Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Thursday, November 15, 2012

A HORSE OF COURSE, OF COURSE

Where's Waldo the horse? Can you find him in this picture?
Posing for picture.

On the move...
What do you do when one of the neighbor's horses is living in your field for the third day and the neighbor's are not home?  You and hubby are both disabled and cannot return it yourselves.

First you think, the horse will be fine grazing in our field.  Suddenly you realize there is no water out for the horse and it could become dehydrated.  Then you realize your property is not fenced and if the horse get's thirsty enough it could head for the lake.  You also realize it could head for the well-traveled road in front of your house and be hit by a car resulting in a dead horse or a dead driver.

Perplexed you call another neighbor who brings the horse water.  The visiting horse, now rejuvenated decides to begin foraging near your barn and finds it can flip the lid off your chicken feed and help itself. We could place a large concrete block on top of the feed but  we are able to lift anything.   We both managed to hobble out to the barn.  I got on the tractor and Ron guided me to park it in front of the chicken feed so the horse had to stop feasting.  Meanwhile Slim held the horse at bay.

Our helpful neighbor finally got word to the owner's granddaughter and she came to get the horse after dark last night.  She was a tiny little thing having to retrieve this Goliath by herself.

It turns out that another neighbor's pack of dogs have been terrorizing the horses and caused this horse to jump the fence in an effort to escape.  

P.S. There is a day or two left to get in on 155 Dream Lane's Holiday Header giveaway.  See the link on my sidebar if you want to be entered in the drawing.

19 comments:

  1. A guy keeps 8 horses in 2 of our fields. They constantly seem to escape and end up in the strangest of places. It is very worrying when we can't get hold of the man to sort them out. My younger daughter is horse mad but even she finds it impossible to handle very large horses herself and get them back into the fields they are meant to be in.

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  2. LL Cool Joe -- Well I am afraid this is just the beginning. Now that this horse knows a way to get here, he just might return more often. Sounds like that is what you have to contend with. I'm hoping to reach this neighbor and find out how to contact them in the event it happens again.

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  3. I guess that neighbor is traveling? Seems as if someone looking after their horses would have missed that pretty horse. I think it knows good people and decided to take up with you and Ron. What a dilemma!

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  4. Lynn -- It seems the people work in Arkansas and arrive home late at night and leave early in the morning. They depend on the granddaughter to come out and take care of the horses and it's a big responsibility for such a small gal. She is either 18 or 20 and probably goes to college nearby. I'm just guessing. Hopefully they will put the horses in their barn for the rest of the week with hay and water until they can work out the situation on the weekend. Thank you for the sweet "virtual hug" card. I hope you got my email expressing my appreciation.

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  5. Dang those dogs for scaring him , thus causing all that.

    He certainly looks healthy and cared for in your photos, so hopefully this will just be a one time thing.

    Ya'll did good figuring out how to help him and while he cant express it- it was appreciated.

    You and Ron get well please..I am wishing it for you both.

    luv ya bushels and bunches
    Sonny

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  6. Sonny -- The neighbors with the dogs are a mentally challenged young couple with two babies and they bring home every stray dog they can find. When you drive near there home it almost looks like 101 Dalmatians heading after you (only they aren't Dalmatians...they are Heinz 57 variates.) Only their latest acquisitions have taken to wandering around the countryside and I imagine they are not getting their fair share of the food at home. These kids can barely feed themselves much less a pack of dogs. Supposedly their parents and grandfather help the couple but I have my doubts,

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  7. You sure do have a lot of excitement way out there in the country...glad the horse is back home.

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  8. Changes in the wind -- Monica, being the good cowgirl that you are you could have helped us with a roundup:)

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  9. how wonderful of you to be so concerned and do so much
    poor horse jumped a fence
    I hope the dog owner and the horse owner fix the issue

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  10. I am glad you got the horse back home....I hope he stays there, but I suspect he will remember where he found that chicken feed. It was very nice of you guys to make the effort to get him secured.

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  11. Dianne -- Oops, we may have misjudged the dogs. This morning the pinto horse is gone and a Palomino is in its place. I didn't see any dogs but I was napping a long time. Yikes!

    Jeanie -- Looks like the word spread to the other horses about the chicken feed and a second horse took the place of the first horse today. Our neighbor checked the fence line for a hole and couldn't find one so guess they are all jumpers. I'm done.

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  12. Crumbs what a nightmare! I'm dead scared of horses but my daughter who is horse mad will tackle any giant of a horse. Shame she doesn't live near you or she'd be over to help!

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  13. I know this is not supposed to be funny but talk about a comedy of trying to wrangle the horse. Glad you are working out all those kinks for Mr. Ed.

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  14. Such a beautiful horse and glad that she/he is now in good hands :D

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  15. That is difficult! Glad she got back safe.

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  16. There is a permanent solution in sight. If they eat enough chicken feed (grain) they'll drop dead OR founder so bad they'll be east to pen up even for a tin man without a heart. (at least one that works properly)

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  17. Winifred -- My experiences with horses in the past have not been good and I am a bit scared as well. None of my granddaughters would be frightened of the horses and I'm glad they aren't here or they would have tried to handle the situation thus causing me even more stress.

    Marla and Steve -- Well we worked out those kinks and the next morning a different horse was back in the field. Guess Mr. Ed spread the word that we had some tasty chicken feed.

    Shionge -- Yes all three of their horses are healthy and obviously well taken care of.

    Riot Kitty -- She did get back safely and sent her pal the palomino over the next morning. Thankfully the neighbors handled that one quite fast.

    Cliff -- Well my son will be there this weekend and can operate the backhoe so I guess we could dig a grave if that happened. Thankfully we managed to keep them from eating too much of the chicken feed. I got rid of my goats because they were difficult to care for and suddenly I've got horses. Yikes!

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  18. What good problem solving skills are displayed here! At least the lawn got some free fertilizing...

    Too much corn isin't great for the horses belly anyhow- hope some chicken feed was left!
    Poor horses- Those dogs need to be contained! I'd get some garlic oil or pepper spray to squirt- Or fire rounds over theor heads maybe.

    Then again, some horses like to run away- maybe he likes you n will be back-

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  19. You are certainly a great neighbor, Angie. It's amazing that whoever is watching the horse did not notice him/her being gone.

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