We bought Buddy Girl when she was just about 6 months old. She was a registered Rambouillet ewe, and lived to the age of 3 1/2 years old.

Buddy Girl lived with Princella, another Rambouillet ewe that we got at the same time we bought Buddy Girl. They were constant companions, and had a great herding instinct.

Buddy Girl loved attention, especially back rubs and cheek rubs. If you sat down in her pasture she would eventually come over to you for attention and to see what you where doing.

Buddy Girl even learned to let my little brother (and other small children) ride on her back around our pasture. She also pulled a sled around our pasture one winter.

Buddy Girl would jump up on her hind legs for grain. She would race around our pasture like a little lamb, even when she was 2 1/2 years old. She would spring into the air and then chase our other ewe across the field.

When she was in the stall and heard us coming, Buddy Girl would jump up on the door so that she could see us coming

In the spring of 1999 Buddy Girl developed a cough. I thought that she had just gotten some dust in her nose, until the shearer came in June to shear our sheep. She was having trouble breathing during the shearing, and the shearer suggested that she might be sick.

We gave her antibiotics, but they didn't cure the cough. We had to keep Buddy Girl in the barn during the day because the heat made her start panting.

About the middle of July, Buddy Girl developed a large lump around the lower part of her neck. She wasn't eating well, and was losing weight. I could tell she wasn't feeling well, and didn't have the energy that she used to have.

Since the antibiotics didn't work, I thought  the problem might be worms, so we wormed her, but she didn't get well.

We had the vet come to our farm on August 9 to vaccinate our donkeys. I had him look at Buddy Girl while he was here.

He said that it looked like she had a mediastinal tumor. He said that these kind of tumors start around the heart or lungs and spread up the neck (causing the large lump on her neck).

The vet said that there wasn't much hope for Buddy Girl surviving long in her current condition, so I decided to have her put to sleep.

Buddy Girl now rests in our orchard, under our apricot trees. I miss Buddy Girl, but at least she is not suffering any more.

Buddy Girl and her companion, Princella.

My brother riding Buddy Girl.

Buddy Girl looking through the fence.

Buddy Girl and Princella.

Me, my brother, and Buddy Girl.