Bestie walks out

Back from a few days enjoying the Maine coast in Boothbay Harbor. Anyone looking for a vacation: I highly recommened the Spruce Point Inn. Beautiful location on the point just across the bay from Boothbay, lovely accommodations, a heated and an oceanwater pool, hot tubs, spa services, very nice staff, gorgeous area to walk or bike around, delicious food in the restaurant! Bikes and kayaks included in the lodging. In the restaurant, yummy French toast, to-die-for blueberry pie, very light and tasty scallop roll. Lots of lounge chairs, Adirondack chairs and hammocks to park yourself in. I could go on and on!

But, on to the ponies... We got home from ME around 6 and the kids were busy so I ran over to the barn to say hello to Dude and Bestie. They were of course happy to see me, not because they missed me over the four days I was gone, but because they were out of hay and it was too early for the night flakes to be distributed. I opened their doors and put their stall guards up, and as I was mucking Dude's stall, I heard a funny noise, but didn't think too much of it until I heard hooves going down the barn aisle. Bestie apparently had leaned against the stall guard and popped one screw eye right out of the doorframe, most likely leaning out trying to get her night flake. There was one person in the indoor riding, so I shouted "loose horse" then ran to get a bucket of grain. My last glimpse of Bestie was of her prancing though the indoor with her tail up in the air, clearly pretty pleased with herself.

It's always funny to me how the horses start whinnying throughout the barn when there's an escapee. It's like they're sounding the alarm or spreading the word. "Hey, the black mare is out!" "Where'd she go?" "I don't know, I can't see down the aisle! Darn these stall bars!"

I ran out the back door with a handful of grain in a bucket and walked right up to her. She was happily grazing about 15 feet from the indoor and never even moved as I walked up and slipped the halter over her head. Then she docilely followed me back into the barn. Adventure over. I could hear Dude snorting and whinnying, but he stopped once he realized she was back. Whew. No other excitement, except barn owner Lisa's daughter came over to investigate. Hands on her hips, "Well, HOW did this happen? Where were YOU?" Nothing like being given the business by a kid half your size and I have to give her credit: she is a pro :).