You missed my point, Angie. I didn't mean to imply
that loose horses are amusing. Just sharing my experiences, that's all.
I was lucky that nothing ever happened. I am sure,
I am not the only one who has had a horse or two exploring camp on the first few
camping experiences. That's how we learn.
I don't think I am a "bad candidate" for the
electric fence. I didn't know it all before I got
started in this sport. These incidents happened years ago.
Who is to say what system works better than any
others? It an individual choice. I am choosing not to bring the horse that
escapes camping anymore. He can go through, under, or over any obstacle in his
way, as could any horse. Some are just more determined than
others. This is pretty much an inherent risk in our sport or with
anything that has to do with horses. Unless we want to have rides only
where there are stalls. That would solve a lot of problems, but would cut the
number of our rides down drastically. Some places won't even let you tie a
picket line for your horses. So that takes one of your options away.
Like I said earlier, I do like the idea of spot
checking at rides, not to be critical, but to be helpful. Don't they do that at
competitive rides? But who would be the expert for that? The insurance man? I
have never tied to a picket line and couldn't begin to tell someone how to do it
safely. And, what if I told someone their way of containing their horse looked
safe to me, and then the horses got loose and hurt someone. Am I
liable?
I don't think anybody intends to let their horses
free, it is always an accident. Sometimes they are avoidable,
sometimes they are not. Horses and accidents always come together. No matter how
careful you are. You fall, the horse falls, the fence breaks, the halter snaps,
(bull snaps most certainly can come undone and I have seen horses flip a halter
and a bridle off without rubbing against anything) the pen falls over, etc,.
Whatever, it is always an accident. Will insurance keep them from happening? It
doesn't keep people from having car accidents. A million dollar insurance
policy doesn't make people any smarter, either.
The problem is when things happen that could have
been avoided and people don't learn from it. And that is out
of our hands. We can't all be know-it-alls, so the rest of us can
hopefully learn and try not let it happen again. That is all we can
do.
That was my point.
Lisa Salas, The Odd fArm
Life is risky. Educate yourself. College may be
costly, but common sense is free.
