The reason I value this horse as much as I do is he is
the steadiest, safest, most confidence-inspiring horse I've ever ridden on a
narrow, hang-off-the-cliff trail. I have been terrified of falling off
things (maybe not horses, but definitely cliffs) since I was very small.
To be able to ride without fear on such a trail is a gift from this horse.
He never spooked on an endurance ride, not on a treacherous trail, but only on
wide roads and open fields. If I were ever to try Tevis again (highly
unlikely) this is the horse I would trust on Pucker Point, Cougar Rock, or the
California Trail.
Lud and I were once on horse patrol in Waddell Canyon
of Rancho del Oso State Park near us. Due to a washout of the old road, a
trail crew built a new trail, hanging on the mountainside above the creek.
It is wide enough, but it is the image of looking down and knowing a fall off
the trail is going to take me a long way down that is so unnerving. So, I
am in the lead, walking along, when from around a switchback in the trail comes
a procession of: a woman with a bicycle, her husband with a bicycle, each
towing a cart with a hood...the kind little kids ride in. Plus the little
kids. I thought...this is a wreck waiting to happen. I put my leg on
the horse, moved him over to the high bank - away from the drop-off, held
my leg there and hoped I didn't transmit nervousness to the horse.
Somehow, I just felt he was going to be OK...and he was. He never moved a
muscle while this procession passed us on the trail, with barely enough
room to spare. This is probably the smartest, quickest-learning horse I
have ever ridden. Now, you tell me he wasn't smart enough to realize he
would crash and burn if he made a bad move then. He only chooses the
safest places to play his games, and this is why I think he does it for
entertainment value. I've ridden him on some extremely steep mountains,
more or less straight up. I've ridden him across creeks with slippery
rocks underwater. He is very careful then.
I seriously doubt if there is any problems
with neck or back. I also suspect it may be for entertainment value. I have
one that on a single track through the deepest, darkest, scariest woods,
goes along blasting away without ever a thought of a spook. However, put him
on a wide two track trail and he will "shuck and jive" from side to side down
the trail shying from everything. He's 20 - been doing it since we got him at
4 - probably will do it on his last ride before he crooks.
