A Stranger in the Night

Didn't I just write that this has been some week?

Last night beat the band.

At 11:15 or so, Lilly Ann, who was out in the yard, barked her Danger Bark.  As Lilly seldom barks, we know something is wrong when this happens.  Keith, who was still up, opened the bedroom door to tell me that there were two sheriff's deputies out in the road, with their lights revolving.  He put his shoes and socks on, while I called next door to Troy's.  Troy told us he didn't see anything, and we said goodnight, and then 3 minutes later, the phone rang again.

Troy said "There's a horse out on the road!"

Someone had called 911 to report a horse loose on 24/40 Highway, which is just down the road from us.  It had nearly been hit several times, and the sheriff's deputies had responded and got it to turn down our gravel road.  It finally turned into Troy's yard, which is unfenced.  I dressed and ran outside and opened the front gate, in case they wanted to bring it into our yard which is fully fenced, but a deputy was able to catch it, and they brought it through the walk gate from Troy's, and into our pasture.  We had kept a bale of hay after the mares left this week, and I quickly filled the trough I had emptied on Wednesday night.

So this is what they caught:

Gorgeous, isn't she!

As of 3:36 PM, she is still here in our pasture.  The sheriff was here this morning, and got pictures to post at their office, and told us we could post some notices on local bulletin boards, but with the instructions to call the Leavenworth County Sheriff.  We do not want the wrong people to get the horse, or someone to steal it... and the sheriff agreed.  We feel someone must be looking for her desperately today, as she is well-shod, with perfect hooves, in excellent flesh, and a very beautiful purebred Quarter Horse. It appears she had been haltered, because there is a sore on either side of her face where a halter buckle would rest.  We think (speculation) that she must have been haltered and become caught somewhere, and broken loose finally, panicked, went through or over a fence, and out onto the highway.  We are grateful that she did not cause a terrible wreck, or was killed herself out on the street.

She's a real beauty!

I wonder if God is telling us that we are meant to be a foster home???