Mr. Snake, can you please clear the course!

I never thought I’d have to deal with snakes in my agility yard in Indiana! Last week I went out with Ian and he suddenly jumped and then started searching for something on the ground. I looked down and saw a small snake about 4 ft. away from him thankfully moving away from him. I decided I didn’t really want Ian picking this snake up since he was intent on finding what slipped away from him. I put him in the dog yard and by this time the snake was curled up between a jump and the base of the A frame and he was mad. I took a jump bar and tried to flip him in the direction of the corn field. This just made him very mad, and he curled up, unhinged his jaw and attacked the jump bar. Now I was REALLY GLAD I moved Ian to the dog yard. He would have had a snake bite or two for sure! Finally, after being flipped over about 3 times, the snake got the idea to leave the area. I smacked the ground with the jump bar to encourage him away. I think the snake was scared into the yard by the combine picking corn in the field behind us. I hope he doesn’t come back!