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[RC] kicking - tracey smithI am with Diane and Dawn...when it appears my mare is even "thinking"
of kicking (and yes you usually do get some kind of clue) she gets reprimanded. Amira was a HORRID kicker when I first got her! Anything that got within 10 feet of her (human or equine) was a likely target. On the ground, I actually did the same thing Diane mentioned...if she raised that leg like she was thinking of kicking...I kicked her! Not hard mind you...but enough to smart and remind her who the boss mare was. When mounted...the minute those ears even started to go back she got a good solid THWAP with a riding crop and I also always said "put em up" (meaning her ears). The funny thing is now a year later if the ears go back...all I have to do is say sternly "Put 'em up" and the ears go up and she changes her mind if she'd been thinking of a kick. She no longer does it on the ground...but will occasionally threaten if a strange gelding is behind us...or if someone runs up on us. And yes, I HATE those riders that run up your butt continuously too...but even if she's not the instigator my mare gets reprimanded for kicking (or even thinking about it). I tell her if some horsey butt whooping needs to take place (how's that for suthern) than I WILL DO IT...not her! Tracey
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