The Great Escape

Its been a bit of a day!!!!  So we had the Shetlands in a small pen, due to SweetPeas' lameness. All Good.  But with 40mph winds predicted we were worried the Barn might fall on them.  So yesterday we set up an electric fence...Oh yeah...Yesterday. A Nightmare day. Wind and Rain. Lots of rain. Unexpected rain.  I was NOT dressed for that. I was dressed for the dentist.  It was like a sudden Power Shower.  I left drenched.  As I dripped in the dentist its not surprising they asked me to come back for a filling....by that time I was shivering and leaving pools of rain water everywhere. 

So today the sun was out...all calm. I arrived to find the Shetlands mooching around on the drive.  I thought Jo had opened the gate. Mid coffee Mark the Mechanic arrived with a van to fix. During a casual conversation we realised the Shetlands had in fact opened a gate and were not meant to be free-range.  Off we went to look for them.  They were fairly near and Mark The Mechanic and part time horse whisperer went to catch them. We Should Have Known Better!!!

Of course they ran off up the drive, Jo in hot pursuit. Armed with two carrots, I climbed over a couple of fences hoping to head them off. Initially I didn't run...with my lungs its actually slower than walking.  But when I saw them heading down the drive towards the road I broke out into a sprint. They were quicker!  With hearts in mouths, we could only watch them head out of the gate. They could have gone onto the road, but thankfully chose to turn the other way, and flat out headed across the beet field.  SweetPea looked pretty sound!

At this point I had climbed over a third fence, not to mention forcing my way through some spiky Blackthorn Trees. Jo threw the headcollars at me.  She was about to go and get a car, while I was thinking of throwing a bridle on Daisy and going in pursuit. While safe from the road, they were now loose in 35 acres of farmland!! Suddenly they appeared over the horizon heading back. Guess the grass wasn't greener.  Avoiding my out-stretched arms they headed full tilt back up the drive.  While Jo was putting up barriers, I caught up with the little buggers near the hay-barn.  Dropping the head-collars, I knelt down, carrots outstretched and persuaded them into a stable......Whereupon I firmly slammed the door on them!

Never ever has a loose horse left the premises.  Polly is often free-range. The Shetlands, who are escapologist experts (great fans of Houdini) , normally find grass, or turn the tack-room upside down.  The moral of this story is ....errr.. NEVER TRUST SHETLAND PONIES!!!!

Penned In!