[YorkshireLass]

Took me years ages to figure it out, usually stood in the yard with a longhorn in the crush throwing its horns around, vet patiently waiting, no pressure...... 

[Anke]

vet patiently waiting, no pressure...... 

Of course not - you are paying him/her by the hour anyway....
 
But I normally need a few minutes each time, sheep thrashing about between my legs, to work out which way it goes...

[jaykay]

Excellent - like both models 

[kaz]

I'm the same, still take a few moments to work out which way it go's on and sheep is ready to escape.

[dyedinthewool]

I bought a small 'pony' headcollar with adjustable nose - cheek- head straps.  I did have to make more holes in all the straps so it would fit the smaller of my ewes.  Then I just tie them to a post in the corner of the barn with their head extended (tie the rope above their head) - find they soon get used to it and now very nearly put their head into the collar willingly.  By tying head up it helps to keep them still and in a corner means you can use your knees to keep them from swinging about.  I do their feet 'horse' like picking them up - they also get used to that quite quickly - I can't turn them over as they are too big. Quite often stand over them and do things upside down when dagging.  I can't manage traditional shears - hands have arthritus, so I am using what was my material scissors they are Wilkinson Sword that have a spring between the handle which are set one below the other and not side by side.  got my head collar from Carmarrthen Farmers Country store in Carmarthen

[Bionic]

Yorkshirelass, your victim doesn't look as if he is going to struggle. I should think you can manage him without the headcollar
 
Seriously, thanks for the pics its a real help. I'm going to try today
Sally

[plumseverywhere]

I've ordered the ebay one - may the fun commence! thank you 

[Foobar]

Dunno if this will help anyone else but ... the way I remember which way the halter goes on is that when you restrain a sheep (by hand) you control it by holding it under the chin, and you would lift the chin up to stop the sheep moving forward  .... therefore the bit of rope that you hold in your hand is the bit that comes from under the chin and that bit would lift the chin up if you pulled it.
(hope that makes sense!)

[plumseverywhere]

Thanks foobar - that injection of logic does help actually. The harness arrived today and I sat with it on my lap thinking..."oh...heck..." need moving target to practise on, unfortunately no dog in house and a siameseX is a bit too fiddly and small     will have to be one of the dozier goats......Reggie!

[Blinkers]

 

[Bionic]

One of the children Plums?  You might find its useful 

[plumseverywhere]

Do you know what...the 9 year old has just come into my office 'practising' her flute - the thought did cross my mind....     Reggie is probably more compliant though (with the bribe of a custard cream)

[feldar]

Next time you go to a big agricultural show , watch the sheep showing . Our breed we usually have to loose off to allow the judge to see it move unrestrained. The tricky bit is catching them back up and trying to get the halter back on! all with a very wiggly sheep, Always gives the public a good laugh especially when one gets away
I always get really stressed out that i've got the halter back on the wrong way round!

[jaykay]

Now that's when horned sheep are nice - easy to catch and hold on to after the judges have wanted them running around. Haven't tried it with a halter yet  Will be practising on the dog again 

[colliewoman]

Er, I think I'm being a bit cheap now after reading all this!
Mine (sheep and goats) have normal dog collars and I clip a lead on when I need to. Is there a reason people don't do this?
Seemed obvious to me, but if no one else does it there must be a reason