Mystery solved

For a couple months now I've been concerned about what appeared to be Arie licking or chewing her sides. The hair would be all roughed up and wet. I thought that perhaps she had fleas or something. But, upon examination I never could find any kind of external parasite. However from time to time when I would take her from the lamb pen I would see these spots that indicated she was chewing or licking her hair. Since she didn't appear to have any parasites I hoped she didn't have some kind of allergy.

But, finally this morning the mystery was solved and it gave me a good laugh as well. I have a divider in the lamb pen that separates them from Arie. Otherwise they have no defense against her playing. It's wire fencing. Well, as I approached the pen this morning what I saw made me laugh out loud. Arie was leaned up against the fence and one of the lambs was giving her a good licking through the wire. He was just going to town licking her fur. And the hair on her side was all wet and messed up just like I've been seeing for the past couple months.

This would explain why I never see her chewing or licking herself, making those marks. And it always happened only in the lamb pen never any other time. I never would have guessed it was the lamb. And the funny thing is Arie seemed to enjoy it just as if someone was petty her. I wish I could have caught it on video. It was pretty cute to see.