I was right in the middle of Paradigm Farm's springtime stories and suddenly this huge black and white horse runs through the hay field in front of our house. Our neighbor's "Big Boys" had escaped. I ran outside so fast (in slippers), terrified that Baasha could be with them. Thank God he was just watching the show from his gate. 
I had this panic that our fence would not hold him - or them. Then I realized our fence is pretty stout in comparison to the neighbor's one strand of hip high electric wire. Our fence is solid where it meets the road and our front yard. I still felt the urge to inspect it, hang on it, to be sure. I touched Baasha and he was as hard as stone, in his excitement, watching them race around.
I saw the old man out there doing something to his fenceline, I have no idea what. Then I realized I should take pictures. I tried my best to hide in my stall because taking pictures was not really helping catch horses, and I was guilty until I saw two neighbor ladies come out to help him. But the horses were pretty safe - there is a drop off from that field to the street, and they weren't willing to leave that field, it was just too much fun running around and eating grass. That Arabian, Nordic, looked so good!
I wondered why no one thought to get a grain bucket. That always works. Just asking the horses to go back in wasn't working. Finally someone brought a carrot out, and it helped catch the first horse. Then the others followed, no harm done. Here they are all back inside their fence.They enjoyed freedom for about 15 minutes.
It was pretty exciting to me. Baasha got bored and left. I went to him and he started licking me, that's odd.
In weather news, here's our last patch of snow. I guess it's too soon to say if it's really the last patch of the year.
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12 comments:
Whenever I see horses behind a "fence" of a single strand of electric, my first thought is that I KNOW one of my horses would learn to ignore the zap and just go through it and they would all be gone. I am always so impressed when I see horses respecting an unsubstantial fence, I would never be so lucky.
They did look very happy enjoying their freedom!
I had noticed the significant change from white to green!! Whoo-hoo!
Glad the miscreants did not get in too much trouble, and that none were hurt. Also glad that Baasha refrained from getting in on the act, except, perhaps, vicariously. I had one a few years back that would do as Melissa says: grit his teeth (figuratively) and plunge through the single wire we were using around a borrowed pasture and then they were all gone! Ah, Echo...
Oh dear, spring has sprung, methinks! And there's nothing nicer on a spring day than eating someone else's grass! Glad Baasha was okay, though.
I've been following your blog for a little while and just love it! It makes my day as I peruse the horsie blogs :)
Look at those naughty horses! Of course, it's the OWNERS who are naughty for thinking that a single strand would hold them forever. Fiddle will respect electric...as long as it's ON. If the power goes out or the fence shorts out, she goes right through it.
...which is not as evil as a pony I knew who would chase OTHER horses through the fence so that he could get out. That pony wasn't naughty, he was WICKED!!!
Glad to see you snow is melting (again). Maybe it'll stay green now? Hope, hope, hope.
melissa, i'm amazed too. this is the first time in a year a horse challenged a fence that you can't really call "fence": )
evensong, you noticed! woo! and after several years of horse camping with electric paddocks, i realized that they only work until they don't. until the horse has the inclination to go thru, and then here you are stumbling around in your tent looking for your shoes so you can go catch your horse: )
autumn mist, that is exactly what i was thinking!
cali, thank you, that is so nice to hear: )
aarene, fiddle would not have stayed here this winter cuz i have had the fence off since november (gasp!).
what everyone really wants to know is about the time your horses decided to disrespect the electric paddocks and take off for 4 days in the wilderness. please tell that one!
That is a lot of green underneath that snow. I think all that green is why so many horses start escaping in the spring time.
I'm happy almost all your snow is gone amazing what a few warm day can do. I have this picture of you hiding in the barn with your zoom lense snapping away chuckling and saying to yourself get some grain silly! Glad they captured them all...never a dull day in the "hood"!
OH Yea!!! Green and other various colors of EARTH!!!
I am so happy they were safe by the end of the escapade!
3 horses here in Oregon last week, did not fare so well...I can NOT drive that area of road -still!
Baasha licker! Sometimes they think we taste real good!
Kac
You can't help but root for them a bit. It's fun to see them running around (as if they didn't have room in their other pasture in the first place).
Glad to see the tiny patch of snow. Let's keep our fingers crossed that you are done with the huge storms...
Baasha is still licking periodically, aye?
I hate the sight of loose horses. So much can go wrong.
Single wire would never work here either with some of mine. I have testers who are always checking to see if the wire's still hot when I used it to block off an area. So funny.
Awwww...I think Baasha was licking you to let you know that he appreciates his own pasture and life and has no reason to escape to any kind of 'freedom'. He is just grateful to have such a wonderful home to be loved, doted on, and fed. He wants you to know, in his life he wants for nothing. All his needs are met.
~Lisa
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