RC: wanted: critique of event/ monday morning quarterbacking

[Deanna German <dgerman@earthlink.net>]

Tara,

I carry a riding crop where ever I go. It's useful as a fly swatter, a
spiderweb remover, and a briar getter-out-of-the-wayer (and stick in the
tail remover). I also ride in a small dry lot occasionally with the
other 5 horses turned out. (My mare seems to like it better that way and
actually focuses better on her flatwork.) Curiosity eventually gets the
better of the other horses and they have to come over and see if they
can join in. Now that we've done it a few times my young mare seems to
delight in driving the interlopers away — especially the dominant mare
and gelding. I don't whack on them with the crop; a sharp flick works
quite nicely. Anymore I just show them the crop and make a  pfffth!
sound and send Salina towards them. I think they recognize that a human
is still in control of the situation.

Granted, the situation you described is different since you were in
strange horses' pasture with unfamiliar horses, but I think a riding
crop to drive the geldings away would have helped. I definitely wouldn't
have turned tail and ran out of there (which it doesn't sound like you
did) since I'm sure that would have been a disaster. Did you try to send
your horse agressively towards them?

As for bailing out, I personally feel better mounted, especially in a
group of squirrely acting horses, no matter how stupid my mare gets. But
then, I'm pretty sure my mare would not act any better with me on the
ground. In fact, she'd probably act worse and I'd run the risk of being
trampled. I've been on her when she's acted pretty darn stupid with
rearing and kicking and such and just feel able to control the situation
mounted.

I liked the squirt bottle idea too.

Deanna (Ohio)