Remembering Houdini
By Susan
@HazySue (39264)
Gouverneur, New York
July 29, 2017 10:00am CST
When I was a young girl many years ago I received the best gift I will ever have for my 10th birthday. I received a horse named Houdini.
From the moment we met we were constant companions. He used to follow me around like a little dog.
One morning I woke up eager to ride Houdini and ran out to the barn to let him out so we could get started.
The doors to the barn and the pen he was in were both open and he was gone. I couldn't imagine where he had gone. Who let him out?
I went out and circled the barn looking and whistling for him. Just as I began to panic I spotted him out in the field a great distance away.
He came running and I was reunited with him. It didn't answer the question of "What was he doing out of his little niche"?
The next morning the same thing happened. What was going on?
After it happened a couple of more days my dad decided to watch overnight to see who was letting him out.
That was when we found out that he was letting himself out. Somehow he had figured out how to open the latches and let himself out so he could run free in the field.
Houdini was named appropriately.
9 people like this
10 responses
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
16 Mar 18
I started riding in 5th grade. I was 9, but going to be 10 soon. A couple of years later I rode a mare named Sundown. Turned out Sundown was quite the escape artist herself. They had to have a full gate on her stall, because if she could reach over it to the lock, she could get out.
Once a new stable hand let her out over a weekend. She ended up letting the loose horses out and onto the Ranch Road that ran by the stable. At morning rush hour. However, she didn't go out and didn't let her best friend go out either.
Another time, she was let out and she got out a different gate and into a neighbor's field. The bad thing was that the neighbor had a young stud colt there. She and 2 other mares got pregnant. Both of them were too old to carry the foal and lost them, but Sundown carried her foal to term.
Another time she got loose at a horse show, Jane, the owner, was on the verge of calling me, because I was one of the few people who could catch her, when she finally went into a stall and was caught.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159227)
• Boise, Idaho
30 Jul 17
I have heard of many horses who can use their teeth to do many things. What a grand story. Thanks for sharing.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159227)
• Boise, Idaho
31 Jul 17
@HazySue .....With a little training he probably could.
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@shikharava (1838)
•
29 Jul 17
Yep, your horse is really a Houdini. He knows his tricks, right? And you are about to be in for some more surprises in the future, I believe. Just take good care of him. (I hope he's with you) You haven't mentioned it though.
1 person likes this
@shikharava (1838)
•
29 Jul 17
@HazySue yeah, I guess some loved beings cannot be replaced at all.(*_*)
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@snowy22315 (170196)
• United States
29 Jul 17
It sounds like it! One thing I wanted more than anything else when I was a kid was a pony. My grandparents had a farm and almost bought me one once..but I think my grandfather knew he would be the one stuck taking care of it. We didn't see them very often unfortunately.
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@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
29 Jul 17
I grew up loving horses and I still love them. They are a pleasure to be around. I think your grandfather was wise. Many times once we get a pet we were longing for we would lose interest. Houdini was one I never lost an interest in.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
29 Jul 17
A beautiful horse and story of your life.
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@dgobucks226 (34393)
•
29 Jul 17
Such a great story
My cousin who lives in NC had horses named Misty and Kentucky. It was so much fun riding them out in the pasture. Thanks for reminding me of a nice memory I bet Houdini was smart enough to lock that latch too, but he was probably just playing with you
Horses are sure smart and self-reliant it seems
My cousin who lives in NC had horses named Misty and Kentucky. It was so much fun riding them out in the pasture. Thanks for reminding me of a nice memory I bet Houdini was smart enough to lock that latch too, but he was probably just playing with you Horses are sure smart and self-reliant it seems1 person likes this
