What a scare, today!

I went out, this morning, through the crusty dusting of snow to discover horse hoof prints all over my lawn ... and driveway, and garden. Oh my! So, Jazz is usually in the barn every morning, so I wondered if she would be there ... no nickering, as I walked toward the door. Frightful! But, when I opened the door, there she was, just waiting for me. So, my mind is racing to figure out if some other animal could have left such a track.

After I delivered her grain, I headed out to see what more I could see, as far as fence breaches and where this animal travelled. Since she was in the barn, I thought ... another horse, visiting in the night? I saw a few manure piles and some muddy skid marks, where the ground was soft. But, the rail fence looked fine. And, the electric fence was all strung in the easily visible places. So, I started tracing the tracks ... this horse went all over the place. I finally found where the fence had an opening ... way at the southern corner. So, it was Jazz that had the midnight romp of the property. But, to get to the driveway, garden and yard, she had to go through the fence breach, and then through an opening in the southern end of the rail fence ... along the road, heading north, to the driveway. Tracks were there, into and out of the driveway. Imagine it, though ... she went all over the property ... out to the garden, all over the northern lawn, around and in between the camper and shed. On that bright, moonlit night, last night, she was probably having a ball! But, amazingly enough, she found her way back into the pasture and back to the barn, by morning.

I can't see any evidence of anyone helping her, near the yard or barn. I fixed the fence and visited her at her hay pile, and she had no temper about me hugging her and petting her, today ... lately, she has been a little aggravated with such handling, while she is trying to eat. Must be that her boredom was well relieved and her mood was much improved. I can only think of a dark horse, in the night, along Route 3 and sigh with relief that she is all right. I can't figure out how the fence went down, down there. I had two poles in that corner, supporting the sharp turn, but I could only find one of them, this morning. I am wondering if someone was meddling. I will have to ask Todd if he touched that corner for anything, but I doubt it was him. And, I wonder if someone wanted to catch Jazz, but couldn't. I don't keep a halter on her, so unless you are patient and she is willing and you have a rope to fashion into an instant halter, there is no catching her. I am probably making too much of it. And, just so glad that she is happy in her barn home so that she came back. Tomorrow marks the day of her arrival to our home and lives. She's been good to stay put in that pasture all this time. I sure hope this isn't the beginning of a streak of mischief, though.