Re: RC: Stallion Behavior

[SandyDSA@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/20/01 6:36:57 PM Pacific Daylight Time, lanconn@tds.net 
writes:


> IMHO, If your stallion will not stand nose to nose with another horse,
> it IS your fault. There should be no difference in behavior between a
> stallion, a gelding, and a mare at an Endurance Ride


No indeed! I don't EVER want someone allowing their horse to go nose to nose 
with mine, mare gelding or stallion! Horses by NATURE don't go up in each 
others' faces, in the face of strange horses without the possibility of 
threat. I would never punish my horse for resisting an in-your-face encounter 
with a strange horse. This is  NOT the same as sharing a water trough or 
standing politely side by side. NOSE TO NOSE opens the door to getting struck 
by a front hoof, stepped on by a horse trying to get out of the way of 
another horse, and in 20 YEARS I have never seen two horses who are strangers 
jolly right up to each other without some level of formal introduction. Our 
stallion AND mares are exceptionally well behaved. However, just as I don't 
expect them to stand for being rear-ended by a bad actor, neither will I 
allow someone to go nose to nose with my horses. Besides, I vaccinate my 
horses regularly. I don't know the same of others.
s