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Jim,

Good post. We always give our guys free roam of the yard while we are 
getting ready to load up. They walk around and graze - usually dragging 
their lead ropes - until we are ready. They are taught that when they 
step on a lead rope to stop and step back - instead of panicing. They 
know to stand when we approach them to get them. While any horse can 
panic, I doubt that ours will excpet in extorinary circumstances. Even 
coming eye-ball-to-eyeball with a rattler last year on the Jbird, wasn't 
a big deal. We stopped, backed up and the snake went into the woods and 
we went on by.

We did a ride out west in 2001 where there was an hour hold at 40 miles. 
It was in a nice big meadow with plenty of nice grass everywhere. We had 
a bite to eat while the horses grazed.  Kathy went off talking to 
someone and I was watching the horses.  I dozed off under the warm sun 
in the cool air. The horses just continued to graze around me dragging 
their lead ropes behind them. The Bird came up to me and "poked me with 
his nose" and woke me up. He was probably nosing around for the carrot 
in my pocket:-). I gathered them in and we tacked up and got ready to 
pull out. The vet there said it was amazing how these horses just 
walking around and grazed - not bothering anyone, not getting upset 
about stepping on the lead rope and even knowing how to roll with the 
lead rope on.  

But they do it all the time at home and it's not a big deal for them to 
be unrestrained. Now would I intentionally let a horse go at a vet check 
at a big ride (or even a small ride), no I wouldn't. But it's nice to 
know that the base is there that if this does happen, it won't be much 
of a big deal.

Truman

Jim Holland wrote:

> "Desensitizing" him to everything you can find from upside down saddles
> to ATV's significantly improve his confidence when dealing with scary
> stuff and increase his trust and respect for you. The more stuff he can
> see and experience the better. However, it's important you present it
> small increments so he can deal with it in his own timeframe. Some
> horses "adapt" to strange stuff more quickly than others. No two horses
> are the same. Patience, Patience, Patience. Manners, Manners, Manners.
>
> There is no substitute for training. Magic has gone from a dumb 4 1/2
> year old who couldn't stand still for 5 seconds and with no ground
> manners to the horse above. How long did it take? More than TWO YEARS! 
>  



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