Re: pass and I'll kick!

[rides2far@juno.com (Angela C. McGhee)]

>Remember, the one receiving the kick was in the wrong place and is the 
>one
>at fault. The one doing the kicking is only acting in the NATURAL 
>manner of
>the horse.

O.K.  Case in point.  Saturday, I was on the first leg of a race and
caught up with a rider and her Jr. who was riding behind her on a single
track trail.  We were obviously going faster, but I just slowed down
until we came out on a logging road, at which time the rider took the
right side of the road, and the Jr. immediately took the left.  I said,
"Excuse me, could I pass?"  The Jr. glanced over her shoulder, slowed up
a little and pulled over to about the middle of the road.  This left just
enough room for me to ease by on the left.  As soon as I tried, the Jr.'s
horse pinned ears, bounced up his rump and did the "bluff kick" out to
the left, sending my horse off into the ditch.  I was then informed by
the sponsor that "Oh, he doesn't kick,  1,000 miles and he's never kicked
a horse, he just learned that trick from a mare he used to travel with". 
This was a great comfort to me as I check to see if my horse felt even
after his plunge into the ditch.  I commented that "Perhaps after 1,000
miles, he's due".  The horse was not repremanded for his behavior.   I
would have felt much better if there had been a loud repremand and a
smack to the neck.  The horse should then have been FORCED to the right
side of the road and made to stay there.  According to your theory, my
horse was in the wrong place.  That may be so in herd dynamics.  But in a
competition, her horse needs to be taught manners.  If you don't plan to
make your horse let people pass, you'd better go pretty darn fast.

Angie and Kaboot (How come you won't let ME do that?)

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