It all started last Sunday when I woke feeling pain free for a change. It was a real treat to feel like I could do stuff. So what did I do Sunday? I grabbed a shovel and cleaned out Echo's corral. A tractor can't get in that corral so it has to be done manually. I hauled the poop out in a bucket, about 600 small loads, ha ha. It was an act of rebellion or desperation because my ankle surgeon told me never to lift anything heavy. I love to do hard work and I've missed that feeling of going to bed with the knowledge I put in a hard days work. I was very proud of my poo pile and showed it off to Brad and took some pictures. I dumped the poo where Brad can get it with the tractor.
Here's the poo pile and the poo maker himself.
Brad strung up some electric tape to keep the boys from knocking the fence down completely.
My ankle has felt better than ever since the heavy lifting. Maybe something needed to be shoved into place.
Back to poor little Echo's nervous breakdown: He must have put his nose through the boards and got a jolt from the electric tape because he pretty much has come unglued. He's scared to death of the fence and he stands with his legs splayed out expecting it to jump on him any moment. Any noise, real or imagined, and he spins around to look behind him at the fence or he jumps to the side. To make matters worse he's also fearful of the poo pile. I stand with him and try to get him to eat carrots and relax but most of the time he's besides himself with fear. I'm so glad it's not me he's scared of and is careful not to leap in my direction when he imagines the fence is making it's big move to kill him. The little lad needs Valium or something. I said to Brad, "He's going to be a lot of fun to ride". We had a good laugh over that. I can see us now, Echo and me high stepping out in front, blazing the trail, with Wildairo and Brad bringing up the rear, both wearing foam domes!
Just before we had our first snow of the year today I took some pictures of some little violas that are still blooming in December.
It rained then it snowed. Foxsun was under the cottonwoods with the cows. He cantered over when I called him and ate some hay.
In the background are the corrals where the mustangs live and the shop. I have to rethink where to put the horses. I was hoping Echo would be halter broke by now so I could lead him over to the horse barn and corrals where he could spend the winter with Foxsun.
Maybe I could have Brad and William move out some more of the shop equipment so that part of the shop could be doubled in size for both Wildairo and Echo. The two mustangs could be wintered together in that big corral. I'm concerned that they might challenge the rock wall. When Foxsun and Wildairo were together in there they didn't even attempt it, and we do have the much hated electric tape in front of it, just in case. I just worry because Echo is so untouchable and I could never catch him if he escaped, but he needs to be with another horse so he can relax.
Does anyone have any experience with two mustangs escaping? Do they go far? When I first moved Wildairo to his new corral, I left the gate open at night so he could run down the ally to get back to old pen. Sure enough, every night, when I went to check him, he was in his old pen where he felt safe. So I think he would come back. Echo would probably have a heart attack from fear within the first few minuets of escaping. I bet when he was with his wild herd he started a lot of stampedes. I can just see it now; a herd of sweaty panting mustangs glaring at a little dark horse who's saying, "well it could have been a cougar".
5 comments:
Scout has "escaped" three times. One time, she wiggled under the corral pipes and went "visiting". The gal who boards them found her outside the next morning. She never heard a THING! Scout didn't go far...she visited Gigondas and Cali, like a GOOD GIRL, didn't escape, so her "herd" was nearby. Phew! Then, she got away from me TWICE as I was leading her out of the corral. Once she just ran by me and got out. We used grain to get her back. The second time, she ran past hubby, who was walking Gigondas. Gigondas reared, sat down, and flailed out with her feet and hit hubby in the KNEE! Thank goodness she just glanced it. There was a little girl on the property and I was terrified that Scout would knock her down, so I ran around like an idiot with the grain bucket and she came back. She doesn't get out now...she's content to stay with me, but she's still a handful to lead. I'm working on that, but, like you, I've been injured.
Poor Echo! I hope he gets over his fear of the fence soon.
I've only had one ungentled horse escape, and luckily she just wanted to be with the other horses. I do know of a lady who lost two in the desert in New Mexico and it took her at least a week to find them. I think they managed to corner them in a corral or a box canyon or something like that. And they were halter broke, so could be grabbed. I wouldn't put the two of them together anywhere you think they might get loose. They know how to get by on their own, they might just "head for the hills."
That has been my fear. None of ours escaped except Sierra and she was well halter broke when she did. Always have been afraid they would head back to Oregon.
I agree with Andrea, keep them apart so if one gets out he'll be alone and come back to the barn. They're always worse in herds. We had three of our domestics get out last year and head for the highway. If they get out singly, they return to the barn and other horses for safety. Love the electric fence, btw. I need to train Beautiful about it and let her go in the big pasture.
Thanks everyone. I remember the stories of Sierra escaping and running to the grown up horses for company, and/or protection. Same with Scout staying close to her friends.
I remember my nieghbors horses used to get out together when he first got them and they'd run like hell till a fence stopped them. I notice now when they escape they head for his lawn and hang out there till he comnes home.
I think Wildairo bonding with Foxsun will prevent him from going far. Even if he got out with Foxsun, Foxsun wouldn't go anywhere with him because he doesn't really like him.
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