A couple of days ago I was doing evening chores as usual. Things were still frozen tighter than a cannon ball, including the door that separates the cria from the moms. The door being frozen is not a big deal, it simply stays shut for short times while hauling water & hay.
As usual, I didn't latch the door. Well, along came a huge gust of wind through the barn and blew the door wide open, with me nowhere in sight.
So the wee ones took advantage of the situation and wandered over to see their moms. Now this is not cause for concern however Andele, a teen age male is also living with the little ones. Being a bundle of raging hormones Andele wasted no time making his way to the girls of his age. He's not really old enough to do any damage (he thinks he is) but we don't want to take any chances.
I start to herd him around to the open door to his residence and away from the ladies, but on the way he ducks through the door to the pasture that is frozen open. Around we go in knee deep snow, Andele much more agile than myself. Finally I get him back in the barn and the outside door blocked off. Around the barn we go, all the while the girls providing distraction for the young man. At one point someone kicked open the gate to the main barn area. The dogs delighted in this new development and added to the confusion by barking and trying to join the chase.
Eventually Andele is back where he belongs and the door latched. Training for the cria is to begin in a week, so I need to get 5 cria back to their home.
One at a time, I manage to herd them towards the latched door, however keeping a hold on them and trying to get to the hook on the opposite side of the door and get it open is nothing short of a challenge.
After an hour and a bit all was back to normal.
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