The Horse as Escape Artist.

My gelding Wally is one of those horses with an abundance of personality. He's always busy. Busy thinking and busy scheming. He always has a plan. Usually his plan centers around devising ways to escape his corral or turnout paddock. It's not like he lives in inferior housing, mind you. He has thick rubber mats under his shelter (so he doesn't pick up sand and grit while he eats) and he has bedding where he lies down. He's also got plenty of room to roam. So what's the deal? He's just curious. I can tell how his mind works: "Hmmm.... What lies around the corner? Who's visiting inside the house today? How many horse cookies are left in the feed room? I wonder what this eucalyptus tree tastes like."

Fortunately, the most destructive thing Wally's done when he has succeeded in escaping is to add a lovely scalloped edge to several bales of hay he sampled. Otherwise he merely takes a walkabout. I once found a pile of manure neatly deposited outside my backdoor, evidence that Wally had wandered under the carport and across the patio and peeked in to see just when I'd be coming out to ride him. Or catch him, as the case might be.

After several escapes, where Wally had slyly worked open the snap on his gate with his prehensile lips, I wised up. I went to the local hardware store and bought several of those snaps that mountaineers and rock climbers use. I think they're called carabiner clips. Whatever they're called, they work! They are officially Wally-proof! Though sometimes I can hear him flip and fumble with the new-fangled snap on his gate, no doubt wondering why he can't thwart the design, he stays put. No more walkabouts for Wally.