stumbling

[carl meyer <carlmey@citrus.infi.net>]

> Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:41:50 EST
> From: mmmcrae@juno.com (Marie M McRae)
> To: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: re: tripping
> Message-ID: <19981125.071819.8183.23.mmmcrae@juno.com>
> 
> Susan wrote
> >>>You guys are so lucky you have time to think what to do..The time or
> two I had
> a horse fall I was going down the trail one minute and the next
> nanosecond was
> on the ground. >>>
> 
> While it certainly is true that there are unavoidable falls, the points
> people made about staying with a horse who trips are good ones.  The
> thinking has to be done ahead of time.  Think like a "weeble" - those
> base-weighted toys which, when knocked down, always right themselves
> because their weight is in the correct spot.  Riders fall-proof
> themselves (to the extent this is possible) when they pay attention to
> their balance in the saddle and use their seatbones like the weeble's
> base.
> 
> And ride with a light hand which will allow the horse her head when she
> needs it most to recover balance.  Never deliberately pull on the rein
> during a stumble.  It not only doesn't help, it gives your horse the
> wrong message - that she will be punished each time he takes a wrong
> step. 
> 
> Marie McRae
> Certified Level I Centered Riding instructor
Carl writes;
As an ex-jockey I disagree with you intoto. I can't remember the times
when a horse would stumble leaving the starting gate that if you didn't
control their head the horse would have gone down,or during the race you
would be shut off hitting horse's heels in front making your horse's
nose hit the ground then your hands come back to the knot in the reins
and you either bring the horse's head up or go down with being
catapulted forward and then being run over or getting hit in the head by
a horse trying to jump over you.
I suggest very intentsively, that during any trail ride going down hill
especially,that you control the horse's head not with a tight rein but
with a rein that allows the horse to use his/her head as a balancing
pole but with a rein that allows you leavage.
Carl 
> ___________