On 1/15/08, Nancy Sturm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > As far as training the hot horse at home before taking him to a field trial > or endurance race, I have to agree in theory with Vicka, but have found in > actual practice that it isn't really possible to set up a field trial > environment or a ridecamp at home.
yes thats the problem exactly. If a horse is good at everything but situations that depend on others, then you have to either set up the situation or get them right out in it. As for field trialers, I don't know about endurance people, but they took it extremely well, in stride, when stonewall squirrelled. I havent posted pics yet but when i do it might make more sense. It was a small crowd this time due to a funeral and at least half of them were teenage kids. One of them came cantering up fast on us and when walls squirrelled I saw his face, like a snapshot, I could see in that instant his "oh no, i caused this" at the very same instant his horse half reared and fell to the side when walls spun, and at no time did he come unbalanced. Nor did any of the others. You take kids riding rough over uneven terrain, jumping logs and bushes on fast flying gaited horses since they were five and six years old, even if they do fall now and then they seem unscathed... it was like a big knocking into one another train wreck and when the dust settled everyone just went on. Whereas if Walls had been kicking innocent horses they would have asked us to leave I know. We did get swarmed by yellowjackets briefly, thank goodness none came our way and it was a sudden huge scrambling and some horses during that time acted worse than walls and walls was just delighted that he got to GO. But there are a lot of rules and if you dont follow them you get asked to leave the group. Like if you let your horse drink the dog water haha. Thats a way huger offense than your horse freaking out :) or if your horse won't stand still when the dog is pointing. Janice -- yipie tie yie yo
