Herd-Bound and Confident for 14 years.

[guest@endurance.net]

Ray O. rno2m@virginia.edu
  Folks-he has been doing Field trials since the 1980's.He knows the whole
field trial game better than I do.He never wins the "Buddies" argument,but
he never quits making it.Yes,I can ride him
"strongly/confidently",etc,with somewhat better results,but I need to be
able to FORGET the horse when I'm chasing a dog,planting a quail,,or
whatever.Do that at a canter in rough terrain ,looking off to the side in
the woods for a dog,let him see his buddies off a half mile in the other
direction,and you may be traveling airborne but horseless in half a
stride-yes,he's very very agile.I find that a lot of big Walkers that I
occasionally ride are as herd-bound as he is but nowhere near as capable
of executing any sort of attempt to join them.After riding Chico and then
switching to them,the problem is almost unnoticeable.Lord,I love Chico,but
I sure hate this problem.He is smart,stubborn,playful,egotistical,and has
a sense of humor.He WILL help you find a dog,once he is a long way from
the gallery (herd of riders).Totally submissive and friendly on the
ground,loves to play New Age stuff,probably thinks it's pretty funny...