Pass and I'll Kick

[JDOWIS <jdowis@pacbell.net>]

I read with interest the posts about kicking, and thought I would add my
two cents..  My endurance horse does kick in tight situations, so I have
learned to "point his rear at the trees" when other horses approach from
the rear.  This so far has not been a problem.  Of course, he wears a
red ribbon on his tail, but in the dark, this can't be seen.

The main reason for this post is that last year on Tevis, less than 1/2
mile from the start, an adult and three juvenile riders (and I mean
juvenile:  they appeared to be barely old enough to ride the ride) cut
across the trail in front of me, the last juvenile's horse reached out
and kicked my horse hard, squarely in the chest when she pulled in front
of him.  The trail was actually a dirt road, with plenty of room for
everybody, and no reason to crowd my horse.  I knew my ride was finished
right then.  He stopped dead in his tracks.  Of course, I couldn't say
anything to the riders, they were long gone.  No red ribbons, no
warning, no anything.  After a couple of minutes, my horse decided to
proceed forward, and to his credit, finished the ride.

There should be some responsibility here.  The horse owner, the parents,
the sponsor, somebody should have known  that horse was a kicker, and
marked its tail.  I can't believe nobody knew this horse was a kicker,
or that these people were such novices they didn't know to put red
ribbons on its tail.

Joan Dowis