Baxter Went to the Barn

The day Lucy was scheduled for a spay, I decided to take Baxter to the barn in an effort to tire him so that he would leave Lucy alone. I figured the day would either be a super fun time day or a day of terror.

My poor, poor Baxter.

We got to the barn and he resisted exiting the car. Eventually he did, but to his surprise there was a horse in the barn. Shooter moved and chuffed. In a fit of barks, Baxter dashed back to the car and refused to get out. Bark, bark, bark.

I called and called for him, but NO WAY, NO HOW was he leaving the safety of his hidey hole.

After many, many attempts to persuade him that Shooter would not eat him, Baxter eventually summoned up the courage to try to come inside the barn. He skitted passed Shooter's stall, made it all the way back to me at Kadance's stall, but the muck bucket was just too much for him and he fled back to the safety of the car, barking the whole way.

Baby steps and stutter steps, Baxter finally was brave enough to get out of the car and explore the grass area between the house and the barn. He even meandered near the fence separating the barn from the neighbor's pasture. Laying down, enjoying the sunbeam, the neighbor's horse remained still and unnerved by Baxter's wanderings. Baxter remained focused on the tip of his nose. Then, the neighbor's second horse, who was very interested in all the commotion, gave into his curiosity and ventured near the fence. That's when Baxter realized he was not alone. The sleeping horse looked up and PANDEMONIUM. Baxter went into a frenzy of barking. Each bark caused him to hop backwards. In just a few seconds he had backed up all the way to the car. The horses just watched the display of very false bravado. Once he reached the car, Baxter would rush the fence in a barking fury. The horse on the ground didn't even bother to get up and the second horse just stood there with ears forward.

The barking back-up and fitful dash forward repeated several times. He was so wound up that my calls to him went unnoticed. So, I left and headed out to the big pasture.

With his mommy gone, his courage abandoned him and Baxter came running. I scooped him up and decided that he might enjoy hanging out in the outside arena while I went to get Kadance. He seemed happy sniffing the grass and scampering in the horse-free zone. That is, until I had crossed the invisible line of "too far away."

He came chasing after me, barking incessantly. As I approached the herd, with Baxter about 50 yards behind me, Barney, a high-spirited, very curious horse took interest in the bounding, barking dog. Barney went to investigate. Not being outdone, the wanna-be stud pony, Willie, gallantly maneuvered to protect his mares. All the mares, who really don't need Willie's protection, joined in what had now become a chase.

Fearful as to what the horse might do if they caught Baxter, I bellowed, "Run, Baxter, Run!" Needing no additional encouragement, he fled in a shower of barks of false bravery, protest and terror. It didn't take long before I could no longer see my pup, but I suspected he would be found cowering in the car.

I collected my horse and made our way back to the barn. As I neared the car, Baxter's barks increased in frenzy and fierceness. Kadance could not have been less concerned. She appeared oblivious to the threats and protests of my boy. In attempt to ease his panic, I sat in the door frame telling him it was okay. He refused to believe me.

The rapid fire barks were punctuated with foaming spittle. Baxter's eyes were so wide that I could actually see the whites. I feared my boy would have a heart-attack. So, I took my horse and went inside the barn.

I tied my horse and went back to the car to rescue my dog. He calmed a bit and I picked him up and carried him into the barn. I placed him in the feed room with the door open. That way he could see the action and still be in a safe-zone.

The barks diminished and he remained alert. Occasionally, he would bark and I immediately reprimanded him. He began to relax and simply watch as I brushed my mare.

About an hour passed and Baxter slowly, oh so slowly, tip-toed out of the feed room and eased over to me. All was good until Kadance bent down and sniffed him. He jetted right back to the feed room. He shot back there so fast that I think he forgot to bark.

There he remained, unbarking, but unwilling to leave. After returning my horse to the pasture, I had to physically remove him from the feed room and carry him back to the car. Poor, poor Baxter.

He was so exhausted that he immediately fell asleep and remain that way all the way home. Even after Lucy came home from the animal hospital, he was too tired to even attempt to play.

My plan had worked perfectly. Baxter did leave Lucy alone so she could recover from surgery.

I'm hoping that the barn will become less of a scary place for him, but it is quite apparent that he was bred for mice and rats, not livestock.