Houdini Horse

Houdini Horse

Our new boarder, Beau, has proven himself as an escape artist in the last two days. We have metal panels as part of the west fence in his pasture. One panel ends just behind the big work shop and serves as a gate when I can get the shop door open. We've had about six different horses in that pasture—including stallions—and none of them ever figured out that the panel can move. Until Beau.

I hadn't formally introduced Beau to Shiloh until last Wednesday. I expected hoof stomping and squealing. They sniffed each other twice. Shiloh walked away and Beau started eating grass. Big deal—so much for equine drama.

Once Beau was back in his area, he started running back and forth and hollering for Shiloh, and Shiloh for Beau. Once Beau could see Shiloh, he would calm down.

(Our house is between the two horse areas—Beau to the east and Shiloh to the west.)

Yesterday afternoon, he hollered and hollered for Shiloh. Well as you know, when the kids are quiet, somethin' ain't right. I'm back here on the computer and hear Shiloh squeal. I looked out the window...and there was Beau, standing outside Shiloh's fence. Rick and I went out and caught him and put him back in his area. We thought we put the panel back to where he couldn't get out again.

HA!

Just as we finished dinner, we heard the sound of hoofbeats in the driveway...and there goes Beau back to Shiloh's fence...so we caught him again and really fixed the panel this time!

HA!

I got up this morning just before the sun. It was a little too quiet outside and I couldn't see Beau standing in the corner of his area. As I waited for the coffee to brew, I put on my shoes and quietly went outside to count noses. No Beau in the east area. I looked to the west. No Shiloh!

I walked around the corner of Shiloh's barn and there they were, down at the far end of Shiloh's area. Beau on the outside of the fence and Shiloh on the inside. Once they realized they had been "busted", Beau trotted up the fence line, up the driveway and put himself back into his area the same way he came out!

I re-re-re-secured the panel so Beau could not get out again and gave both the boys their morning meal, figuring that would keep them busy for an hour or so while we ate our breakfast .

HA!

I was almost done making Rick his pancakes and...there goes Beau up the driveway and back to Shiloh.

Sigh....

I went back out to catch Beau again. This time, I was just going to put him in with Shiloh and be done with the game. Beau saw me walking toward him, so he started walking toward me. When I was close enough to grab him, he did a head duck and trotted off up the driveway back toward his area with me following him.

This time, he stopped at his gate and waited for me. He gave me a look that said, "I'm at home base, you can't tag me"! I had to laugh.

I removed his halter from where it was hanging on the gate, put it on his big fat head and led him back to Shiloh's area. I put the two of them together. Rick and I will get around to permanently fixing the panel today. THEN we'll see what Beau comes up with next....

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