Re: [RC] [RC] Stallions / Mares - Deanna GermanStephanie, Maggie and I have been having a nice private conversation since our RC posts. Turns out we agree more than we disagree. on 6/13/03 11:25 PM, Stephanie E Caldwell at sec@xxxxxxxx wrote: IMO I think that Stallions should be marked. My mare is very well behaved, but she's got some kind of odd effect on stallions. Even very well behaved stallions tend to forget their manners. I've ridden extensively with three and they all had major manners problems just over my mare, in fact they were used in beginners lessons! I know that my horse has "special needs" and I keep my mare the heck away from studs, period! It's nice to know without having to inspect the horse whether or not we can go around them. Ah, the sufferers of slutty mare syndrome (SMS) unite! Maggie and I have discussed and are in agreement that mare owners have a responsibility to control their mares' public displays of receptiveness to the degree that they can. (If a stallion can learn not to drop, a mare can learn not to "squat and squirt".) I go back to who's going to get hurt if a breeding occurs between mounted horses. The mare rider. So the yellow ribbon just gives us another piece of info. No use inviting trouble. I've handled stallions, I have no problem whatsoever with stallions. I actually like them a lot. I don't think they're scary and I don't think they're ill-mannered by nature. But they are ruled by their hormones. And they are a novelty since there are so few of them. (Just be nice and please tell us who you are.) I do think a hot pink ribbon for a mare in heat or one who is slutty is a nice idea as well at least if it is known that a stallion is in the vicinity.Let's see... My mare needs Red and Pink then? LOL I've never heard of putting pink for mares. It's a funny thought, but not such a bad idea, IMO. Jinnifer has other thoughts for my mare; I think it's best I just hide from her before the ride. She told me she has a hot pink stock marker! I believe that mares are more of a threat, though. I think mares are more of a kicking threat. Different than the danger presented from being mounted on a mare during a breeding. This mare backed up just to kick my mare, she kicked twice.... but if it had happend at a ride you better believe I'd have been alot more upset that a horse backed up just to kick me. Well, you better be prepared for this to happen at a ride. I know of three mares who I wouldn't put it past them to do exactly as you describe. Two of them are marked, one isn't, but that mare has a reputation of being hateful. You just have to ride defensively and always be on the lookout for potentially dangerous situations and don't put yourself or your horse in them. I think that mare's should be marked, they're much more prone to kciking IMO than stallions and I've never been hurt by a stud. My mare doesn't kick, should she be marked? Besides being marked with hot pink. >g< Actually, I prefer to ride and camp in the company of other mares. I like them and my mare pays absolutely no attention to them. (They're not boys.) My mare's sire is THE sweetest boy -- until it's time to breed. He's quite agressive with the mares. I'd hate to be pinned up there if an otherwise sweet boy decided it was time to breed. If he's marked, I'll be as far away as I can so it won't be an issue. If my horse got kicked at a ride and kicked/attacked the other horse who's fault would it be? It depends. I would think that the instigator would normally be MORE at fault, but any kicker shares the blame. There's a rider at many ofthe CTR rides I go to who writes BITCH KICKS on her mare's haunches and puts a big red bandana on her tail. I think she also puts a red ribbon in her forelock. This mare also "warns" quite frequently, but her rider is quite capable of controlling her. However, if a rider chose to ignore all of those signals and rode up on her and the mare backed up to kick, who's at fault? Who was the instigator? Who's the instigator if you've been forewarned? Communication is a beautiful thing. BTW, there have not been any incidents involving the horse I just described. As I said, the rider is very capable. I may not have made a ride, yet, but my horse wasn't well behaved enough for her to come out. I know that there's a learning curve, but if your horse is a chronic biter or kicker why bring them to rides? I don't know the answer to this one, just that they're out there and one must simply keep one's eyes open. I've never felt that a kicker threatened my safety, I just stay clear of them and the ones I know of stay clear of everyone else too. Just my 2 cnets.... But my mind might be frozen, I've got ice on my leg, a wrenched knee, bruised ribs, sore shoulder, and a killer headache... I know tha ground's getting farther away! Take care of yourself. A fall for any reason sucks. Deanna =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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