The artificial insemination and embryo transfer work is complete for another year, the rams are all out to chase up, the fat lambs are merrily eating us out of house and home and the ewe lambs are away to good grazing to grow for the winter.

As the saying goes – “all quiet on the western front”.

However, it is welcome breathing space after what feels like months of mayhem.

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Sadly, the quietened workload does mean the excuses for avoiding the paperwork and maintenance jobs we’ve been giving a wide berth to all summer are thin on the ground and they are finally having to be addressed.

I did hear the boss mutter something about “looking forward to hearing what was to come from the budget” at the beginning of the week and had the sudden realisation that the inside jobs are not for him. I’m unsure how old, bored or desperate you have to be to proclaim excitement for such an infamous event.

Hardy

By the nature of Blackface sheep farming, in contrast to the summer months, the winters are very quiet.

The hardy girls look after themselves and until we start feeding in the run-up to lambing, checking, occasional dosing for fluke and a few days scanning are the height of the excitement.

It could make for a very long winter, but, luckily, I ride out at the racing yard every morning and I have some dogs in for training alongside my own young dogs. It helps keep my afternoons occupied.

I feel very fortunate to be able to fill my days with such enjoyable work. Having said this, I may have to be reminded of this statement the next time I’m chasing a young collie around in knee-high mud or indeed the next time I am ejected from a highly strung racehorse and lying in a cursing heap on the floor.