Re: RC: sense of self-preservation (the equine variety)

["Bonita B. Young" <corky@foothill.net>]

IMHO any horse that will jump off the trail dose not have a good since of self
preservation, of course I am of age where that is a very important thing to me.
I remember a friend at least 20 years ago that had a horse that would do weird
things like this, she finely got rid of the horse.  There are too many good
horses out ther to put up with a bad one. Yes cirtan horses like this can be
trained not to do this kind of thing on an every day basis, but they can never be
completely trusted.  Trust is an essential thing between horse an rider.  Of
course this is a personal decision and maybe you have the time and energy to put
up with a horse like this.  At any rate good luck to you what ever decision you
make.
Corky Young, the older I get the more self preservation kicks in

RISTREE@aol.com wrote:

> Hey folks!
>
> I'm in need of a good dose of reality from some of you old timers (ahem!  I
> mean experienced long distance riders) . . .
>
> Have been riding for a long time, doing long distance for the last three
> years with a couple of different horses.  Sold one to purchase a youngster
> that would be more competitive.
>
> He's a 5 y.o. Arab/Trakehner gelding and extremely athletic.  I've been
> riding him nearly a year, and he's done well in a couple of 25 mile ECTRA
> CTRs.  Good recoveries, drinks, eats, has terrific gaits, and is generally
> bold and trustworthy.  His most significant challenge (and mine) is his
> unpredictability.  Much of it was chalked up to being a youngster, but
> combining the occasional brain fart with the extreme athleticism has landed
> me on the ground more times in the last year than I believe I've fallen off
> in all my years previous.  And a concussion.
>
> Yesterday's event concerned me the most.  Cantering up a logging road with
> woods on my right and a serious wooded slope on the left, Boy Wonder spooked
> at object unknown.  Okay, I can handle that.  But he went left off the edge
> of the road, over the slope, and after several long seconds of struggling
> (both of us) for any semblance of balance, I landed with an unceremonious
> thud of my helmet against a tree.  He almost fell, but was stopped by his
> same body part hitting same tree.  He's uninjured, and mostly so am I.
>
> However . . .   what are the chances that this guy just doesn't have the
> strong sense of self preservation required for our sport?  He's a talented
> dressage horse, and could be *just* that, but I'm wondering if any of you
> have experienced the same bizarre behavior in a young horse and found that
> the horse did, or did not, grow out of it with miles and consistent training.
>
> Yesterday was just the most recent of many, many such "out of the clear blue"
> episodes, but clearly, an unplanned jump over a ledge does disturb my own
> sense of self preservation <chuckle>.
>
> Anxiously awaiting your brilliant words of wisdom, and sorry to blather on.
>
> Patti (bruised, but not broken) and Ned (really Mom, whatever it was that
> spooked me was vewwwwy, vewwwy scary!)
>
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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=