Something Was Prowling in the Moonlight Last Night

Something Was Prowling in the Moonlight Last Night

It’s another day of sunshine, mild temperatures, and gentle breezes at the Indian horse camp where my daughter and I live in the mountains east of San Diego.

There are about a dozen big horse rigs here this weekend, camped in a shady area near the entrance. Yesterday I noticed a man riding a Tennessee walking horse, enjoying its easy gait. Most of the horses that are brought here are very pampered pets, with blankets for cool weather, and fly protectors for their eyes. Their owners spend a lot of time and effort keeping them fed, watered, hosed off after long hot rides, and always well curried. This is a contrast to the horses of some local people who don’t take very good care of their horses. I often see skinny horses standing out in very hot or cold windy weather with no shelter and no grass or alfalfa to eat. I feel like smuggling them some oats. I did that once, and when they got loose I found them next morning with their heads hanging expectantly over my gate.

My daughter Jane and I have lived at this horse camp for about four years. When we moved here I had my young black Lab mix, Smokey Joe, and Jane had two dogs; Trilby, a female Staffordshire Terrier (a large breed of pit bull) and Rudy, an adorable small shaggy white male dog of unknown heritage. Both are very old now at over twelve years, but they are fat and happy in spite of having most of their teeth extracted.

 I have described in former articles how my daughter rescued Sheba, an injured pit bull mother with three-mixed breed pups a year ago. Sheba's leg is not yet entirely healed. Jane was sure she would be able to find homes for the pit bulls, but surprise, surprise, no one wants to adopt pit bulls. Now we have so much love and money invested in them, I guess they are ours forever. She also rescued a wonderful female black shepherd-mix that was barely managing to stay alive among the pack of pit bulls and other large dogs. .

Last night Jane’s dogs barked more than half the night, in their varying tones. I can always pick out the raspy old voices of Trilby and Rudy from those of the pit bulls. We must keep the dogs quiet when campers are here, or we will be ordered to move. When they are noisy, I squirt them a couple of times with the hose. They all love to swim, but hate to be squirted. I have only had to squirt them a few times, because just the threat of “HOSE” makes them slink into their respective doghouses. Last night no amount of threats of “HOSE” silenced them for long. I know it’s mean, but we have to control their barking, and they don’t seem to take it personally.

Each time the dogs began to bark again, I peered out the window trying to see what they were barking at. I kept looking for motion in the moonlight, and at last I made out the silhouette of some kind of canine that stood still for a few seconds before moving on. It was most likely a coyote, but it looked a little more robust than the lean camouflaged little wolves that frequent the perimeters of this campground. Or, it could have been a camper’s dog. Yet, my Smokey Joe, who was inside with me, would bark at a strange dog, and last night he didn’t bark. This may mean he knew the intruder. I’m afraid the coyotes are letting him catch up with them when he chases them, and he has made some wild friends. I have been keeping him in the house a lot more lately, but last night I let him loose to see if it would stop the barking. It did, and peace reigned again so that we could sleep. I brought Smokey back inside safe and sound about an hour later.

This morning the dogs continued to gaze up the mountain and give occasional desultory barks. For my cat’s safety, I delayed letting them out to play, and they sat around staring at me with disgruntled looks. When at last the actions of the dogs let me know there was no more danger of strange canines nearby, I let the cats out to roll in the sand and frisk among the oak trees, and all was forgiven.

Now everything is quiet, and although I am too wide awake to take a nap, the dogs have all settled down to catch up on their sleep. I hope it is not in preparation for another wild night!