He told me he couldn't jump!!

laura_nash

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My cob has always been very clear that he was not a jumper, more of a bull-dozer. He will pop a small jump under pressure, but show jumps in particular are not of interest (why jump over if they fall down). Well I'm on to him now..

This morning I go down to check on them to find companion pony pacing about and no sign of cob! Not too panicked as it was clear he had barged through the electric fencing and knocked down the dry stone wall to get into the field behind, not the first time he has done something like this when on a diet. Popped into the field and still no sign of him! At this point panic did set in, as the field has decent fencing on one side and a river on the other with a strand of barbed wire on the bank, no sign of any damage anywhere.

Eventually I found him happily sun-bathing with a full belly in the field on the other side of the river. He must have jumped the barbed wire with a fair drop into the river, then jumped back out the other side and over the wall and fence there (decent spread) into the field. Not a mark on him. Clearly he has been holding out on me! Just need to stick a carrot on a stick and XC schooling here we come.
 

Cinnamontoast

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Brilliant! But how will you keep him in the right field?

Mine did the same last year: jumped the five foot wide ditch which had never needed fencing onto the footpath. It was a bit of a pain encouraging him to jump back over and had to be done from a standing start. The YO had to fence the whole side :redface3:
 

laura_nash

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Hi cinnamontoast, yes, luckily I didn't have to take him back the way he came which would have been interesting. The gate into the field he was in was MILES away though :(. He usually comes when I call but this time made me walk all the way over and then all the way back to the gate, ended up walking for miles.

Spookily a couple of guys with a tractor turned up to put a fence up on the other side of my wall a couple of hours later. I assumed this was related to the breakout (and pretty quick moving on their part) but apparently its a complete co-incidence. They've suddenly decided to start grazing this field after years of neglect. There's now a fence along the back and a couple of mares in there, who are keeping my two well entertained at the moment.
 

lelly

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It's surprising what some of them can do where food is involved. He's got no excuse now when you take him jumping!
 

laura_nash

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Bl**dy animal was in there again today!! Got a phone call whilst in Tesco's that he was having a jolly with the new mares. Jumped the electric fencing on my side, stone wall and the new barbed wire fence on the other side. He's got a small cut on one stifle (left a bit of hair on the barbed wire) but again obviously cleared a fair height and spread okay.

He's spending the night on the yard and they'll go in the summer fields tomorrow, a week earlier than planned. Now I just have to come up with a plan for the fencing before Oct / Nov when they go back in.
 
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