RE: [RC] [RC-Digest] Vol: 03.6590 - Natalie Herman
<<<I've been kicked by a horse that was passing me while I was trying to yield trail nicely. My mules & horses & any that I train for others won't likely kick even when having their butts rammed into, they've been taught that pasture behavior is not allowed when under saddle. It's just not acceptable.>>>
I am with you. I have a mare who used to kick..not anymore (unless under really pushy tailgaiting/getting bit/kicked by another horse...most will at that point though). Haven't used a ribbon in a long while (though also have days where I want to put it back in just to keep ppl AWAY already...). And I also had a RUDE encounter with a passer...was at the Eastern Mojave ride this year and we were single tracking through cacti and Joshua Trees (all OUCHY things)...had someone behind want to go faster..so I found the only non ouchy spot that I and my riding partner could fit in and let the other two riders pass. There was about the same room as on a regular two-track, but not really any extra. The second horse to pass was hopping around and I thought it was just anxious to go by. Turns out, it was swinging around to take aim and fire at my mare. If my buddy hadn't yelled "watch OUT!", we'd have been nailed...Still had to dive into the bushes (not knowing if we'd be stabbed by ouchy plants, got lucky though). Same horse, some time later at a water, threatened us again! Rider was either oblivious or did not care (no red ribbon, not correcting the horse, not even a "sorry!" as she rode off). Poor mare was so distraught at being kicked at for no reason, she later almost kicked her riding buddy (and I felt bad for having to reprimand her...poor gal..but did) when he tailgated a bit too much (and she had been fine ALL day with him almost climbing up her butt, before the encounter) took her the whole next day to quit squirting sideways when someone passed too closely... Ppl who can't even bother to try and control their horses just tick me off...I mean no horse is perfect, but to ignore blatantly bad behavior (also had one of those vet-line run-ins with red ribbon horses...kept my horse back, but they let theirs just swing around, back up ,etc...kept having to get further and further away and then almost had someone cut in front of me in the now way WAY open space...sighhhh)..GAH! Nat
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming.... 'Wow! What a ride!' "
Rediscover Hotmail®: Get quick friend updates right in your inbox. Check it out.
