Re: ridecamp-d Digest V01 #1695

[Magnumsmom@aol.com]

Deanna German <finishis2win@columbus.rr.com> wrote:

>[...]
>I've just never heard of another rider, horse or bystander being hurt or
>worse from a mare acting on her natural impulses. 
> [...]
>Nothing gets my mare going more than a boy talking dirty. And, no it's not
>fair, but it's just the way it is in the horse world.

Deanna,
It was a *mare* that tried to kill Blue a year and a half ago,
admitted it was not at a ride, and he's about as asexual a
gelding as you'll find.  Since she also tried to kill 2 other mares,
she was finally removed to her own space.  Kill is not too strong
a word here, she broke one mare's face, tried to break another's
leg, and almost succeeded in breaking Blue's shoulder.

The worst experience I've ever had was at my last ride with a
gelding recently sold to a new rider.  The rider put a red ribbon
in the gelding's tail, but the rider did not even try to correct or
control her horse.  Worse, she parked him near the vet line right
in the exit area.  I had the whole line behind me, another vet line
to the left, the vet area in front and the only exit to the right.
When Blue and I tried to return to our crew area after vetting,
we *had* to walk past her and her horse.  Her horse backed up
and threatened to kick at us and all she did was allow him to do
this and scream at *US* to stay away.  I screamed back where
the f*** else did she expect the riders to exit? 

Another thing I can't understand is why anyone would sell a horse
like that to someone who can't handle him.  Gelding, smelding, he
didn't need to be sold, he needed a 2x4 across his butt.

The times I've come across stallions was once when we found out
my friend's very sweet mannered mare could unclip her lead rope
at the exact moment everyone went to bed and go visit.  She
went to visit the sweetest cutest most mellow stallion you'd ever
want... his name is AM Sum Punk.  Poor Judith Olgus got to deal
with her until we realized she was gone.  Punky was fine.  We
learned to clip her with a locking carabiner.  Sorry Judith.

Blue and I have shared water troughs with stallions.  Nose to nose
to nose.  The yellow ribbon was there, but there was no reason to
notice it.

The absolute worst behavior I've come across is in my own horses,
and other peoples mares and geldings not being properly trained or
under control.  Never a stallion and I think perhaps it's because the
stallions I've come across are handled by people who know how to
handle *HORSES*.

If you can correct a stallion for "talking" or "dropping", you can 
certainly correct a mare for talking, squatting, kicking ...

Kathy Myers
Santa Fe, NM