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Re: [RC] jumping accidents - horses that like their "jobs" - Jennifer AdamJust wanted to throw out a comment or two... I totally agree that some horses are not suited for the jobs they have been asked to do - I come from the Western Pleasure world where I've seen naturally animated horses forced into low head sets and sllllloooooowwwww gaits and I 've seen girls smack their horses when they knock down a barrel even though sometimes the horse looks as if it can't (or hasn't been taught!) to bend through a circle. Jumpers are no different - I've been to the Devon show and others and occasionally I've seen a horse look positively upset at the prospect of jumping the course.BUT - I've seen many horses that looked thrilled with their "jobs." I first took jumping lessons 10 years ago on a sway-backed 26 year old gelding named Pumpkin. When I saw him standing in his stall with his head down, I almost walked out of the barn. The instructor must have seen my dismay and she laughed. She told me Pumpkin was a born jumper - he had been a Grand Prix star in his younger days (I dont remember his registered name) and had been retired no less than 6 times!! Every time they retired him, she said, he would get depressed and go off his feed. They would put him back on jumps - and he would perk up! So, as he got older they just lowered his fences. I saw that old, unassuming chestnut gelding prick up his ears and *shine* when he walked onto the course. He would flag his tail, arch his neck, and look like the champion of his youth. I never jumped him higher than 3' 6", but he taught me so much! Not just the mechanics of jumping and how to judge distance and rate his stride and all that - but about recognizing pure joy in a horse. I try to encourage that joy in my own horses, no matter what they do. Accidents will happen even in the best circumstances. It is more tragic to think that an unhappy horse was put in a situation where an accident occured and he couldn't avoid it - but it is not for us to judge. It is equally likely that it was just an unfortunate circumstance. Anyway, old Pumpkin died 3 years ago at the age of 33. He died after completing a clean round of low jumps - they told me he just sighed, walked around a bit, and collapsed. He died where he was most happy - and that is the best we can hope to offer our horses, in my very humble opinion. Jen _________________________________________________________________ On the road to retirement? Check out MSN Life Events for advice on how to get there! http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=Retirement =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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