Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I second that --once heard , the most dangerous place for a 'rider' to be is 
in a pasture with loose horses. Take a buggy whip  or lounge whip or coiled 
lariat. I'd also teach your horse some special word, "treat' carrots', their 
name and give them a treat (conditioning) so when you call it  they come--do 
not give anything to the others . Do this when alone with yoour horse to 
conditon them to it. I always yell "dinner" when I feed and give occasional 
carrots for learning a new cue (sort of my version of clicker training). I 
caught my mare after a fall, when I yelled--"carrots!!" And my gelding will 
come to --"dinner--carrotts--graze"--(you get this is all food related ;0)
  I mentioned  about the  herd posioning  in a private email--1 month they 
should sort it out--unless you have 'permanent bullies'-- then you need to 
get yours separated from the bully.

> From: "Jonni" <jonnij@xxxxxxxx>
> To: "Ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [RC]   Question on Herd Positioning?
> Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 20:00:08 -0600
>
> >>>I was haltering my other girl Crystal in the tree field to bring her 
> out
> to try a saddle and get some lovings today, and two of the other horses 
> came
> up so close they were almost touching us, and did something that made
> Crystal rear, and I was afraid I'd be in the middle of a horse fight.<<<
>
> Some years back, I read of a well respected Dressage rider, who was found
> dead in the pasture, where she had been kicked in the head. One of the most
> dangerous positions we as horse owners can put ourselves in, is in the
> middle of a herd that "squabbles". When the herd is not all your own 
> horses,
> but those (it seems from the post) that belong to other people, it may be
> more difficult to get a handle on the situation.
>
> I never, ever allow my horses to bite, kick, chase, squabble, or even make
> pissy faces at each other if I am nearby. I do NOT want in the middle of a
> fight, as chances are, I will get hurt. They MUST learn you are the herd
> leader, and to knock off the crap when you are out there with them. If it
> means that you need to carry something to whack them with, then so be it. 
> In
> most cases, a crop is too short, and they could still kick you as you whack
> them. Carrying a whip is usually not what I WANT to do, but I also do not
> want hurt. When you go to gather your own horse, make sure you let any 
> horse
> that comes up to interfere, to back off. The trick is, to do so, without
> chasing off the horse you want to catch!  All I have to do with mine, is 
> use
> that noise we all use on animals and kids...you know the one, "AAAKKKKKK",
> sharply, when they do something naughty. I also pick up small rocks and
> pitch them if one is being naughty.
>
> You need to get serious, and take some control, before someone gets hurt, 
> or
> worst.
>
> Jonni in TX (with 5 geldings, who know better than to even make stinky face
> at each other when I am around)
>
>
>
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Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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