Piero the escaping pony

I have these spaces between my fence sections and my barn. I call them people walk throughs. They are a little wider than I had wanted when my fence was built, but I figured, "Oh well. I have a draft and a thoroughbred. Can't imagine ever having anything small enough to fit through this little 18 inch space." Meet Piero.

He not only can fit through, he can move the obstacles I put there in an attempt to keep him in!

Yesterday I went out to throw them some more hay. I noticed Piero was missing. I couldn't find him so I got nervous and started calling his name. I felt like I was calling my kid to come home for dinner. So I go to the tack room, quick grabbed a halter and lead and headed for my gate. I'm calling his name the whole time, and then I see him trotting across my neighbor's field toward home. Not wanting to scare him off and have a loose pony roaming the neighborhood, I just watched him for a moment. He approached my fence line, put his head over, and said, "Did you call me, mom?" A bit surprised, I walked over to the gate and said, "Piero, glad you're back. I was worried about you. Why don't you come in and have some hay with the others?" And through the gate he came.

Maybe this does not sound surprising, but there is grass in my neighbor's field! And that is what he wanted in the first place.


Loretta

the natural horseman
clear communication/visible results