--- In [email protected], "Janice McDonald" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > But now I wonder if I should go out > today and work on sliding a lead rope UNDER his tail and see what > happens, see if he has lingering issues with that...
You know, I think horses act out in the moment to whatever is in front of them at that moment. >but then I > remember he has always been a horse, my only horse, that has a strong > startle reflex if you surprise him from the rear. Like I walked > around the trailer with a saddle one day and startled him and he > actually kicked out so I am very careful about that always around him, > to let him know I am coming. It's probably best to do this with most horses, but my Zoe is pretty quick to kick first and ask questions later, so I'm extra careful with her. > Of course I am over analyzing this but this is my problem du > jour right now and it HAS to be fixed and I am looking into everything > it could possibly be so I can help him. I know it's kind of scary to get bucked off, but be careful not to get tense about it with him (if you were scared), I think if we start anticipating some kind of behvior it can kind of create a vicious cycle, he's only done it this once, right? He may never do it again. It may have just been the horses running at him when he couldn't see them. I find horses get tense, excited when they hear hoofbeats running at them, I will turn them to face it so they can see what is going on, they usually calm down. Kim
