On Sun, 23 Mar 2008 08:46:33 -0500, you wrote: >We started all our youngsters (all three of them) in bareback pads. >> It's a nice way to feel their reactions to things.
It was really funny at the competition I was at over the weekend. There's one little girl of 9 who has a big black Icelandic mare, 14.1hh and NOT lightly built. This mare is an absolute angel with her young rider, who always rides in a bareback pad. She competed in the intermediate classes and even got into the finals! The last class was a fun beer tolt race, and she asked if I would like to take her horse for a laugh. Now, as you all know, I'm not the bravest rider especially on strange horses, but I had watched this mare all weekend being soooooo careful and polite with Maddie, so I jumped at the chance. Boy, did I get a surprise.... Twice, she tried to nip back to her paddock with me, and she was, well, "not quiet", to say the least.... I coped, but I had a bit of a scarey moment or two. Apparently, as I was told after (!) she's like this with all adults, even really lightweight ones so it's almost certainly not a pain issue, just that she loves her little girl and doesn't appreciate anyone else riding her! Mic Mic (Michelle) Rushen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Solva Icelandic Horses and DeMeulenkamp Sweet Itch Rugs: www.solva-icelandics.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes"
