RC: BRAND INSPECTION IN CALIFORNIA

["B.E. Jackson" <riosanbravo@hotmail.com>]

Do you have a longe whip handy? If you don't establish some authority, the 
horse is going to become a dangerous pest fast. Either chase him off (loud 
noises work well...those boating sirens that blast?) or catch him and lead 
him to another section of "open range" where (apparently) he'll become 
someone else's problem. Mostly, you don't seem to be doing a good job of 
being the alpha in your herd. An alpha mare would NEVER put up with this 
sort of interloper. All IMHO, of course, but it sounds like a dangerous 
sitch.

Bonnie in AZ


>From: "Dyane Smith" <sunibey@sisqtel.net>
>To: "Ridecamp" <Ridecamp@endurance.net>
>Subject: RC:  BRAND INSPECTION IN CALIFORNIA (long)
>Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 12:12:54 -0800
>
>Thought I would pass this on for what it's worth.  The local brand 
>inspector
>told me that they don't inspect brands on horses anymore in California.  My
>concern is that that poses a risk to horses who might wander off or be
>stolen.
>
>Case in point.  Since Thanksgiving, I have had a stray horse hanging out in
>the unfenced part of the pasture.  He's a good-looking young, quarter or
>Morgan type (depending on what part of his anatomy you focus on) who knows
>about carrots and bran mash and was in good condition when he arrived (fat
>now eating the pasture my horses can't get to).  Animal control came
>out--said the whole county is open-range so I can't lock him up.  Bad
>part--I have to carry food to my horses and this is teaching the stray to 
>be
>very muscly trying to snag some.  I have had to start driving through the
>pasture to get close to my horses to at least give me some chance of 
>getting
>there.  The stray comes at a gallop and then pushes on me or, worse, turns
>around and starts backing up--I and all horses know that's sign language 
>for
>"If we can't come to terms here, I'll kick you into next week.  Not to put
>too fine a point on it--this horse, though short, is built like a tank--I'm
>more of a coward every moonless night.  The other day, he lifted the gate
>off its hinges (I know, should have been hinged better) and liberated two 
>of
>mine and went into the pasture to harass my old guy.
>
>I love the rural nature of this area and I'm not interested in making rash
>changes--but I'm starting to think that there are pros and cons to a law
>that won't let me give him to other people who can and would care for him
>until we find the owner.  Furthermore, if the brand inspector won't help 
>and
>animal control is really for dogs and cats, even here.  What then?
>
>Dyane
>Sleepless in Siskiyou.
>

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