I would still put a ribbon on my horse if he was a kicker or green
(I think Linda's idea of using colored ribbons for this purpose is an
excellent idea). The only reason I posted the thing about it not
protecting you in the event of a lawsuit was because it was interesting
to me and I thought it might be to others, thats all! I'm not advising
anyone to put a ribbon on their horse or not, okay?
After all, you could always say you put one on cause it looked
pretty and you didn't know he/she was a kicker at all!
When I was at the NATRC Clinic, Mystery had a ribbon just in case.
He did one fustrated sideways buck and scattered the crowd (since I
wouldn't let him go forward, it was a dispersement of energy)...well, I
heard (& ignored) lots of comments, after all, they knew he (we) were
green and no one got kicked. But, they stayed a distance away after
that. BTY, Mystery is not a kicker at all, but any horse can get
excited, feel trapped and fight vs flight.
Then, we were a horse apart from the horse in front who had no
ribbon...ideally, we should of been 2 horses distance. The horse
backed up on us threatening to kick and the owner stepped the horse
aside and told me to pass her. Well, I was concentrating so hard and
wanting to get along I didn't say what I should of like "where's your
red ribbon?" Apparently,there are some people who dont think their
horse will kick out there, or who don't really care, etc.
The point? I dont know. Except out of courtesy, regardless of if
someone may sue me or not, I would always flag my horse and warn people
of the potential kicker. I'll always treat other horses as if they are
kickers too and not follow so close next time. My original post (which
I'm regretting sending) did not mean to insinuate that people shouldn't
flag their horse. Only that knowledge is power, even if its not the
news you may want to hear!
Bye all, Kimberly (&Mystery the Morab)