spooking and sand

[Todd & Toni Jones <tjones@coinet.com>]

I'm late to this thread, but here's
my theory why arabs spook. I came up
with it 3 or so years ago when I had
a nice Anglo gelding that would
spook at rather awkard moments.

Centuries of breeding Arabs in the
desert caused them to lose the DNA
information that provides them with
the ability to recognize objects
that are not found in the desert.
For example, trees, stumps, rocks,
and so forth. So, when your new arab
foal hits the ground he is
genetically programmed to only see
desert, sand and more desert. He
must contend with this malady the
rest of his life. Every morning he
wakes up he is surprised anew not to
see desert and sand. Instead he must
get use to trees, stumps, rocks and
so forth all over again, every day,
until his time on this earth is
over.

So there you have it. This is why
arabs spook. If you could move back
to desert and sand with no trees,
stumps and rocks and ride there,
chances are he would never spook
again. :)

OK, I've had my fun.

Toni and Shagya O'Biwon
Prineville, Oregon