If you are interested in teaching tricks for fun, then I would sure pick bowing over rearing as safer. :) ? But as Susan said, it is your business.
Another trick that looks really neat is the Spanish Walk. ?That is the one where the horse walks forward, but the front legs lift high and out. ?Very snazzy looking. ?The only downside I've ever heard with the Spanish Walk is if you happen to be interested in dressage -- some horses like the trick so much they will do it on their own, which isn't too good if you happen to be trying for a collected walk in a dressage test. ?:)
I only ever half-taught the Spanish Walk to my first horse, so I'm not going to try and tell you how to do it - I'm not sure they way I was taught is correct. ?It is pretty common in circus routines, though, so you might ask Mary Downey.
On Sep 12, 2007, at 10:13 AM, Mike Sherrell wrote:
Thanks. I'm getting scared, though. I may just go with trying to teach Traveller to bow.
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He has reared a couple of times, notably when I was trying to get him to cross a 8 foot square tub of water in the trail course -- he was right, it was stupid to go into it when there were obviously two easy ways to go around it. So I figure he and I know how to rear without a crash. But he is self-willed enough to start rearing in situations where now he would balk, at least until I talked him into going ahead.
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I haven't decided for sure yet, so please do send Mary Downey's email address.
