Doing My Own Thing

Or So Say the Boys

I didn't ride today. Monday is usually the off day.

However, when I got home from school...where I teach...I found three horses in three distinct locations, quite separate from each other.

Chance was happily munching hay in the front paddock nearest the house.

Toby was in his stall doing who knows what.

Tucker was out in the far pasture nibbling at the little shoots of leftover grass.

Quite independent spirits, these fellows. Or else they had a family squabble when I was away.

No one was injured or the least bit upset. I'd accidently left Chance's indoor stall door open, so when I went in to get the feed he was at the tackroom door ready to come in to help. Mind you, the tack/feedroom is elevated from the rest of the barn by about a foot and a half, so he had to step up to try to join me. So far, I've been able to catch him before he gets all the way in.

Not so with Tucker when he was younger. He managed to get all the way into the room and there was no way to get him out aside from backing, which he didn't want to do because of the step. It one point a hoof even went through the floor. Not a pretty picture. Somehow, he wiggled himself to turnaround, though I have no idea how and got himself out before it was a total disaster. Ever since, I've had to watch things.

Everyone came into the barn for food, so all is well there. I guess each horse is confident enough in his own skin to not need the herd all the time. It was just kind of unexpected to find them so happily separated. Silly boys.

I have ordered orange turnout sheets for everyone. Hope they will be here by Friday as I expedited shipping. Deer hunting season starts December 1, and it always makes me nervous.