Re: Ms. Smith's Post

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-09-17 10:10:22 EDT, henslee@triax.com writes:

<< As to his
 misbehaving--he had dropped. It was the end of the ride, we were off by
 ourselves and there were no other people nor horses around.  He'd had a
 hard ride and was relaxing--I really didn't care at the time if he
 dropped, but guess I could have beat him for "flashing."  Actually,
 noone had ever told me it was a no, no. >>

OK, Pat, I wasn't going to be specific, but if you want to discuss this in a
public forum, so be it.  We have discussed this verbally, and I have already
sent you a lengthy private post on this subject this morning.   What your
horse did was a lot more than just dropping--he teased the colt in a pen
behind us and then proceeded to masturbate for 10 minutes so hard that he was
almost on the ground.  No, he wasn't hurting anything, so that was why I
observed for 10 minutes before pointing out what was going on.  You admitted
at the time that you were not aware of what he was doing behind you.  We
discussed it at the time, and I told you then EXACTLY what I thought of your
inattention to your horse and how this illustrated how you get in trouble and
don't seem to be aware of it.  Your stallion was certainly exhibiting normal
behavior, but YOU HAD HIM IN HAND and his mind was certainly NOT on you.  What
he was doing was NOT acceptable for in-hand behavior, and unless you maintain
a standard of behavior in hand AT ALL TIMES, you cannot expect him to behave
when it IS important.  You complain that we do not take the time to help you
out.  Well, Pat, I spent half an hour that day OF MY OWN TIME after a hot,
two-day ride was over and I wanted to go home, patiently explaining to you and
discussing this problem with you.  I have also e-mailed you privately on other
occasions.  You still don't get it, and I have wasted enough time trying to be
the diplomat here.  When I look at the time I have spent trying to help you
out and be constructive here, I begin to wonder at your protestations that
other ride managers, etc. have not tried to help you out.  I am reminded of
the story of the little boy who cries "Wolf!"

I happen to know that the two ride managers I defended in my previous post are
two of the most honest people I have ever met.  I have known a lot of people
in this sport for a lot of years and I wouldn't say that about all of them.  

As to the fact that I have not personally observed your horse injure
someone--are you  implying that if a driver wipes out my family and the
officer at the scene says he was drunk, that I am not to believe it just
because I didn't see it?  There are a lot of things I believe that I haven't
seen--I haven't been far enough off this earth to see with my own eyes that it
is round, either, but I believe those who have evidence that it is.

Heidi Smith, DVM