for stupidity is, in my opinion, totally unjustified. I have realised that our flock of Shetlands only stay in the field because it suits them to. That have shown several times that they can escape if they wish. They clearly have a sense of fun, identify strongly with individual humans and miss them when they are not there. It's nothing to do with food!

In my younger days, when farms had shepherds, the shepherd knew his/her sheep individually, and quite often named them. His/her first priority was the sheep, sometimes living in his hut with them 24 hours a day. When we discovered, during FMD, the number of sheep that two local farms had, (3000 and 9000), several of us wondered how their welfare was managed.

A little funny story, last Wednesday we had to leave our shopping till late afternoon. Paul fed the sheep at about 3.30 instead of me. I arrived home at 6 o'clock, in the dark. As soon as I got out of the car the flock started calling me across the field, they did not stop until I went over to them. Having 'spoken' to me, they set off to their 'sleeping place' with no more ado. Heaven help me when the lambs arrive, the thought of around 40 Shetlands 'mugging' me!!!!!

I Love Sheep, Ron.