Meet the resident Sheep

Sheep are the reason the south downs, north downs, hills, tors and fells are in such good shape. Their ecological value to the land is vastly underestimated and without them the land would be reclaimed by a wilderness of brambles, gorse and combustible vegetation. They also eat the ragwort that is poisonous to equines .What wonderful organic gardeners sheep are.

Keats and Kipling were 2 Wiltshire Longhorn lambs destined for the abbattoir when we intervened. We acquired a holding number from DEFRA, the paperwork was completed and our two little castrated lambs were delivered. “They haven’t had any shelter” the farmer said. That night it rained and we found them both lying down in the stable with Tatiana, the rescued racehorse. They were definitely not stupid. We decided to name our sheep with names beginning with K calling them Keats and Kipling. They proved somewhat timid at first but we soon discovered that bribery in the form of a bowl full of sheep nuts was a very effective way to make friends. Kipling has since died of fly strike. We had been told that they were unlikely to get it because of their short fleeces so it rather took us by surprise. Keats thank goodness escaped it as did the others.

Soon afterwards there was a call from Mark, the Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary vet: “Do you remember you told me last week that you had a holding number for sheep, well I have a bit of a problem. I need to find a home urgently for a four year old donkey and her ewe friend. They are inseparable so I need to find somewhere they can be together.” We saw the dilemma immediately as most donkey owners don’t have a holding number. “Of course we’ll take them” we said. Both animals duly arrived - the little brown donkey was unhandled and suspicious of humans but the orphan sheep called Princess was the reverse – totally tame and very friendly, an absolute delight.

Katie came to us when Jim Green, the farmer next door, informed us that he could not keep her with his flock as if she went with a ram she would get a prolapsed womb. He said if we did not take her on she would have to go to the abattoir. We agreed to take her on immediately.She is very friendly and comes racing over whenever she hears her name called. However she did get a prolapsed womb and the farm vet advised culling. We refused so he sewed her up saying it would have to happen in the end. A few days later she produced milk. Another vet came and pronounced she was pregnant! It seems somehow she and Sam the ram in the field next door met through the stock fencing with large holes! Shortly afterwards she had 2 gorgeous black female lambs called Kylie and Kim.

Unfortunately someone left a gate open between the donkeys and the baby lambs which resulted in the donkeys getting into their area and Kylie breaking a leg. Fortunately the excellent Matt at Arun Vets in Pulborough offered to repair it at cost. She caused quite a sensation sitting in the surgery in between the cats and dogs. Sometimes she went unnoticed until they heard a ”Baaaaaaa”! It was major surgery but all went well and she is now walking, running, and jumping like her normal sister Kim.

Through being spoilt just as much as her sister and through being bottle-fed when Katie had mastitis both Kim and her sister Kylie are incredibly friendly and tame. They are now normal sheep living in the field with the 2 large horses Marty and Shabba. However people cannot believe how friendly sheep can be and are enchanted with them.

Thelma and Louise came to us recently when they also were threatened with the abbattoir after complicated pregnancies. As we were short of grazing we managed to find them a home on 20 acres where they joined 2 other sheep as pets.