To think parents should take responsibility if children chase sheep on country walk?

[Firethorn]

Recently went for a country walk (public right of way across farmland) with SIL, my 2 nieces, and another couple and their 3 kids. Crossing a sheep-field, the 5 kids started chasing sheep, trying to 'round them up' in a flock like they'd seen sheepdogs do on TV. I asked SIL if we should stop them, she said no they always do this it's not doing any harm. Other couple agreed and said the kids are having fun, let them play with the sheep. I was a bit concerned as one child was carrying a stick and waving it around, but respected the parents' decision.
Shortly afterwards an irate farmer marched towards us shouting and swearing! She was really aggressive and had a snarling dog (off the lead), dog was circling us but not approaching. For about 5 minutes mins she yelled and swore at the kids for chasing her sheep. All 3 parents then turned on their kids and told them off, lying that they'd been telling them to stop but they'd disobeyed! (They hadn't told them to stop at any point). My niece burst into tears and hid behind me and I lost my temper with farmer for swearing at kids, told her to back off and stop shouting, and to get dog under control. The dad of one of other kids then threatened to kick the dog if it came near his kids, and after some more shouting we decided to go back way we'd come. She shouted abuse after us until we were out of sight!

I'm annoyed with other parents for letting their kids chase sheep then lying about trying to stop them! Also with farmer for being so intimidating and rude. SIL says we should just have apologised and carried on walking. AIBU?

It sounds as though the dog had more bloody brain cells than any of the adults quite frankly.

Had it been a dog chasing the sheep, the farmer could have legally shot it. Because scaring and chasing animals is wrong and damages the animals.

Late to thread but put two pence in parents should not have allowed dc to chase the sheep in the first place. Poor farmer.

"SIL will not hear of me taking her to that particular farm"

Result!

You keep drivelling on about the shouting being ineffective. It's looking pretty effective from here!

Because who would want someone as ignorant, arrogant and dishonest as your SIL anywhere near their land or livestock? God knows what imaginative disaster they'd perpetrate next time.

Children are naturally inquisitive and want to touch animals and not all parents are responsible. For my own peace of mind I would either fence off the path or put up a sign asking people to keep to path and not to approach animals

Goodness no, dc should always be taught to respect animals and never ever chase them.

the poor farmer I can only imagine how distressed she was thinking any second, or the damage already done, the uncontrolled dc could have lost a darling little lamb.

I cant imagine the bubble one would have to be in not to know sheep have babies at spring

I would write an un reserved apology letter. Apologising for her distress.

OP farmers fo not have time during lambing to engage and educate. They are functioning on 2-4 hours sleep a night trying to get their ewes safely through lambing.

A sheep dog does not need to be called to heel to be under control even if circling children the cost in the region of £10,000 - they're highly trained, not exactly running amok unlike the feral children

pausing.

another example of feckless parenting, expecting our DC to be taught by signs being left rather than the parent.

Also OP - there was a man, as well as several other people shouting abuse at a lone female. No wonder she needed the dog to protect her and the sheep. FFS - can you not see how intimidating you all were? There was a gang of you, and just her and her dog...

Nobody acted great here

The parents
The children
The farmer

were all at fault to some respect.

her, her dog and her poor distressed sheep, pregnant sheep...

OP, I wish I could award you a prize. I'm not sure if it would be for continued stupidity in the face of common sense or for being a Grade-A wind-up merchant.

Either way, this thread was a classic.

OP I think you were a victim of everybody's hate for no reason. Obviously, the 5 little angels should have been gently pat on the back while the farmer explained to them that you don't chase an animal, pregnant or not (because it's not common sense)

Obviously, the naughty naughty farmer screaming made the dear little angels cry (not the fact that their parents threw them under the bus).

And obviously, the very imporant people from the city needs to be gently guided and educated. How could they know that you have to respect the animals. Or that you don't throw litter on the floor. I think naughty naughty farmer needs to apologise. Children have been traumatised for life, fathers have been upset and dogs have been unable to make a difference between the field and the legal path (stupid dog)

I wonder if th efarmer is rolled in a corner, crying because your SIL won't go back on her land. She must be hearthbroken

I seriously don't know if you are fake, the most annoying/thick person in the UK or actually brave for being able to repeat the same excuse 300 times without taking the 98723 "Yes, you are 100% BU"

Im also think quite a lot of you are at fault for personal attacks here. You'd do well to remember there is a person at the end of every thread.

You'd do well to remember there is a person at the end of every thread.

The OP would do well to remember there is a farmer that owns/rents every field with livestock in it. The OP is a knob if they don't know NOT to allow children to chase sheep (or any other animal). The OP has come across as extremely arrogant on this thread with absolutely no consideration for how hard farmers work. To the OP fields and animals are huge playgrounds for her nieces and other little cherubs. To farmers the animals are their livliehood. The OP is also as tick as mince as she clearly can't see she and the party she was with acted in a disgusting manner.

thick not tick.

christycreme A person at the end of a thread maybe, just not sure there is one at the start of this one. Have you read all the comments? And the replies from the OP? Either there is a puppetmaster giggling at having made all respondents dance or there is someone whose view of the world is so skewed that the rest of us might as well be visitors from another planet for all the understanding we have of the thought processes involved.

Well, we didn't think the posts wrote themselves, christy - not many people believe in miraculous writing on the wall - or boards - these days.

I have read threads on here that were computer generated. Not this one, this one was written by a newbie.

I'm not going to 'feed' the OP any longer. I do think this thread is a huge wind up as no-one in their right mind can be as dense as they are. There has been many replies pointing her in the direction of educating her SIL, and niece but she has chosen to ignore advice. I will end by saying I hope I never find imbeciles like them chasing my pregnant ewes. I also hope they stick to petting farms as they clearly can't be trusted to use a right of way without deviating from it or chasing innocent animals.

I've just read the whole thread. I seriously can not believe that any adult didn't realise it is lambing season. It's Spring FFS, it's Easter next weekend of course it's bloody lambing season!

Why anyone would think it a good idea to allow their kids to chase sheep at any time of the year is beyond me. I hate seeing children chase any animals, tbh, I can't abide kids chasing pigeons in towns, even. Good on that farmer, I say!

Thickasmince I looove it.
Just goog-led it but it doesn't make sense.
Why is mince thick?
Sorry being dim again.

Oy! let's not get at me now though ay. It's rude to put peoples names in bold.

Why is it rude to bold peoples' names?

christecreme it's not rude to bold people's names. People normally do it to reply to a specific poster.

ARoomWithoutAView thick as mince is a local saying where I came from.