Friday, December 29, 2017

Social Butterfly

When I got to the barn on Christmas Day, as I stripped the blanket from Ashke, I realized that it was covered with arena dirt. Like he had been let out into the indoor arena and had rolled. I thought that was really strange.

Then in my lesson, Amanda told me he had let himself out of his stall when she was riding her mare and Amanda had to stop to shoo him back into his stall. There was an additional carabiner clip put on his stall door to help keep him in.

Last night when I got to the barn one of the other boarders was leaving and I was greeted with "YOUR HORSE!!!"

That's not a good sign.

I went inside and his stall door was tied shut by using his halter (which he had already managed to remove once) and his lead rope (fastened to the door lower down and tied to his blanket bar).

Guess someone has been bad.

He let himself out of his stall twice during the flatwork lesson going on in the arena that night.

I replaced the carabiner with a double ended clip that is worked with your thumb, which has been effective in keeping him in turn out (he also let himself out of his turn out paddock and in with DaVinci last week) in the hopes that his midnight wanderings would be curtailed. I also used the chain from a broken leadrope to chain his door lower down where he can't reach it with his mouth.

I texted the BO this morning to see if it had been effective and she said he was safely in his stall this morning. He had already destroyed the carabiner she had put on his stall. She and her daughter had watched him do it.

I guess I need to provide some entertainment in his stall, more secure locks and maybe more work.

My little social butterfly.

4 comments:

  1. Oh he is a character for sure. What about one of these: https://www.systemfence.com/product/00/04-157/Gate-Latch-w-Curved-Plate. that might keep him contained.

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  2. Shasta was really good at letting herself out of all sorts of different stall closures. Levi let himself out of his show stall a bunch of times, but he generally stays in his pasture because he doesn't want to leave that. I hope you find something to keep him in.

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  3. I have so enjoyed reading about your journey with "your social butterfly", Ashke. And thank you for sharing so many great contacts, especially regarding your tack. I do have a question about your Alta Esquela saddle; I have been told they are uncomfortable for riding in for any duration of time, but can't help but see that you do just that, and seem quite happy. Can you share a bit more about your saddle, as well as whether you looked into any of the other styles, especially the Portuguese saddles? Thank you for your time, and best wishes for the New Year! PS Lisa at El Sueno is wonderful, and I will definitely be purchasing from her, and in fact told her on the phone that I found her via your blog!

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  4. I have an escape artist as well. Lucky for me he doesn't have thumbs!

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