Houdini George is at it Again!

George following me to the gate

While we were away taking care of the haying in Princeton, we opened the gate adjoining the horses dry lot pasture to the lush grassy pasture they drool over. This way no one would have to come to our house to feed the horses and burro while we were gone.

Now that we're back, the horses and burro are locked back in the dry lot. None of them need lush grass 24/7.

Three times  since being home, I've gone out to feed the horses and George doesn't show up. I call and eventually he calls back and I discover him in the lush pasture. I walk to the gate on my side, and he walks to the gate on his side, and I let him back into the dry lot.

George showing me how he got through

It seems George took the gate being open the one time as a gesture he should invite himself into the lush pasture when he feels desire for green grass. The first two times I wasn't sure how he got to the other pasture, but today, he left hoof prints.

We had sprinklers running near the gate and they were turned off last night so there were cute little burro prints in the mud showing he squeezed between the gate and the juniper tree. That and when I led him back to the gate, he stuck his head between the gate and tree pretty much saying, "I can get back if I want to."

"See I can squeeze through."

I have since tied baling twine down low on the gate and tree so he can't get in when he feels like. He's carrying plenty of extra calories on him and doesn't need to add to it.