Radar wouldn't come in again tonight. Sigh. But surprisingly, both the others came in, giving him a wide berth in the process. I went out to fetch him and realised that he had his front feet on the arena bank and his back feet in the field. The fence between them is only 18 inches high and should have been electrified but clearly wasn't and he couldn't work out how to free himself.
I fetched a headcollar and I walked away from him up the bank and loh and behold he followed me with no hesitation whatsoever straight onto the arena, from where I could unhook the fence at let us both out. Now, how could a seasoned hedgehopper like him not work out how to walk forwards over, or back out from, an 18 inch high strand of white nylon rope?
He was completely unhurt and seemingly unconcerned although I don't know how long he had been stuck there with a very cold wind up his tail. Not more than 3 hours because I saw him earlier outside the back of the barn.
He is still lame, though less than he was, so the abscess has moved to a new place with more room and it will need to brew a bit more before it pops. It's giving every symptom of being an abscess in the back of the frog - heat, walking on tiptoe, getting better then worse again, nothing else to show for any lameness. I'll give him another couple of days before I call a vet.
No-one got any exercise today. Woody is due tomorrow. I haven't the courage to ride an overfresh and unexercised Ace in the barn in this cold, and Radar is lame. We'll see what tomorrow brings but the forecast is more snow.
C
Oh, good grief! How silly. Then again, my TB would actually totally respect a fence with all but the bottom rail down. He, apparently, had decided that the fence was supposed to keep him in and, therefore, regardless of its height was not to be crossed. Perhaps Radar's front end thinks one way and his hind end things another? *lol*
ReplyDeleteGlad you thought to rescue him. It would have been a cold night out there. Hope that abscess comes to a head soon. Not being able to ride him must be frustrating....weather permitting, that is.
Actually it's a relief Jean, because I can't get him out at all. The road is a sheet of packed snow turned to ice and completely unsafe. The fields are frozen and it would be asking for him to twist an ankle, and the barn is so small it's pointless.
DeleteC
I too am glad that you went out to investigate his whereabouts. Who knows what they think sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAh, winter, sometimes you just have to take a break from riding. The horses probably don't mind at all, especially since you don't lock yours up 24/7. Just think of all the shirts you can iron and all the meals you can cook - sorry, couldn't resist that:-) More importantly, you can get rest, stay warm and hopefully speed the leaving of whopping cough.