Whatever Works

Recycled old hose makes great temporary fence

None of my horses has ever seriously challenged the fences and gates here or bothered "stuff" - except Little Joe jumping a four foot wire fence from a stand still a few years back - so I've gotten pretty complacent.

The Buckmeister

Enter Mr. Carl Burns, aka the Buckmeister. He's big, strong, curious and will taste anything at least once.  My iPhone will never be the same.  Plato, Joe and Dreamer have never bothered the water pipes but Carl just had to check it out.

We'll see how well my temporary fence works until I can get some panels around the tap.  I had tried using rope at one time but Joe just slipped underneath and I worried someone would get tangled.  The hose should be much safer and has a little give.

Meanwhile, the Buckmeister seems to be enjoying herd life, getting along with everyone and pretty unstoppable in his boots.  He'll get an overnight without boots tonight - he has to stay in his own paddock when bootless so he has supportive footing and no one pushes him into a run-about on the rocks.

In another month or two we'll recheck his insulin/glucose. This photo doesn't show it well but he's starting to lose the puffiness above his eyes (one of the telling signs of IR). I'm hoping by the time his Mom can make it here he'll be able to take her for a turn around the desert on his back.  Along with a good diagnosis, diet changes and trim, I see more and more one of the keys to bringing back to soundness is the regular steady movement they get living together as a herd.