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Conference noted::equitation

Title:Equine Notes Conference
Notice:Topics List=4, Horses 4Sale/Wanted=150, Equip 4Sale/Wanted=151
Moderator:MTADMS::COBURNIO
Created:Tue Feb 11 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2080
Total number of notes:22383

1136.0. "Night-time visitor" by JUPITR::MENARD () Wed Dec 13 1989 11:33

    The other morning when I went in to feed my 8 mos old colt, I found a
    hole had been dug in his floor (clay).  The strange thing is, this hole
    is about 1 1/2' - 2' square, it's not round, and almost a foot deep.  
    Now I know what rat holes look like, and this isn't one.  
    
    A friend of mine use to be a forest ranger and she looked at it last
    night and is baffled.  She said it looks like something, probably in
    the dog family, bedded down there.  There is a window in his stall
    about 5' off the ground, and he has two doors, both 5' high.  So
    whatever it is had to go over the doors or thru the window.
    
    I'm really curious as to what this is, mostly because of my colts
    safety.
    
    Any ideas?
    
    Kathy
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1136.2Try another notes fileCOGITO::HARRISWed Dec 13 1989 15:102
    Perhaps a note in IOALOT::SMALL_ANIMALS would get an answer. If
    you find out, let us know. I'm curious.
1136.3How about raccoons??BOSOX::LCOBURNWed Dec 13 1989 15:309
    
    Could it have been a raccoon?? We have tons in the woods behind
    our house, and I know that they are not afraid of much, certainly
    not a horse. And they are real agile, enough to scurry through a
    open window or over the top of a door. And shavings (if that is
    what you use?) are very warm if you burrow your hand down in them...
    my cats spend a lot of time in my horses' stall curled up in the
    bedding. Just a guess....
    
1136.4JUPITR::MENARDWed Dec 13 1989 18:0312
    A raccoon is what I'm guessing, but not really sure.  What doesn't make
    sense is that my shavings bin (8'x20') is on the backside of the barn,
    and much more private than coming into the barn.  Or if it was looking
    for warmth, it could have cuddled up with 200 bales of hay in my empty
    stall.
    
    Whatever is was is pretty strong, because it dug down into the ground,
    which is already frozen.
    
    If I see signs that its been back a 2nd time, I'll try the havahart.
    
    Kathy
1136.6USADEC::MENARDWed Jan 10 1990 17:278
    No, I never found out what it was, and it never came back.  I have
    since finished closing the barn in - at the time I had the "visitor"
    the aisleway was still open, so it would be more difficult to get in.
    
    My dogs, however, are obsessed with a large pile of trees/brush.  I
    wonder if it moved there....
    
    Kathy