Random Thought: Horses and sheep
I have a friend who has a horse who lives in a field of sheep. They co-exist sharing the same space and grass.
This got me thinking, what do they think of each other.
I have a few questions:
- Can a sheep actually see a horse's head or does it just see four legs?
- Can a horse recognise a sheep or does it think there are fluffy clouds in his / her field?
- Would a horse with vertigo when put in a field of sheep fall over because it thought it was looking down on the clouds?
- Do both animals just think of the other as a moving non edible patch of grass?
- Do they sleep together for comfort /warmth?
- Would sheep stand under a horse to shelter from the rain?
- Do sheep think of the horse as a really big sheep?
- Does the horse think of the sheep as really small horses?
- Who is boss the horse or the sheep?
- What do the sheep think when there is a rider on the horse's back?
You may now have been wondering why this post has also been tagged recruitment, well I thought the horse / sheep thing could be developed into one of those obscure interview questions.
A reed magazine dropped into my in-tray suggesting that you should never ever ask these questions. Not that I would but they are an interesting reserve questions for people that are clearly con-interviewees (expert interviewees - so practised they have text book answers). Typical examples would be executive managers who are so good at spouting management speak but have no common sense. A good sheep / horse question might catch them out, as they would have to think on their feet.
Scenario question:
You are the line manager of a field containing one horse and five sheep? As part of the internal development of the team, the team are asked to describe their opposite colleagues including their strengths and weaknesses. You as the line manager are reading the reports.
What does the horse say about his / her sheep colleagues?
What do the sheep say about the horse?
How as a team leader will you address the identified weaknesses?
Well that is one interview question that will never get used, but it does make you think / laugh / cry (delete as applicable).
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2 comments:
some sheep farmers round here keep a Llama with their sheep. The llama, especially if bought up with sheep thinks of itself as a sheep - or maybe thinks of the sheep as short llamas.
The upshot being the llama is part of the flock, and is very protective of said flock, so much so that any foxes that look for easy pickings come lambing time have an irate llama to deal with.
Sounds like there is a Phd thesis in this, the psychology of the mixed field.
Where can you buy a Phd student?
Can we start a fighting fund?
I did have one more question, In terms of language sheep go baa and horses go neigh. So if they think they are the same such as all sheep or all horses do they put the strange noises down to a strange speech impediment?
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