Ghosties, ghoulies and thing that go bump in the day

[Huggy]

Have you ever had that moment when you open the gate to bring them in, and they look at you as though they've never seen you before, and you're probably a stranger, come to steal them? I went up this afternoon to bring Hogan in, called him as usual, so he heard my voice, and he stood staring at me for a few moments, very suspiciously, trotted up to within a few feet of me, then glared over to my left. Kept leg buckling as I led him out, and huffed and puffed and jogged until we got into the barn. I couldn't see or hear anything at all, and they'd been grazing happily until I called. Weirdos.

 

[Bodshi]

Very odd!

Yes, our Jack once went really weird. It was one evening, he was in his stable, he was wild eyed and went to the back of his box as though he was terrified if you went into the stable with him, but not necessarily terrified of the person - I could go in and touch him - but it felt quite dangerous because he was so obviously wired. I rang the vet, it was so strange I thought he must have a brain tumour or something. The vet just said to keep an eye on him and he'd be out the next day if there was no change but by next morning he was back to normal as if nothing had happened. If something had happened to spook him we have no idea what it was. A few years later a similar thing happened with one of YO's horses, but she was a young Section D (prone to dramatics) mare who hadn't been on the yard long, plus it wasn't quite so extreme so not as worrying. She did it a couple of times but hasn't done it recently.

Oh, and once a long time ago I was hacking the horse I used to loan down a normal route and he kept looking over the fields to the left and snorting. He did it for most of the ride - there was nothing I could see out of the ordinary but a horse on the yard had just been PTS the day before and I ended up finding it quite spooky

 

[Huggy]

Very odd!

Yes, our Jack once went really weird. It was one evening, he was in his stable, he was wild eyed and went to the back of his box as though he was terrified if you went into the stable with him, but not necessarily terrified of the person - I could go in and touch him - but it felt quite dangerous because he was so obviously wired. I rang the vet, it was so strange I thought he must have a brain tumour or something. The vet just said to keep an eye on him and he'd be out the next day if there was no change but by next morning he was back to normal as if nothing had happened. If something had happened to spook him we have no idea what it was. A few years later a similar thing happened with one of YO's horses, but she was a young Section D (prone to dramatics) mare who hadn't been on the yard long, plus it wasn't quite so extreme so not as worrying. She did it a couple of times but hasn't done it recently.

Oh, and once a long time ago I was hacking the horse I used to loan down a normal route and he kept looking over the fields to the left and snorting. He did it for most of the ride - there was nothing I could see out of the ordinary but a horse on the yard had just been PTS the day before and I ended up finding it quite spooky

Yes - he really looked at me as though it wasn't me. Even though I was calling. He'd settled by the time I'd done the poo picking and went to turn him out, but coming in I sensed real fear - not the silly "Oooh look - a leaf!" nonsense. Very like what you experienced. Brrrr!

 

[Jessey]

Bo did this for several days some years ago, fine in the field then snorting, prancing and carrying on coming in, refused to go in his stable and once convinced was really wired and skitty. The other 2 were look-y but not wired like he was. Then it all stopped. A local suggested that as we were close to the river it could have been a mink about, perhaps coming up to the yard to investigate, apparently horses are deathly afraid of mink.

 

[Trewsers]

I don't recall having that reaction with any of ours in the field, however a long long time ago when we were on a yard, Storm was once in a weird state. I came to see her after work one evening and she was really off with me, standing at the back of her box, not coming for food, wild eyed and really shakey. Turns out it was the automatic water feeder - it had frozen and must have been busy defrosting - popping and banging and scaring the hell out of her! Took me ages to convince her that I wasn't going to kill / poison / hurt her after that!

 

[Huggy]

Bo did this for several days some years ago, fine in the field then snorting, prancing and carrying on coming in, refused to go in his stable and once convinced was really wired and skitty. The other 2 were look-y but not wired like he was. Then it all stopped. A local suggested that as we were close to the river it could have been a mink about, perhaps coming up to the yard to investigate, apparently horses are deathly afraid of mink.

Now that I didn't know! I know we've got fox holes down on the other side of the fence there, but it's never bothered them before. There's also an old badger set, but he was run over last year - maybe there's a new one moved in. Hogan may not have had badgers around in his old home.

 

[Huggy]

I don't recall having that reaction with any of ours in the field, however a long long time ago when we were on a yard, Storm was once in a weird state. I came to see her after work one evening and she was really off with me, standing at the back of her box, not coming for food, wild eyed and really shakey. Turns out it was the automatic water feeder - it had frozen and must have been busy defrosting - popping and banging and scaring the hell out of her! Took me ages to convince her that I wasn't going to kill / poison / hurt her after that!

Oh bless her! I'm sure it was something simple like that, just surprised me, because Hogans usually such a tough guy about things!

 

[Huggy]

I'm getting really spooked now! Went up this afternoon to feed them, and poo pick, and the flipping dog started barking at the bushes! Kept it up the whole time I was working, all stiff legged, and barking and backing up. I think we may have a new badger in residence. We had lots of fox cubs last year who were very bold. The mum was eating the cat food, and looking very well on it. The mum must have given them a rabbit carcass to pretend kill , I stood with Ramsey for a good 5 mins and they paid me no mind at all.

 

[newforest]

Loving those feathers.
Sorry forgot but what breed is he again?

 

[Huggy]

He's an Irish cob. Those feathers are my pride and joy, but boy they take a lot of maintaining!

 

[newforest]

Same as my lass then.

 

[Frances144]

Wow, the cubs, amazing. Lucky you seeing them. Love Hogan. He is wonderful.

Mine are all feral at the moment. Bored of the spooking, they’ve decided humans are an unknown quantity.

 

[Huggy]

I have a brilliant video of them, but can't seem to upload videos. It was rather nice seeing them grow, then of course, one day they all seemed to disappear. Grown up and off to seek their fortune. Luckily there's no chickens in the immediate vicinity! Sadly no families to be seen this year. Thank you - he is a character, and makes me laugh on a daily basis, don't know what I'd have done without him, once I lost Ramsey.

 

[Huggy]

Ps - yup - the spooking loses its charm pretty fast.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Gosh Hogan has really got the bottoms on him, hasn't he? He's a real mighty atom. Lovely.

 

[Huggy]

He has indeed! Beyonce eat your heart out! I was thinking of re-naming him Sherman, after the tank. His registered name is Fiddlesticks, and I wonder if the name Hogan had anything to do with the wrestler, Hulk.