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No, and most people don't. From all the stories we've seen regarding
this question, I think the best conclusion we can draw is that the only thing
predictable about a horse is that it is unpredictable. Just one of the
little joys of riding the darlings. I'm as guilty as everyone else that's
ever taken a horse's sweet temperament for granted. And maybe that's part
of the problem here--we tend to forget that what might be exciting for us is
nerve-wracking for them. I wonder if we can draw the parallel of putting
an animal into a new herd--the green horses have no idea what to expect and so
some of their responses are motivated by a certain degree of fear--simple
jostling becomes grounds for a fight, etc. Things that wouldn't bother
them at home with horses they know well become major insults when they're
surrounded by animals they don't know. I exhibited a horse in college that
had never been in an indoor arena or around a lot of people (not more than 4, I
think, at any given time). I'm not sure he ever recovered from the
experience mentally. It was like riding a spring-loaded jackrabbit.
I've also been injured by a mare that was jostled by animals she lived with 24/7
and was normally cool as a cucumber...until the horse behind her on the trail
bumped into her from behind and she reared--her best buddy was the guilty
party.
I was joking when I suggested the lime-green bumpers to Howard, ala
NASCAR...but perhaps it's not such a bad idea to have a designated tail ribbon
color or rider armband that says "green horse". Something that says
"Ack!!!!! I'm a new horse --give me a little space, I have no clue what
I'm going to do next and neither does my rider--potential explosion
imminent!!!" Sort of like the shirt I want to have made to wear to hay
auctions that says "I'm NOT buying horse hay!" when I go looking for sheep
hay....but that's another story (moving to a new agricultural culture is
SO fun....*rolls eyes*).
>In my case....I don't have the opportunity to
have him around other horses...much less a group of a hundred or so all truying
to go the same place now...gees....Cora
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