Meeting Post Farm

20/11/2024

Putting your schedule together for next year? Don’t miss the Kent Herbel Clinic here in April 17-21. It is the ONLY time Kent will be here in 2025. Don’t miss out on all the great learning!

2025 KENT HERBEL EVENT SCHEDULE

January 30 - February 3, 2025
Floral City, Florida
Stockdog Lessons
Contact Louanne Brooks
[email protected]
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February 15-17, 2025
Hempstead, Texas
Stockdog Clinic and Lessons
Lonesome Pine Farm
Contact Joy Hall
[email protected]
​
February 26-March 3, 2025
Arlington, Washington
Stockdog Clinic and Lessons
On The Lamb Farm
Arlington, Washington
Contact Sara-Jo Gahm at
[email protected]
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March 27-30, 2025
Ashland, Nebraska
Stockdog Clinic and Lessons
Brian Moline Ranch
Ashland, Nebraska
Contact Emily May at
[email protected]

April 5-6, 2025
Hoyt, Kansas
Stockdog Clinic
CCDT At The Farm
Hoyt, Kansas
Contact Kelli Bausch at
[email protected]
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April 17-21, 2025
Dover, Massachusetts
Stockdog Clinic and Lessons
Meeting Post Farm
Contact Carol Donnelly
[email protected]
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April 24-29, 2025
Arlington, Washington
Stockdog Clinic and Lessons
On The Lamb Farm
Contact Sara-Jo Gahm at
[email protected]
​
May 3-6, 2025
Princeton, Minnesota
Stockdog Clinic and Lessons
Wyanett Creek Farm
Contact Becca Cartwright
[email protected]
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​May 8-9, 2025
Farmington, Minnesota
Stockdog Lessons
Conroy Farm
Contact Deb Conroy
[email protected]
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May 10-12, 2025
Lake City, Minnesota
Stockdog Lessons
Hillhaven Farm
Contact Louanne Brooks
[email protected]
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​​July 9-16, 2025
Arlington, Washington
Stockdog Clinic and Lessons
On The Lamb Farm
Arlington, Washington
Contact Sara-Jo Gahm at
[email protected]
​
September 4-7, 2025
Princeton, Minnesota
Stockdog Clinic and Lessons
Wyanett Creek Farm
Contact Becca Cartwright
[email protected]
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September 12-14, 2025
Hoyt, Kansas
Stockdog Clinic
CCDT At The Farm
Contact Kelli Bausch
[email protected]

September 18-24, 2025
Arlington, Washington
Stockdog Clinic and Lessons
On The Lamb Farm
Contact Sara-Jo Gahm
[email protected]

October 2-5, 2025
Ashland, Nebraska
Stockdog Clinic and Lessonsns
Brian Moline Ranch
Contact Emily May
[email protected]

October 25-27, 2025
Hempstead, Texas
Stockdog Clinic
Lonesome Pine Farm
Contact Joy Hall at
[email protected]
​​
November 14-17, 2025
Arlington, Washington
Stockdog Lessons
On The Lamb Farm
Contact Sara-Jo Gahm at
[email protected]

05/11/2024

Such a wonderful, cold LONG day of lessons today. Woke up to a hard frost which signals the end of graze and the beginning of hay hauling.

Today brought a young Aussie who is starting to use his brain. To watch him rate himself on the sticky call hens for sustained periods, and to learn to turn off to get around…wow. And his person is learning to have strong criteria and work toward that

Next a very young BC who fair vibrates with desire for sheep. Spent a lot of time working to ground her so she could ‘hear’ me. A work in process, but ilike her ‘try’. I hope to build her calm confidence so she can blossom. Her tension is hard to work through right now

Next a BC working on the drive. What a nice progression he made! Working hard on few commands, more control of rate and supportive feedback, he was suddenly taking sheep halfway across the back field! Still going to take work because he REALLY wants to bring sheep, but this team is getting it! They ended up with some fetching to reward him, and a pen to reward her! 😁

A young collie worked those sticky call duck hens next. And his rate and self control was AMAZING! He did have trouble holding in the pocket, but he is very young and it epwas very hard. He improved every minute with calm encouragement. Flanks are squaring out, and allowing him to pull stock off the fence. A very good lesson indeed!

