--- In [email protected], Mic Rushen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> That's a good idea, but having seen how much people can mess up
babies
> even before they are weaned ("Oh it's just soooooo cuuuuute when he
> nibbles/kicks/rears up and puts his feet on my shoulders" - yuck)
it's
> not infallible.
>
I don't think this would fall under good horsemanship (ie, "correct"
handling). I've never had a young one actually try to jump on me,
does this really happen? Nibble, yes, I only have one who ever tries
to do this now, 2 year old mare, I find that if I politely and
softly push her head away from me, she stops. I let my horses come
close to me and there are some rules, no biting, no kicking, even at
other horses when I am around, no pushing. They can be taught to
follow the rules, I've been around horses as long as I can remember
(almost) and I think some of it comes naturally to me. I like being
close with them, they can be very sweet and at the same time they
follow directions and be safe riding horses. I actually let them
touch me with their noses, they are taught what is appropriate, no
biting, four out of five of them never try to bite at this point, 2
of them have never even tried it in their lives, each of the other 3
has given me at least one good bite each when I first started
working with them, this behavior is natural in certain individuals
and can be extinguished, and I still am able to let them close to
me, and able to let them touch me with their noses, they are very
smart, they get it. A couple of them like to put their heads on my
shoulder and give me a horse hug, I love it.
I just wanted to put another perspective out there, it seems like
some people think that either horses are to be kept at a distance
from us, in order to keep them from doing anything dangerous, or if
we let them close, they will inevitably be out of control, no
boundaries, dangerous for sure. We are getting awfully close to them
when we are on their backs, you would think that you would want to
trust them completely in any direction, before you go and get on
their backs, if you think about it, being on their backs is a pretty
precarious position. I don't really think horses are that dangerous,
if you understand them, make friends with them, and set up a few
rules, they are actually pretty easy to get along with, Icelandics
even more so.
Kim
