hellloooooo, is anybody there?

The bad yellow horse broke out of his field today...for a long time we haven't bothered to switch on the electric fencing, particularly owing to an intermittent fault with the power box, and have become complacent. When I got home from the salt mines this afternoon I could see that the field was empty. I ran over and the electric fence wire had been broken down at one post, and excited hoof prints led away from his favourite spot across an unfenced neighbouring field. I followed the tracks with interest, and they led right into the far corner, where a gap in the hedge adjoining where the mares are looked like it had no fencing. In fact it had three strands of barbed wire, but in the shady twilight they were hard to see, and for a hormonal horse, impossible to spot. Luckily the wire is old, and weak, and he breasted through all three strands, with his rug taking the discomfort of the spikes. Unfortunately he somehow managed to pick up a piece of wire with his tail. As he galloped over to say hello to his girls, face to face at last, the wire dragged on the ground and became terribly tangled in his tail. Enter me. He circled and circled the mares, just as a stallion would, which was interesting, but the mares would not let him within about 4 meters of their group, and the lead mare kicked out at him to make him keep his distance. This was all very exciting for the stupid yellow horse. Tail up (despite wire) ears pricked, he strutted and pranced up and down the 20 acres. I kept calling, and walking and within 5 minutes the yellow one waited for me, and admitted that it was a fair cop. The tail had to be cut away to release the wire (oh dear) and apart from that damage to his beauty, and a very small scratch on one fetlock he has escaped injury, so is a very lucky horse indeed.

I have shut him away in his little barn, and he won't be let out until a new electric fencer and battery are purchased first thing tomorrow, so that the electric wire will give him a nice big shock next time he touches it. I know he has been very lucky to get off uninjured, and only the incredible placidity and sensibleness of the mares saved them from distress. I have been careless and have learned the lesson.

He had a good time though.