Today I had a feel good experience. I was on the way to see a horse property that will soon be on the market, and I was driving on Hwy 64, a four-lane interstate, when two horses came running down the pavement toward me and the four cars which were in front of me.
The big bay was trotting with his head in the air, either highly agitated or having a great time. His buddy, a little black pony was following along behind, having a little trouble keeping up. Thank goodness the cars all slowed to a stop, effectively making a barricade in front of the escapees. The bay took the lane off the highway with his buddy close behind. I followed them until they headed up someone's yard. The bay turned his head and looked at me as he dashed behind the house. He seemed to be saying, "You can't catch me, I am the gingerbread man!"
Where they disappeared, they were as safe as a runaway horse could be. There was a lightweight fence between them and the highway, and a field of grass between highway and them. A car and a motorcycle pulled in after me. Both were horse people, and both were frustrated like me that we were not equipped to catch these two.
I decided my best bet was to knock on some doors. The little house where the horses disappeared had no one home. The subdivision behind had no horse properties. I followed the little road and it ended in the woods. Not a likely spot for a pasture area. So I headed back out to the highway and started in the direction that the horses had been coming from. I took the first street on the left and found a little pasture surrounded by trees. I saw a lady sitting on a porch, and asked her if she knew who might own a big bay and a little black. She said it sounded like her daughter's horses.
I drove next door to her daughter's home and she and her husband were coming out of the house in a hurry. The bay and the black pony were her horses. She grabbed two buckets of grain and lead ropes and they followed me out of the subdivision. As we reached the highway an empty horse trailer turned into the road where the horses had vanished. I showed the couple where I had last seen the horses, and then we followed the trailer until it stopped near the back of the subdivision. People piled out of the trailer, and the homeowner came down the driveway saying that he had the big one tied and they were feeding it carrots to keep it calm.
That's when I left. They did not need me, dressed in my heels, at that point. I sure had a "feel good" drive home. Thank goodness for drivers who slowed for the horses, for the homeowner who had the guts to tie that big bay, and for the lady sitting on the porch when I needed her.
The horse barn has been used for storage for years. It is in good condition. It features two dutch doors and after cleanout and some fresh shavings, the barn will be ready for use. There are two stalls and a tack room so it compliments the 3.7 acres of land. You will need to add some fencing, but if you need somewhere for your horses quickly check with the neighbors. They are looking forward to having some horses to look at again.
