Re: rubbing

[K S Swigart <katswig@deltanet.com>]

On Wed, 17 Jun 1998 llayman@neorx.com wrote:

>      I have to agree about disciplining a horse that rubs on people.  I've 
>      been knocked over once, and another time received a face injury from a 
>      horse rubbing on me. He was rubbing on my shoulder and suddenly swung 
>      his head around whacking me in the face.

There are two things going on here.  The horse is rubbing its head, and
the horse is swinging its head.  It is possible to teach a horse "watch
where you are swinging your head" while at the same time allowing it to
scratch its face.  And there are many horses that inattentively swing
their heads around even if they are not rubbing, nor are they rubbers.

My experience is that most horses that smack you in the face when they
swing their heads do so because they are not paying enough attention to
even know that you are there (or they expect YOU to get out of the way
:)).

The fact is, "Don't smack me in the face with your head."  Is a completely
different lesson from "Don't rub your head on me."  Teaching one, does not
teach the other

>      If a horse is allowed to rub on one person, the rider, 
>      what's to keep him from rubbing on the vet, the P&R people, a small 
>      child...  

In the same way that my stallion knows that he is allowed to breed a mare
that is presented to him, but that doesn't mean that he is allowed to
breed every mare that happens to walk by.  This is but one example of
different behaviour being required in different situations.  Horses aren't
so stupid that they can't learn this.

kat
Orange County, Calif.