[RC] snakes & horses... - JonniTruman posted: >>>I wouldn't put too much stock in your horse growing up in "snake country."<<< After dealing with Hank now for a few years, and his HUGE fear / reactions to just sticks in the trail, along with ropes and garden hoses on the ground, I am not so sure about that. I figured this horse might have thought of these things as snakes or something, and maybe an instinct reaction. I mean he gets totally wigged out getting a bath and the hose drags near him, and has done some pretty big leaps when all of a sudden he saw a stick in front of him on the trail. Recently, I found out from his breeder, who had him until he was 4, that they used to get a lot of rattlesnakes in the pasture, and although HE was never bitten, some of the other horses had been. So,I think maybe "growing up in snake country", might have given him a stronger fear than any other horse I have dealt with. Who knows, maybe his dam had been bit at one time, or taught him to fear them. But his fear is sure there. And the day we DID see a big ol bull snake head off into the grass next to the trail, he snorted for about 1/2 an hour, jumping at ever tiny twig....... Jonni www.pbase.com/photobyjonni =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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