Moonbeam's Excellent Adventure

There is no phone call in the world that will elicit such a gut-wrenching

sick feeling as this:

"Hey,"  the voice on the other end is Dr. Becky, 

"I just saw your horses running up the street headed for the woods!"

Now if you have horses you will sympathize with me.

There is nothing that is more of a pain in the arse than a herd of escaped horses.

And although my reply to Dr. Becky should have been "Thank you for letting me know."

It was more like "Oh, $%#&^*@#*%&!!!"

Hubbs and I hopped in the gator, stopped in the barn for harnesses and lead ropes and treats,

and found one of the stall gates slid to the side, open wide.

Moonbeam is the herd Houdini...routinely checking all possible routes for escape.

He has learned to open the stall gates if they are left unhooked.

(He who shall remain nameless forgot to lock the gate... it happens to us all at one time or another...

or two or three... or twelve.)

With halters in hand we headed up the lane...

past the goats and chickens...

and out to the road in front of Dr. Becky's house...

only to be met by Dr. Becky leading Ollie back home.

(Apparently, Ollie made a pit-stop in Dr. Becky's barn.)

Hubbs walked Ollie back to the barn and we headed back out towards the woods...

with part of Dr. Becky's family following.

Before reaching the woods,

Hubbs caught sight of Moonbeam's head above the tall grass of the hayfield.

There, eating their hearts out, were the remaining four of our herd.

Red was barely visible, as he is smaller than the tall hay.

With peppermint treats in hand, we approached and got everyone into their halters.

That is, except Scarlet.

This is what happens every time there is an escape.

We halter everyone except Scarlet, and Scarlet just trots along home on her own...

staying with her family.

I took about a half hour to get everyone caught and securely back into the dry lot.

And this time (for once) I had my camera!

I'd love to say this will never happen again...

but, of course, it will!