Simon wants to be a stabled pony.

In the barn there is a really big stall.  There are hay bales stacked in half of it and the remaining part is about the size of a normal stall.  It has a manger in it, which is not used, and a door that opens into the barn.  There is also a door on the other side that opens to outside of the barn and into one of the fields.  This side opening has two doors on it and there is a 2X10 board that can be put across the doorway  to keep the ponies out while still leaving it open for airflow and easy access.  Lately, I have had one of the doors anchored closed and the bar up across the other door.  Simon is out in this field so I hang his feed tub on the bar, and put hay out for him through this opening.  I have also been taking him through this doorway into the barn when I bring him in, because then I eliminate having to go through the other horses’ field to get him into the barn.  When the other horses see me they tend to come running, begging for food, and if I have Simon in tow, they like to pin their ears, snap at him and often threaten to kick him.  So it’s just easier to go through the other side of the barn.

On Saturday I was back and forth through the side door and had Simon in, to finish his clip job, as mentioned in the previous post, and apparently I forgot to secure the board when I closed up for the night.  To secure the board, there is a long nail that can be pushed through a hole in the board and then into the board holder, preventing it from being knocked down.  But without the nail securing it for the night, Simon lifted the board out of his holders and marched his butt on into the stall.  He dug out two hay bales, fluffing them into a bed, which he clearly slept in, and spent his night happily munching away.

Sunday I cleaned up his mess, and secured the board back in place with the nail run through.

When I get to the barn, Simon usually whinnies to me and stands at the fence watching me walk down the hill.  But when I arrived last night after work, Simon was nowhere to be seen.  I went through the field and into the barn and there he was, greeting me happily from the stall.  Where he had again, dug up a hay bale and created a nice cushy nest.  Knowing I had run the nail through the previous night, I checked the board and it was still secured in place, although he had lifted the other end of the 2X10  out, which was hanging at a height of about three feet.  He had managed to climb or jump inside with it this way and he was pleased as punch with himself and happy to have me join him in the barn.  (I really wish I had my camera on me for that one)

Last night I cleaned his mess back up, and closed both doors securely.  Poor Simon is just going to have to stay outside, or in the run in, and accept that he is an easy keeper outdoor pony and not a pampered pony that lives in a stall.  I bet he would happily move into my living room if I let him in the house.  And he would probably insist I leave the TV on for him all day too.  Silly pony.