Re: Narrow Trails and Young Horses

[Dbeverly4@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/9/99 10:29:13 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
sunibey@sisqtel.net writes:

<<  I
 will overcome my secret fear that he could be at the top of a 2' wide twisty
 mountain trail, look down several hundred feet to little horses racing below
 and decide to take the short (read airborne) way down. >>

That is exactly what happened to Star (normally verrrrry laid back horse) on 
his second ride (Swanton NATRC).  We were on some switchbacks and there were 
horses above AND below us -- too much for his baby brain.  He started 
squirrelling around sideways and up and down.  When one of his back feet 
actually left the trail I thought it was all over and kicked my feet out of 
the stirrups (I wasn't going down with the ship).  It kind of acted like a 
slap in his face and he stopped being quite so radical and decided to walk 
the rest of the way down.  It didn't hurt that we caught up with a really 
nice, experienced mare who we ended up following for the rest of the day (she 
saved our butts!).  Riding a green horse with a more experienced (calmer) 
horse is definitely a plus if you can arrange it.  Also, probably start out 
on a ride that isn't quite as challenging as the Santa Cruz mountains!

Sylvia & Star (who has most of this trail horse stuff figured out -- on to 
50's in 2000!)


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