The Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs are getting ready to move to a new winter pasture, which means dealing with potential hazards, making sure gates are closed and fences intact.
I almost didn’t ride the fenceline this time. I’d checked parts of it recently on horseback and drove by another section just a few days ago. I knew the rest of it is new and tight. Surely, I thought, that fence is solid.
I was so glad I rode it anyway. There’s little – aside from cattle or a vehicle going through it – that’ll mess up a section of fence like 100 elk on a mission to go someplace.
They had plowed right through one of the vintage sections of the fence and left behind tangled, stretched and broken wires and some sad, leaning fence posts.
Our lovely sunset ride ended as a walk in the dark by headlamp light so I could better assess the damage. With no horses in the pasture yet, I opted to kick that can of worms down the road until the next day.
Grateful to the guys who over the years have taken the time to teach me how to fix fence, I had the fenceline back in working condition by mid morning. Even without breaking any of the old wire and having it whip across my face.
I’ve learned to be gentle on those old fences until it’s time to roll up their brittle remains and put in all new strands.
Tonight I’m thankful for great horses, good dogs and winter grazing. Also for fence tools that work and for knowing how to use them.
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