Next up a corgi who was very intent on snacking today. She didn’t seem to be into herding the sheep today, but a little persistence, a lot of sweet talk, and she began to work really nicely. Working on squaring her flanks and she is improving but I think her ears need unplugging! Like most Corgis I’ve worked, they are super smart about ‘I can’t hear you’!

And finally, a young BC that is working on releasing his sheep to square out. He’s truly a head hunter! So I’ve been working him on groups of 8-10 so the heads are less apparent. It’s helping. Today after some work, he began flanking wider and feeling the sheep more than blasting the. With a (figurative) body slam. I’ll get video next time.

Then I got to work Never. She is working on gate sorting right now. I’m not good at it so it’s something to work on. So we worked. 🤪. Then we worked our two head to build her eye. She is really enjoying those lessons! The sheep are very different when there are only two.

Lunch, the water filtration service call, lawn fall fertilization and off to agility class. Never is doing super well! I can’t keep up with her on the dogwalk! Thank goodness she has a great down!

What a great day! Thank you to those who bring their dogs here to work and learn. I love every moment.

08/10/2024

If you are interested, contact Mikey Perry or Jessica Edgerley. Should be a fun day. DO NOT LEAVE RESPONSES HERE. GO TO THE HANDLERS TENT, OR DM THEM DIRECTLY

Hi all,

Me (Mikey Perry)and Jessica Edgerly are in the works of coordinating a trial at Low Places Ranch in Lunenburg MA for Nov 9th. Jack Knox will be judging. Open and Novice classes. Dry camping available

Time is getting tight, and we are still waiting to hear back about NEBCA sanctioning.

Putting a feeler out here to gauge interest since we are closing in on the 30 day mark. We will use Google Forms for entries and check can be mailed once we finish coordinating with NEBCA.

If anyone has questions let me know. If you’re interested in the slightest please leave a comment.

23/08/2024

Kent Herbel will be in Massachusetts September 12-15 at Meeting Post Farm. Don’t miss your chance to work with one of the best! Follow the lesson day and three clinic days with an MSSA point and time arena trial in Connecticut that Kent will be judging Cash payouts! Come have fun with us!

This week's Featured Trainer, Kent Herbel started using stockdogs to manage cattle on the family ranch back in the mid-70's. He started trialing dogs in 1989, and taught his first stockdog clinic in 1990.

Kent's training methods have been proven to work on all breeds and all ages of dogs. He has a unique way of teaching that... Learn more about Kent here > https://dogtrainingonline.com/experts/kent-herbel/

12/08/2024

Very proud of myself and Never for finally pulling it together and posting scores! High Novice/Novice at Breezy Acres trial! Next year we I’ll do better

29/07/2024

Nothing better than having a loft filled with second cut hay and long stem straw! All set for the coming winter!

13/07/2024

It wasn’t vibrant, but it was there. Sun showers this afternoon brought a rainbow to the sky! Look for it!

08/04/2024

Lambing is officially over for ypthe 2024 season. Overall a mixed bag of joy and tears, sweat and late nights. Had two sets of triplets, and theee sets of twins. One triplet mom with bad mastitis, and in treating her for it she crushed a lamb. The final set of twins today with the first huge lamb Stuck. Despite working on her for half an hour I could not bring her back. But the ram lamb behind survived. So we have 10 prett lambs, 3 rams 7 ewes amend TONS OF COLOR! May things settle down now. Onward to the Herbel Clinic!

24/03/2024

First lambs of the season! Beautiful color. Thank you Natalie Cohen for lending Mr Beans!

