Re: RC: SPOOKY RATTLESNAKES

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/8/99 12:33:27 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
Dbeverly4@aol.com writes:

<< I am grateful that my horse jumps out of the way of rattlesnakes.  Here is 
 one thing I don't want to "despook" him from!  They never seem to react when 
 the snake is long and not rattling, (we trotted over one accidentally one 
 day) but when they're coiled and making that noise -- we move out of range 
 pretty quick -- just the way I like it !! >>

In all my years with horses (all my life), I've only had one horse that even 
remotely paid any attention to rattlesnakes--and that was a half-Arab mare 
(on the ranch when I was a kid) who had been bitten.  She could do a 180, and 
how!  Almost dumped me on a snake one time.  But I can also remember a rather 
flighty TB mare that I also rode a lot who would stand and graze right next 
to a snake while I beat it to death with the snap on one end of my loop 
bridle rein!  In my experience, they're only scared of snakes if they 
associate them with something bad--like the horse belonging to the original 
poster who lost its footing and had an accident of sorts when confronted with 
the snake...

Heidi


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