Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I've read these and know it is part of the western use. But don't see it in 
the east, as there are very few places you can just hobble a horse and let 
it be.Too many roads, trees, private land. I unknowingly taught 2 of mine to 
give to ropes around legs, somewhat. For years we let them eat grass around 
the yard with  a halter and lead rope attached. They learned  to give if 
they stepped on it. Fairly common practice around here. H. caught her shoe 
in the fence 3 times (then I got smarter and added an electric strand to 
keep her from pawing the fence). and stood till we came home and got her 
free.Thank goodness.
 I can see the desentisizing  and even picking up with rope. But still 
seems risky to me to tie a leg up  and  have them go down and risk joint 
injury. A fall can cause a synovial tear leading to arthritis (I know) and 
creating a situation where that is possible, is more risk than I want to 
take. Not being sure of the reaction or my ability to get them out, I am not 
willing to tie their legs up in any form.And the thought of trying to wield 
a knife to free a paniced horse I caused seems  a no-brainer. Bad enough to 
have a real emergency , but to create one.....


> From: DreamWeaver <nvrider@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [RC]   saddle under belly
> Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2004 21:04:17 -0700
>
> I think it is a good idea for people to have trained their horse to hobble, 
> and also to learn how to deal with freaking out, so that the horse learns 
> how to do a controlled panic and freak-out and/or the rider knows what to 
> expect when the horse does freak out.
>
> You definitely need to be in a safe environment -- solid fence.  I would 
> not even think of trying to teach a horse to learn about saddles and tack 
> falling under them until they have been hobble broke.  I reinforce hobble 
> training on all of my horses at least once a year.
>
> The funny thing about horses, or well the ones I've worked with anyway is 
> that once I've got them trained to handle being hobbled, handle being 
> tangled up in ropes, handle having their saddles fall under their stomachs 
> -- when they do get in any kind of a situation, they don't just blindly 
> panic and freak.  They may have a quick reaction where they jump or 
> something, but then almost instantly they stop and stand and look to me for 
> help.  I am not exaggerating when I say that this has saved the lives and 
> stopped serious injury of not only my horses, but of myself and friends 
> riding them.
>
> I use solid rope reins, and usually either rope halters or biothane 
> headstalls.  I prefer that my tack doesn't break, as it has come in handy 
> when I've needed it not too, and I have never yet needed it to break.  I 
> can't worry about every little thing that my horses can get into accident 
> wise.  I can only hope that I've done my homework beforehand and that they 
> have some brains installed before I take them out in public so they don't 
> go running blindly thru a crowd in ridecamp.  If their reins come off over 
> their head and they get tangled in them, I don't want them to break. I want 
> the horse to realize he's tangled, and that he needs to stay put and stop 
> moving until I (or somebody) can get there to rescue them.
>
> Here is a post I posted on RC before with links on how to hobble train.  If 
> everybody would at least do this one basic training thing with their 
> horses, we might all be a lot safer at endurance rides.
>
> http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/archives/past/03/33/msg00257.html
>
> Karen
> in NV
>
>
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