ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: manners (watering hole question)

Re: manners (watering hole question)

Mike Sofen (miksof7@gte.net)
Sun, 7 Sep 1997 21:20:54 -0700

This is pretty simple - riders should stop blaming other riders for their
own problems. If someone has a horse that doesn't like water, then train
the horse. I ride alone a lot, and if I come to a watering hole and other
horses are there, if there's no space, I'll wait, if not, I'll go in, and
I'll leave on my own schedule. If the other riders have a problem with
that, I consider that THEIR stuff, not mine.

The issue is not about poor thirsty ponies at all.

On politeness, when I hear a rider come up behind me, I always tell them to
let me know if they want to pass and always pull out at the first
opportunity. I continually am training my horse on rating and he rarely if
ever tailgates. And I will always stop for a rider in distress, unless
other more qualified people are already on the scene and have matters in
hand.

Mike Sofen
Seattle, WA

----------
From: Jacqueline Mansfield <jaxson@leopard.com>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: Re: manners (watering hole question)
Date: Monday, September 08, 1997 12:26 PM

>2. Wait at a water hole until all the horses have had a chance to
>drink. At least, don't take off and leave one poor thirsty pony
>frantically trying to decide whether to die of thirst or loneliness.

I have a question regarding this one. I ALWAYS wait until ALL the horses
have finished drinking before I move on - but lately it has become a pain.
I ride by myself, but often meet up with other people along the trail and
end up riding along with them for a while. Somehow I always get stuck with
the horse that absolutely REFUSES to get his/her feet wet (actually it has
always been the same horse...). I am lucky in that my horse is an excellent
drinker and will plunge in and start drinking from any water source that we
come to.

What do you do when your horse has drunk his/her fill of water (up to
his/her eyeballs so it seems!!) and the other riders and still whipping and
spurring their horses to try and get them close enough to the water to
drink? I feel bad and I don't want the horse to suffer because I leave
(usually there are still other horses around though) but then again I have
to wait for what seems like FOREVER while the rider tries to beat the horse
into getting close enough to the water to get a drink.

If there are other horses at the water hole (at least one other) would it
be ok to *quietly* sneak off??? If you are the only other horse, do you
wait until the horse has drunk its fill, or is it ok to *quietly* sneak off
after the horse has had a chance to drink (maybe a minute or so?)?

Thanks in advance for clarifying!!! = ) = )

Jacqueline Mansfield and Winza, I am full Mom - let's GO!!!
_________________

Author owned by Winza, 14 year old Crabbet Arabian gelding

Carl Zwanzig: "Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark
side, and it holds the universe together...."
________________

Home Events Groups Rider Directory Market RideCamp Stuff