Fool me once

If you've been following my blog you know that Irish can be a bit, well, foolish.

thank heavens he's handsome. Because some days.....

Two days ago I came home from work, changed and headed out to have a quick snow shoe before doing my chores. The horses are used to me coming home and heading out to the barn to work, not head off for my own amusement. Irish watched me leave with a surprised expression on his face.

I was only gone for about 45 minutes. When I returned I started on my chores: getting the two stalls bedded for the night, changing the water, filling hay racks, etc.

Lexie and Irish hung around outside as per usual. I then relied their supper. Irish was in his stall so I hung up his feed (I use a portable feeder for him that hangs over the door) and went into his stall to shut his outside door. At this point he bolted out and took off across the snow covered field with Lexie hot on his heels.

I sighed and carried on. Then began 20 minutes of the two of them galloping down to the barn only to bolt off again.  Whenever I came near them Irish would take off like I was satan himself.

It was getting dark, I was cold and hungry. And getting peeved.

I went back to the barn and grabbed my lunge whip. I then went out to the field and cracked it. Irish began running around. I stayed still. If this didn't work I was planning to leave them out and head inside for supper.

Finally Irish ran by me and headed  down towards the barn I followed cracking the whip. I had them 'penned' in the small paddock. Lexie was, of course, uncertain of what was next. Irish however, knows the drill.

With a flip of his head and tail he ran into his stall. I closed his door. Lexie sheepishly headed into her stall. I gave them their ration and grumbled my way back to the barn.

Yesterday when I was doing chores both stayed down by the barn and when it was time for supper they came into their stalls as meek as  lambs.

Today both horses were in the little paddock as I puttered away. I then noticed Irish getting restless. He started running from the little paddock to the field and back. Lexie ignored him. As I worked away he began to ramp up like two days ago. However, this time Lexie was having none of it.

As I was getting the grain ready I heard a small commotion- I looked outside to see Lexie with her ears pinned spin he butt to Irish. Her whole body language was 'piss off!'

I poured her feed into her bin and she came in nice and calmly and began eating. I closed her in. Irish was in his stall but when I began to close his outside door he bolted out.
"fine" I said. "I have no problem leaving you outside"

With that, he came into his stall and I closed him in.

Lexie is turning out to be a highly intelligent mare.
Unlike some geldings I could name....

so why are we running around exactly?