Nantua Farm Blog

In our barn, we have two 12′ x 12′ stalls that can (well, could originally, you’ll understand why not anymore at the end of the story) be converted into a 12′ x 24′ foaling stall by simply removing ten to twelve 2″ x 8″ boards that slide into a groove made by some pieces of wood that had been nailed to the sides of the stalls (not my design!)… Well, when we first moved to the property, Blue and Bill shared those adjoining stalls. This arrangement has since changed all because of what I found one morning when I came out to feed. Seems that Blue, who is known around the barn as the prankster and, when bored, can raise some hell, had somehow managed, with his TEETH to pull out on of these 2″ x 8″ x 12 foot boards. At first I didn’t notice it as I went into his stall and thought something was a little odd with the wall, but couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Well, then I went into Bill’s stall… Right in the middle is this board covered in teeth marks. So, I shake my head, pull the board out and go on with my day. Not the end of the story… Several days later I come in to turn everyone out and there are TWO more boards pulled out as well as one board (mind you this is a 2″ x 8″) that is cracked in half! Slowly but surely, Blue is removing the wall so it’s low enough for this 17.1 hh lughead to step over into Bill’s stall! Now, what he was planning on doing once in there I’m not quite sure as Bill is not really the “sharing” type. Not a stall I’d want to be in! Oh, and all three (well, four, I guess, as one of them was in 2 pieces) were all in Bill’s stall as Blue didn’t want anything littering HIS precious stall! Still not sure how he/they managed it, but, needless to say, Charlie is now in Bill’s old stall (who doesn’t put up with Blue’s shananigans) and every board has TWO screws in both ends… I just have to wonder what Blue must have been like on the track… Oh good Lord!