Re: RC: long term conditioning.

[Farafix@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/5/00 11:40:03 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
dotwgns@ruralnetwork.net writes:

<< Horses that  have the chance to learn to be "horses" in the open and in a
 herd environment before they learn to be pets can usually take better care
 of themselves and their riders. >>

I had the best of both worlds raising my foal (now a 6 yr old stallion).  He 
grew up in a 5 acre pasture next to the house with his dam and his 1st 
cousin, a gelding.  The horses are free to go in & out of the stalls at will 
and can romp & run at will.  He quickly learned to play tag with the dog and 
can race full speed down the hill into the stall, skipping over the ledge of 
the door.  Of course his mom gently taught him how to behave around mares and 
the gelding was very kind to him as well.  Tempo has been very good around 
geldings on the trail, has trailered to several rides with a friend's 
gelding.  Tempo is now reciprocating Farafix's kindness and is gentle with 
the old guy who is 26.  They still play and romp.  No bite marks on either 
horse.
Because people were around from day one (and mom accepted the people handling 
her foal, or so I"m told), Tempo accepted people as part of his herd.  He's 
always the first at the gate to greet anyone coming to the house.  He waits 
at the end of the pasture with the kids for the school bus (good training not 
to spook at big yellow belching monsters when riding on roads).  My younger 
son used to take his GI Joes down to the water tank to play and Tempo would 
hang over his shoulder as if to say, "the calvary is here."  I've got lots of 
cute photos of my son and my horse growing up together.
I do think the horses stay healthy and happy having space to play and run, 
being with other horses also keeps them happy.  A happy horse is more willing 
to accomodate the demands we make of them.  Being around people also allows 
the horse to learn how to read us, to trust us.  Tempo always had a pretty 
good attention span as a baby.  He would really try to do what I asked of 
him.  I was able to trailer him by himself at 3 months old.  He seems to 
genuinely like people, and enjoys going to competitions and being part of all 
the action.
Perhaps the best compliment I ever got was when I had arranged to layover at 
a show barn on the way home from the IAHA national CTR, the toughest ride 
Tempo had done up to that point (a 2 day 80 in hot & humid conditions).  
Tempo was in a paddock next to the broodmares and when I would go out to 
check on him he would nicker and walk over to the fence (didn't seem to hold 
a grudge that I had taken him to such a tough ride!).  One of the barn 
helpers remarked,  "Your horse really likes you!"  I was sort of speechless 
-- never had occured to me that my horse wouldn't like me as much as I liked 
him.
Guess my 2 cents goes to as natural an environment as possible, but with lots 
of access to people for bonding.

Nancy & Tempo 1200 miles
Md


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