Tuesday that's like Friday . . . (off tomorrow!)

Well it isn't storming "yet" . . . but the thunder is constant and getting louder and louder.  So I've closed them in their paddocks AGAIN.  One good thing - if the wind comes up, those shadecloths they have over their back doors now will probably stop the rain from blowing in, just as it does the sun.

You can see how the sun would shine straight in those back stall doors in the afternoon. 
MUCH better now with the shadecloth on there. 

We plan to put another strip of shadecloth across the back of that exterior area outside Duke's stall to keep it cool out there too since that's where his hay and water are.   (They're there because he likes to sleep in his stall and they get knocked over if they're inside.)

Here's how it looks from the inside. 
They can actually see out through it - although not all THAT well.

Both Duke and Lizzie have two doors into their stalls so losing one is no problem.  Arthur didn't need one since his door faces Northeast and it's protected by those woods on that side of the barn. 

His paddock does get a bit sunny in the afternoon, but not his stall. 

You can also see here that he spends most of his time running back and forth at that fence that divides his paddock from Lizzie's and keeps him out of the pasture.  Before we put those metal dividers up, he was kicking and trying to get through that wire fence since it's not electrified.  NOT good.  But now that those metal ones are up at least he doesn't kick any more, even if he does pace.  Poor guy.  Look at that serious path he's worn down there in just a week!

You can see that he also has a lead rope hanging on him there.  Zoilo told me to make him wear it all the time until I'm positive he won't try and get away from me.  (He had it on all the time over at Zoilo's too, for that matter.)  But Arthur is VERY bright in a bad way.  He's begun wrapping it around his neck so that it's not under his feet and he can run again!

I unwrapped it a couple times thinking it was an accident.

But the THIRD time I found it that way I began to realize he was doing it intentionally!  I'll tell you what, they're ALL a bit eccentric aren't they? 

And speaking of "strange," check out Duke "napping" in HIS stall . . .

I know it looks bad, but there's not a darned thing wrong with him.  Honest!   He just likes to do his napping on the ground. Even when they were over at Al's place he would lay down like that right in the middle of the pasture with a dozen other horses running around. Of course at that time, he did have Ladybug there to stand over him while he slept. But now, I almost never see him laying down outside. He likes to come in and stretch out in his own stall. So every evening I get out the stall fork and rake the shavings into the middle of his floor. And every night he lays down on that pile of shavings and rolls around enough that they end up pushed up against the walls again by morning. Well, at least he never dirties up his stall like Lizzie does! Makes it easy to keep his shavings piled up comfy for him!

Okay, time for the news, then bed.

Have a happy Fourth!!