Ridecamp: Re: [RC] "Horses that kick"

----- Original Message -----
From: "Betsy O'Shea" <betsy@xxxxxxxxxx>


>    My mare would kick if  another horse came right up on her butt, but it
> was so rare, because the people I rode with didn't do that, and in the
> arena, riders gave other horses plenty of room.  But when I started
> foxhunting this mare, kicking became a problem. I started carrying a crop
> and yelled at her and smacked her when she kicked and when she even
thought
> of kicking. She had to learn to tolerate horses running up on her, and
> galloping shoulder to shoulder and nose to tail.  I don't care whose fault
> it is, my mare is not to even think of kicking. This approach has worked,
so
> I know, at least with my horse, kicking can be stopped. > Betsy
>

Kudos to you!  I agree totally, any kicking under saddle is unacceptable,
and my approach is to have an immediate reaction (always carry a crop on a
green horse), yell at them, whap them, circle them and scare the bejeeus out
of them at the FIRST kick.  Nip it in the bud before it gets to be a habit.
Bottom line is that kicking under saddle, bucking under saddle and rearing
under saddle are NOT acceptable!  I have a ton of patience for folks on
green horses that have these problems, but NOT horses that are mature!
There is no excuse for older horses to run the show or be dangerous!

On the other hand, a red ribbon is a great idea, especially on a green
horse, just to make folks aware that this horse -might kick-, and is a work
in progress.

Special gripes-folks, like on this weekend's ride, who have a red ribbon on
their horses tail, on a sluggy horse, that don't ask if you want to pass or
give you an opportunity!  I think anyone who rides a kicker, or horse with a
red ribbon has a SPECIAL obligation to ask riders comming up from behind if
they want to pass! And move the heck out of the way!

Then how about my daughers very first 25 miler at age 8, on a grumpy Welsh
pony.  To be on the safe side, I put a red ribbon on the pony, and headed
off at the start, with the pony of the edge of the road, and me right next
to her (tons of room to pass us on wide road.)  So a clueless lady, on a
horse she could not handle, just PARKED it behind the pony to slow it down,
too scared to notice the pony had her ears pinned and was shaking her
head.....this put my daughter in danger, becuase an adult could not control
her horse, but I guess we all take chances out on the trail!
Karen


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=