I'm a failure - I hope you are too.

Last weekend I accomplished something I've been working toward for almost 20 years: I successfully completed my first double lift. 

Not sure what that is? You’re not alone — I didn’t know either when I started!

👉 Head over to my Freebies page where I’ve posted a video of a double lift run so you can see what it’s all about — and why it took me so long to finish one.

When I realised I was close to completing the run — international shed done, collared ewes heading for the pen — I almost started crying. So many hours. So many attempts.

But I pulled myself together. And then Jag and I worked as a team… and penned the sheep.

As we walked off the field, I whispered to her:

“Next time will be easier.” 

And it will be. Because that’s what failure does for you — it teaches. It builds muscle memory. It prepares you to handle the next time with a little more calm and a little more clarity.

Herding is hard.

You’re managing:

• Your dog

• The sheep (who definitely don’t want to hang out with you)

• The terrain

• The weather

• Your own emotions

I’ve learned the most from my failures over the years. Some still make me cringe. Others make me laugh — like the time I accidentally put sheep in a parking lot, or that time I made them swim. (Yes, really. Sheep can swim. Doesn’t mean they enjoy it.)

Basically, I’ve been putting sheep in awkward places for decades. 😆

I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what ifs anymore:

• What if she won’t stop? 

  I’ll go back to foundation skills and make sure she understands “lie down” means lie down.

• What if he doesn’t find his sheep? 

  I’ll walk out and help him. We’re a team.

• What if I’m not good enough? 

  I’ll keep working at it until I am.

You might be early in your herding journey.

You might think, “I hardly know anything. My dog’s barely trained.” 

I think that myself some days! 😆

But chances are, you’re already doing things you never thought you could.

Maybe your dog stops at balance.

Maybe you can load sheep into a trailer without total chaos.

Maybe your dog understands your whistles now.

These are quiet wins, and they matter.

So stop asking “What if I fail?” and start asking:

“What can I learn?” 

Try.

Support your dog.

Make mistakes.

And celebrate your progress — even the boring, uneventful, nothing-exploded kind.

Because eventually, one day, you’ll walk off the field whispering to your dog:

“Next time will be easier.” 

Starting out — or feeling stuck? 

If you’re at the beginning of your herding journey, or you’ve been trying for a while and it still feels like a mess, I’ve got something that can help.

Herding Starts Here is my foundation course designed for real people with real dogs — no sheep experience required. It’ll help you and your dog build skills, understanding, and confidence… without feeling overwhelmed.

Because progress doesn’t start with perfection.

It starts right where you are.

Photo of Jag and I taken by EweNiversity member Jennifer Bessinger.