Had a fun morning!

Off topic:
Well we had a bad storm last night but I don't see that it could open a chained gate. So I am thinking some jack hole opened my gate and let my three horses out onto the road. Got up at 7 a.m. and chased three adrenaline pumped horses 1 1/2 down the road into an open field. Luckily my mare came up to me and I was able to use a tow strap to make a halter. Walked her back to my place and other two geldings followed. Then I walked back to get my truck.

I'm sure some of you have had "fun" like this before!

Well we had two rabbits dig their way out last night, wife and our border collie mix took care of that.

Couple of years ago our horse barn was flooded out (fixed a grade issue since then) so we took our two horses to the neighbor who had a horse barn but hadn't had horses for years. They now have cattle and our older horse did NOT like the noises she was hearing. Sometime during the night she decided to make a break for it. She removed some cattle wire from the top of the stall door then proceeded to scale the door and get out. The door was still latched securely when we looked at it the next day. These were VERY secure stalls and we had no concerns of her ever getting out. She had two tiny marks where her back legs rubbed the top of the door on the way out.
The next morning I let the dogs out and something caught my eye beside they garage. There was Gypsy looking at me as if to say "I want my barn back" I walked up to her calm as could be, she just stood there and I grabbed her halter and led her back to the barn. No worrying about her running away, she likes it here! She left the other horse (much younger) to fend for herself. She was quite happy where she was when we went to get her.

Ya a few years back had a couple of my horses get out and head up the drive way. I'm lucky my drive it a mile long. Ended up having to jump on the motorcycle to catch up and pass them then was able to heard them back down to the place

Seems like if you have livestock around it is only a matter of time until you have to chase it down. Have had horses out a couple of times and still am not sure how they escaped. Biggest fear is they will end up on the road and somebody (person) will get hurt. My wife"s biggest fear is that they will end up on the road and get hurt (horse).

Couple of summers ago neighbor had a dozen or so cattle make a break for it. Corn was tall and a few of them did not get caught for a week or so. I think they had as many as 12 people trying to herd them out of the field, but cattle would just move over several rows and get missed.

The worst morning I ever remember was back when I was a kid and still at home. Dads cows got out (tree fell on fence) and got into a neighbors strawberry fields. Not only was I chasing cows in the pouring rain @ 4AM, I was dodging cuss words from the guy who owned the strawberries. Dad was out of town and I didn't have much help (a sister who didn't want to get wet OR muddy) When I got the last cow back in and fixed the gap in the fence, it quit raining.

(quoted from post at 09:10:51 06/21/11) Off topic:
Well we had a bad storm last night but I don't see that it could open a chained gate. So I am thinking some jack hole opened my gate and let my three horses out onto the road. Got up at 7 a.m. and chased three adrenaline pumped horses 1 1/2 down the road into an open field. Luckily my mare came up to me and I was able to use a tow strap to make a halter. Walked her back to my place and other two geldings followed. Then I walked back to get my truck.

I'm sure some of you have had "fun" like this before!

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Our horses are always doing stupid stuff....Quite often people will trurn off the fence and raise the two bottom bands and fasten them to the top so they can go under. Ours most always come to us or at least let us walk up to them. I leave neck collars on everyone and all are taught to lead with them.All are taught to lead with the quad or alongside the vehicle also. I got tiredof walking to switch pastures etc. the stallion comes running like a little kid when I show up with the quad.

I could ramble on that subject, it happens at our place on occasion for a variety of idiotic reasons. I've had those cheap double snap, pot metal, lousy springs, fail. Thought I left the gate unlatched, getting senile or something, til I figured it out. We are lucky that most of the horses are "easy mannered" though they all have their moments. First thing I do is close the main gate into the place and make sure the stallion is in, though most times he could care less, other times he's on the lookout, but is one those rare ones who is just an all around gem 98% of the time.

I wasn't raised around horses so I know very little about them. I had to learn about the 'lead mare' the hard way once. I went by my neighbor's place and saw his big Belgian horses out in his lawn. He lives by a regularly traveled road and I didn't want a belgian going through someone's windshield, so I stopped and knocked on the door. Nobody home so I found a pail and just a little corn, figuring I could get them that way. Well I caught one and took it to the barn through the walkin door and tied it up in a stall. Then I got the pail and caught another one. This is when I learned about the lead mare cause this is the one I got hold of. I led her through the door to tie her up and all of a sudden a half dozen of these 2000 pound giants were coming in behind her and they were packing themselves in that barn real quick. I had nowhere to go so I scampered up over the hay manger, went outside through another door, ran around the barn and shut the door the horses came in. I thought I was gonna get squished flat against the wall. Well, anyway, I got them back in the barn and away from the road and that's what my goal was. I just didn't plan on it being that exciting. Jim

(quoted from post at 10:50:48 06/21/11) make sure the stallion is in, though most times he could care less, other times he's on the lookout, but is one those rare ones who is just an all around gem 98% of the time.

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It's that 2% that I have scars from :roll: Just bought a replacement and are gonna take ours outta the gene pool and place him. sure hate to see him go and hate even worse the idea of starting over with a new one. Took awhile to get this guy to the point he is now. Our worst problems are dogooders and google experts that just can't keep their hands off things.....

I grew up with horses, and wife and I have had them for 40 years, so there have been many incidents. You want a light halter in your back pocket (where they can't see it), and a metal bucket with a little bit of grain that you can rattle. Won't be much chasin' with that arrangement- they'll come to you as soon as they hear the rattle.

Favorite incident was long ago- foggy spring morning, and for some reason, I decided to have morning coffee on the back porch. Foggy enough that I could just see to the end of the driveway. Heard some clopping on the county road pavement, and it was getting louder. Out of the fog and into the driveway walked our 2 horses- coming home! No idea where they'd been. They walked by the house with nary a look toward me. I just fell in behind them, they walked through the open gate, and I latched it behind them. And did a little work on the latch after breakfast.

We had mules when I was a kid and those things would walk up to the wooden gate and jump right over if they wanted to.

I remember that photo, stud gotcha at feed time ? if I recall correctly. If'n one is handlin horses, you had best never forget that 2% LOL !

I've never had much trouble with him, he's fun to deal with, riders love this guy, 88 year old in law, a WWII pilot, still rides him unless he's fresh, not been worked.

I know what you mean, you get used to them, you get some really good ones or work em up to where you want and then you have to start over.

i have chains on all of my gates my old cow is too smart for her own good.
she can get any gate hook made open.