Re: RC: Fwd: RC: TTEAM and kickers

[jlong@mti.net (Joe Long)]

On Tue, 10 Aug 1999 19:45:49 EDT, SandyDSA@aol.com wrote:

>Yes we have and she is considerably better, BUT I will not punish MY horse 
>for the bad manners or ignorance of another rider who allows their horse to 
>behave in a way that MY horse - doing what she is asked quietly - perceives 
>as threatening. I have found that a lot of kickers BECAME kickers after being 
>ram-rodded or rear-ended by one or more other horses.  getting kicked is 
>easily prevented by staying out of kicking range :)!

I've seen several folks suggest that kicking is somehow acceptable
behavior, if the "other guy" is at fault.  Sorry, tain't so.

In a horse-rider team, the rider is in charge -- or should be, if he's
the brains of the outfit.  Otherwise, as Matthew Mackay-Smith
observered, the rider should get off and carry the horse!

There is NO excuse -- let me repeat that, NO excuse for a horse under
saddle to ever kick.  Horses can and should be trained that it is not
acceptable behavior to kick or even threaten when under saddle.  If a
horse cannot be trained to not kick even when "provoked" by another
horse bumping him or invading his space, then IMO that horse has no
place being out in public around other horses and riders.

I'm not excusing the boorish behavior of riders who don't show
courtesy and respect the space of others.  But a damaging, possibly
crippling kick is not an appropriate response to that behavior.

It is also not possible to "stay out of kicking range" on an endurance
ride, unless you start last and stay there.  I've been kicked and
injured when passing on a wide two-track where I gave the rider ahead
plenty of warning, stayed in the other track, and passed at a trot --
the other horse moved my way to kick!  Riders have been kicked when
crowded by horses ahead and behind at the same time (where it was not
possible to give way), or while the horse that kicked was the one
passing.

It's not right that a team should be put out of a ride, or injured,
because another horse was not properly trained and ridden in control.

It's not right that vets and P/R people should be endangered by
improperly trained and handled horses at vet checks.  I for one would
like to see ride vets and ride managers take more aggressive action in
disqualifying kickers.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
http://www.mti.net     Business
http://www.rnbw.com    Personal


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