A3O-L»ncaster Farming, Saturday, August 19, 2000 (Continued from Pago A2B) with their skills,” said. The cou ple’s home farm hosts more than 100 sheep. “A Border Collie can replace five people on a sheep opera tion,” said Allan. “Out West, it’s not unusual to see four or five Stacy Cromer, watershed circuit rider, demonstrates to Zech Hoffman, 9, and Michelle and Noah Hoffman, 2, from Port Matilda how soil erosion in response to human activi ties. Crushed walnut shells act as soil for the exhibit, which is complete with vegetation and riprap, or stones, on the bank which illustrate protection. “The stream naturally meanders,” said Cromer. When bulldozers get in and try to straight it out, it causes erosion as the speed of the water increases when the natural curves are eliminated. Cromer also builds debris jams and dams with sticks to illustrate their impact on stream move- HEATMOR OUTDOOR WOOD FURNACE Stainless Steel • Dump Truck Loads • Spreaders Available Rohrer’s Quality Hi-Cal Damp Lime 88% CCE ENP 67 55% 65% 98% NOW ONLY $4.50 Per Ton (Picked Up) Registered with PA Department of Agriculture Learn, Discover and Explore at Ag Progress Days dogs working a flock together.” Dogs may be as young as 1 or as old as 13 to be in training or work the flock. While the couple works to gether on the farm, their dogs show a loyalty for either Allan or Peg. “The dogs will listen to both • Heat Home, Hot Water, Outbuildings • No Fire Danger or Chimney Worries • Forced Air or Hot Water Heating • 3 Sizes - 18 Colors • Forced Draft - Ash Auger Clean-out • Wood or Coal Grates • High Efficiency - Clean Burning • 10 Year Corrosion Warranty • Financing & Dealerships Available Outback Heating Dist. 888-763-8617 Calcium Oxide 41% Magnesium Oxide 6% Passing 100 Mesh Passing 60 Mesh Passing 20 Mesh Lititz, PA • (717) 626-9760 HONE & READY-M of us, but my dogs won’t work for him (Allan) when I’m in sight,” said Peg. “That’s the bond that you have. You have to earn that trust and respect. Once you gain that, they just won’t quit working.” In The Horse Ring A forum showcasing agricul ture would not be complete without a horse ring, a promi nent place at Ag Progress Days. Brian Egan, horse program as sistant for Penn State Coopera tive Extension, conducted a horse-handling demonstration. The audience had the oppor tunity to watch training tech niques in action as Egan put a skittish 2-year-old through its paces. According to Egan, who spent his free time during his college years watching horses play, there exists a strong social order among horses. He applied his own observations by ensur ing that his horses know that he is the dominant member of the social order. “A horse is not a lap animal,” emphasized Egan. As Egan backed the horse quickly across the ring, he ex plained that he uses the tech nique for “major sin” such as biting and kicking. “Backing is WINE AND GRAPE MEETING The Southeast Grape Association and Penn £ State Cooperative Extension Annual Vineyard > Summer Walk Around at Blue Mountain $ Vineyards in New Tripoli, PA (north of * Allentown). £ August 23, 2000 from 8 a.m. to 4p.m. T Program includes wine seminar and tasting, 3- vineyard demonstrations and equipment show. £ Two PDA pest core credits. $6O includes lunch T Call Mark Chien at 717/394-6851 for | registration information, deadline is 8/17. £ hard to do for horses,” said Egan, which makes the skill is useful in teaching horses what behavior is unacceptable. “Knowing how a horse is ba sically made helps us to know how to handle them. They’re ba sically lazy,” said Egan. Point ing out the glimmer of sweat on the horse, Egan said, “Right now he’s more concerned about his next breath than the saddle, or how he’s going to mis behave.” “We work with them an awful lot to get them to the point that they follow our feet,” said Egan, who also demonstrated how pressure on a particular part of a horse’s body will get the animal to move, enabling the handler to easily direct the movement of the horse. The young horses are ridden first in a 12 by 12 foot box stall with high ceilings, then in a hall way before going to the ag arena. According to Egan a con fined space limits a horse’s action and tends to keep them calmer. Classic Carriage Horses “They’re extremely strict about what Friesans are allowed to breed,” said Joe Myers of Joe kar’s Hilltop Farm during the Friesan breed clinic. The ani mals are ridden, jumped, and driven during a 50-day perform ance test, explained Myers. Re cently, out of 806 horses put through the test, 6 were ap proved for Friesan breeding pur poses. Disposition is also key to acceptance to the registry. If a horse exhibits bad temper during the test it is excluded from breeding. “They’re a kind, gentle, giving animal that is easily broken,” said Myers. “They’re very much a people horse. This isn’t a horse you can just leave in the barn and go see once a week.” Basically a carriage horse, the breed is also used for dressage. The horses are shown natural and untrimmed. “If a European judges see that the horse is trimmed they think the exhibi tor is trying to hide something and they become extremely criti cal,” said Myers. For example, “They’ll make the exhibitor pull shoes so they (the judges) can examine and measure the hooves.”
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