another bronc, coming around

["Brickson" <brickson@delanet.com>]

<The problem with track horses is that MOST of them are dangerous, just off
the track. If these "rescued" horses are going to people who don't know what
to do with them, then New Holland will see them again, soon enough. >

The latter-I agree - but not the previous broad condemnation.... Aren't
racers GENERALLY less dangerous than MANY of the horses in a breeder's
backyard, when that breeder happens to be negligent in training?

Why do buyers assume horses at track are "made"!?   Seeing them "ridden" ?
Sellers/breeders should get to know
their buyers better and make recommendations.

Racers have learned to tolerate a lot of things untrained horses haven't.
Except for abused horses, I'd rather buy off the track than
un-handled.  They are great for leading,
ponying, hauling and spray-bathing, and they already have had to stand for a
farrier.  The problem is impatient trainers/handlers hurrying them to the
point of abusive, repeated acute injury.   Is this what the speaker refers
to?

If so, are you saying this hitting abuse is more widespread than we suspect?
In Arabians, I've seen both good (my Lille, Debi Gordon's horses, some other
friends', etc.) and then ONE dangerous off-track.  So in my extremely
limited experience, MOST of them are not dangerous.  Even that (4yo now)
improved much with patient re-training.  He's not out of the woods yet, but
hasn't bucked since Feb.  He's always been nearly bombproof and very quiet
on the ground, and my friend that owns him is conditioning now on single
track trails only well (LLSSD, no galloping).  He was abused at the race
trainers' for a year (several witnesses, trainer has a rep).  He was sold
despite his win and placing because he dumped jockeys and was considered
dangerous, but we didn't find that out for months (sheer luck).  All other
ex-racers I've known were more like Lille, just normal youngsters.  Abusers
create long-time mental suffering, mistrust, and waste; their actions should
be documented and re-played for them to see themselves.

Re:  confirmed buckaroos:  be careful.  John Lyons says a young bucker needs
further ground training, discipline, and building trust.  He refuses to ride
a horse that bucks.  If he can't get it past that basic training first, he
says it will be a problem until it does, and no one should ride it!  I'll
bet he'd say an old bucker is a different thing.?  (I don't trust Monty
Roberts or even Curt Pate with training rogues, after seeing them work with
them).  Another note:  I worked at a rodeo concession when I was a kid.
Some cowboys told me that some rodeo horses can be trusted in a regular
saddle, but know their job when the strap goes on.   I don't trust them
totally, either, they let themselves get hurt regularly!  Anyway, who was it
that said the three most important words in owning a horse were "Training,
training, training"?

bb
Jeff and Bridget Brickson