We had a little theft going on at the Red Oak Ranch this past week. Nothing big, just oats that I have for my horse, Sundance. The oats are kept in a metal can with a lid. The lid fits tight on the can. I have had it for several years and never had any trouble with the theft of oats. I discovered it one day when I went to get oats for Sundance. The lid to the can was off. I never leave the lid off because I don’t want the oats to get wet or bugs. But there it was off as off could be!
So, my answer was to put the lid back on and put the brush I use to clean the water tub out through the handle. I really believed that would keep the lid from coming off. But then I didn’t know why the brush was coming off to begin with. I am not a worry wart, so I thought the problem was taken care of. The next day I looked at the can, the brush is off and so is the lid. By this time, I am thinking there are also some oats missing in the can…not a lot but enough I could tell they were gone. I tied the lid on this time with string off a hay bale. Tied it in a good knot. At least I thought I did until the next day when I see the lid off again. The string had been gnawed.
I was just about to get a lock for the can. When I saw the culprit sitting on the lid. It was a squirrel who was not afraid of me at all. I finally chased him off, put some baling wire on the lid and the lid has stayed on now for 3 days. The Colonel said, “the little feller was just hungry”. I thought the “little feller” was too young to become a thief even if it was just oats.
