Quote Originally Posted by FUTUREMatt View Post
I took a wrong turn in to a field of angry sheep (with horns) - it was the single most frightening encounter of my running career. I managed to get this photo after jumping over a wall to safety.

http://tinypic.com/r/25ic0u8/8

Seriously, look at them all. They were running from all corners. FEAR OF SHEEP.
At this time of year ewes are mostly pregnant and farmers are daily feeding them rich additional foods - sheep nuts etc. which they hunger for. What happens is that they soon learn how 'that person' is coming and then charge on mass to be first there to grab the food. It can be intimiaidating having 100 plus ewes bleating and heading in your direction at speed, and I know one of my farming neighbours who watches out carefully that he's not trampled in the hungry stampede after an similar experience some years ago. Even my border collie used to get spooked too! But as soon as the get up close and realise you're not a nut ( ahem!) they loose interest.