Midnight Escapades

I am a bad horse owner.

This point was driven home quite clearly the other night. We had gone for a nice little ride. Me on my little mare Jerry and Nocturne on my gelding Coyote. When we got back I put Jerry into their pen but  Coyote insisted that he was starving so I left him to graze for a bit on the green grass around the yard. I left the halter and lead rope on so I could catch him easily. The horses are in a dirt lot and I like them to get grass when they can. That would be more often if they would stay put and EAT. Of course they can’t do that.

With a ten acre yard to roam the only spots they want to be are the ones they are not supposed to be. The surrounding corn fields, gotten to only by little gates that of course they find the few times they are left open, the lawns green and manicured around the houses and last but not least the half mile dirt driveway with sparse weeds down each side. Why those are better then lush grass I wont ever understand, but I digress.

I was going to turn him out for just a few moments while I started supper then let him back into his pen.

It was the weekend so we put in a movie to watch after we ate. It was over around eleven at which time my equally forgetful husband realized the water was still running in the garden. As he ran over to shut it off I stood in the doorway listening to one of the horses neighing. “Strange” I thought “I wonder what has them upset.” A loud banging convinced me I needed to check on them. I walked out the back door shining my little flash light around only to see eyes glowing back at me. There stood Coyote trying desperately to get back where he belonged. I had completely forgotten him and he was knocking loudly on the gate and calling for help. He had removed the halter on his own and peed on it to let me know just what he thought. I opened the gate and he galloped through. I was left alone in the dark to realize that I am a very bad owner.