11/03/2024

This was posted by bob Holmgren on ‘to novice and beyond’ page. I think this very clearly sums up the phrase Cindi Hayden uses ‘command over instinct!’

So many of you always feel disheartened to see your dogs working well for experienced handlers and honestly, I think this. THIS is what’s happening.

Quoted from Paddy Fanning (google him if you don’t know)

“Laura's post about the 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙣 dog put me in mind of this story i heard about Ray Hunt.
Alot of time i read commands in this group were handlers are kinda expecting their dogs to partner up with them, or to bond with them, or to want to please them.
My perspective might be a little different. I like to see it, that with a good dog, i'll need to make myself worthy or important enough to the dog, for him/her to want to partner up with. For that dog to consider that it is in their interest to parter with me. With those good dogs, i believe you cant buy their consideration.
I always think of a guy i knew here with a dog that was blowing him off when he said 'i always thought that if i was nice to him, he would be nice to me' !!

Respect goes both ways”

11/12/2023

Something to think about and work on over the winter

If you can’t stop your dog you can’t control the sheep. Sounds simple doesn’t it? It’s very quick for a stop command to become optional for a dog. It’s just a matter of never enforcing it. A stop is a safety command for new handlers and is often called at the wrong time. A time when things are out of control and it makes no sense to the dog for it to stop. Asking, pleading, yelling has no affect. The dog’s instinct to herd and hold the sheep overrules your command. He ignores you. Step one in never getting a reliable stop complete!

There are two stops, which can create a degree of confusion in a dog. One is stop and be responsible. The other is stop and don’t move. Having different commands will help. A stop and be responsible means the dog can break a stop to hold the sheep. Nothing worse than telling a dog to stop and turning to see the dog stopped as the sheep runaway. I use stop-watch em’. Other use ‘wait’. It’s a pause in movement not a stop and quit working.

The stop and don’t move means just that. So stop- stay might be an appropriate command. Regardless of the word your using enforcing the action is most important. If you say it make it. It’s not optional!

Understanding where to stop your dog and working with his instinct in the early part of training will help develop more difficult off balance stops or stops when sheep are breaking. Developing a good natural stop and increasing the difficulty incrementally will help you work towards a reliable and most critical stop on your dog.

23/11/2023

Wishing all my herding ‘family’ a very happy thanksgiving.

02/10/2023

13/09/2023

Can’t wait! Picking the Herbel’s up at Logan Airport this afternoon. It’s going to be great weather all week for herding! Still a space or two if you’re still on the fence

28/08/2023

It was a fabulous three days with Billie Richardson here at Meeting Post Farm. Lots of old friends came, some new friends and a lot of new dogs. We had almost every sort of weather but persisted on through. A full clinic and lesson day. TONS of learning and AHA moments were had. How much fun is that!?
Thank you to everyone that came and played with Billie. She sure has a lot to teach!

Mostly thank you to Billie Richardson for coming East to help us all. Truly it was amazing. But now, even the sheep are tired!

26/06/2023

Anyone feeling like living on a working farm is easy, well todays’ list of things to do:
1). let sheep out, feed and water ducks in three pens. Also muck out the disgusting baby duck pen)
2) train dogs with Betty Belliveau (yay fun!). Involves moving sheep, sorting ducks….then fun training
3). Figure out a new configuration for my turntable as it’s time to do sheepfeet. I was creative and can manage using only Never! I did 26 sets of feet aka 104 ACTUAL feet and fly sprayed everyone. Drenched
4) sat down to eat …. Breakfast? Lunch😁? Who knows but glad that Howard got some spring rolls!
5) crap. I need to clean the sheep stall. Better do that before I shower so off I go and get that done.
6) shower, sit, ready to pass out.

Tomorrow? Rinse and repeat!

12/06/2023

REMINDER THERE ARE NO LESSONS THIS WEEK AND PART OF NEXT (June 12 - June 22).

28/04/2023

It has been found! I’m so so happy. I thought it was forever lost, but of course, it was in the last place I looked 😃.