Horse Versus Fence

There he is. He looks like the picture of innocence, doesn't he? Jack is known for his sweet, sleepy countenance and for his ability to get into trouble before you can shout his name. His most recent accomplishment is his discovery that his head fits between the rails of our pasture fence. Since the grass inside the pasture is in poor condition due to the season, Jack has been enjoying the somewhat better grass on the outside of the fence. You know the saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." I don't think this grass is greener, but it is certainly taller and thicker. There are several problems with Jack's newest activity. The first is that Jack is BIG. When he leans on the 1x6 fence boards to reach the outermost blades of grass, the brittle, old boards tend to break. Daddy recently went around the pasture and patched about eight broken boards, only to have Jack break two more within a few days. The second problem is that Jack sometimes gets caught with his head through the fence when another horse is disciplining him. This means he must jerk his head through the rails quickly, often leaving a piece of his dun hide on the fence. The third problem is purely cosmetic. Jack had a beautiful, long mane and a glossy coat, but his habit of constantly pushing his neck between the rails has worn a short, frizzy patch more than six inches long in his mane. He also has a bald spot on the underside of his neck. We love him anyway. He certainly keeps things interesting over here.