> It didn't seem like there was much room for nuance in that
> particular
> article. There was no hint of a solution offered that I saw.
> Pointing out
> that something as extreme as "beating it out of him" is wrong is
> hardly an
> earth-shattering revelation for thinking horsemen of the 21st
> century....
Unfortunately I will have to disagree...as I have been witness to so
many people that own, train and sometimes even ride their horses or
other peoples that they think it is a solution.
We have quit good farrier accounts because of it, the one barn with
the coverall that I mentioned in another thread, a 14 horse barn
within 30 minuets to our home, we quit because of that attitude, and
she was a trained and certified riding instructor with handicap youth
and adults.
Our last day, Sally was trying to get a horse out of the pasture (I
do not want to even go into that.....) and she couldn't because of a
bottled fed gelding that was attacking her...so she went to the barn
owner and asked her to get her own horse and the owner said ...oh
what your afraid of him? Just beat him with a whip as you go in, hit
him really hard or he won't back off. Well, that was it, 'we shoe
horses we don't beat them.' There went a $900 account every 6 weeks
on the nose.
Many trainers that I have come across really have that attitude...and
no I do not think its just an island thing as we lived in Washington
state as well, and some people there had that same attitude.
Compliant horses, ones that OBEY....you can see it in their eyes as
it looks like no one is home, no spark, no joy....I see expensive
horses with spur scars years after their training, nice ones, they
still even like people for some reason.....
We are lucky because none of us here wants to beat our horses to be
compliant...but lets not forget we are not the only ones that own
(have the right to care for and love) these wonderful beings.....
Skye
~~~~Fire Island Farms~~~~
Breeding Quality Icelandic Trail Horses
Certified Farrier Services
'Natural Balance' Shoeing and Trimming.
Founder, Navicular options for your horse.
808-640-6080
