The gates usually have an easy lever to either slide or lift. Some have a flip-type bar to stop the slide, or you can lash them. Most domestic horses won't try to open the gate. They LOVE their pasture, and are happy to hang out there. Leaving means work to them.
In this case, I think most likely the gate got open by the wild horses buggering back and forth with the domestic horses, maybe against the gate. But, I wouldn't put it past a wild horse to know how to open gates. They have an entirely different outlook with gates, than a domestic horse, and I'm sure they see their fair share of them.
"Tucson" beating up on an Appy. He was a dapple gray, Polish Arab, 16.1 hands!
I had this very aggressive Arab I had to seperate from all the other horses, or he'd beat up on them all day. He could untie some knots, or open gates. He always amazed me with the shenanigan's he was capable of.
As it was, he'd fight the other horses accross the fence. Horses have such a strong herd mentality, and live by a pecking order. They are always challenging each other. If these wild horses came up on a gated pasture with horses, they would bugger with their new found companions. If it was at the gate, it could have accidently got opened. Horses are very smart, and do get out at times. Ponies are the worst, as they are really crafty. If they want out of a fenced area, they will get out.
I'm sure your going to hear a couple of these knotheads probably had outstanding warrents, and it's not the first time they've been fugitives.
At least horses are not as hard to catch as a donkey. A donkey has a unique set of muscles, that allows it to jump like a deer from a stand still. Any donkey can easily clear a 5 ft. fence by 3 ft. from a stand still if they want, I'm serious.
Look at what a mule can do, and a mule is half horse/half donkey.
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Horses in my Hood
