----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 10:39
AM
Subject: RC: Re: horse trains
cowboy!!!!
I can tell you right now that team penners don't give an
ARAB much credit for having the ability to work cows. I get razzed
alot. Hopefully that will end soon....I started team penning at
competitions with our crazy ARAB stallion in August (after practicing on and
off for about 6 weeks, once or twice a week). My goal was simply to
build up his hindquarters...he's only 6, has growing to do and was working too
much off his front end. Well, we will be reserve champion in the novice
division of the Michigan Team Penning Association after only competing 1/4 of
the season....
**** ALL RIGHT! Congrats!
Okay, so now I get to rant about wanna-be cowboys....and
i will tie it into endurance
This last weekend I went to Pt. Reyes to camp with
friends. I took Tawny, the Arab/mustang. I had almost taken her to
Lake Sonoma ride the weekend before, but had decided last minute to take
Chancy. However, I had 3 horses I thought conditioned for that ride, and
decided last minute to pick the two that looked "best". But Tawny was
fit. Anyway, turned out with the humidity and winter coat....I had to
slow way down....horses were all really sweating a LOT!
Anyway, we are all there Friday around the campfire with
our horses set up for the night, blanketed (it gets very cold there at night),
hay available and big buckets of water. In pulls two absolutely huge
rigs....dually's with living-quarter trailers. They looked like a
circus, tricks and trailers have lights at least every 3 feet, big seachlight
on top of the truck, etc. Folks bustle around and put 5 horses on one
picket line.....no blankets, no food OR water. Horses stomp and squeal
all night long, one gets loose.....in morning, horses get small measure
of hay, and about 3 inches of water in buckets. Buckets are quickly
drained and tipped over.
People take several hours getting ready to ride; put on
big bat-wing chaps, spurs, vests, cowboy hats, the whole nine yards. In
daylight, truck is seen to have flags all over it. HOrses go out for
ride...put back on picket line, given small measure of hay and water, and left
all night with NO FOOD OR WATER! By this time we are all seething, and
about to go over and say someting or leave nasty note on windshield...by time
we get back from short ride Sunday morning, they are gone....so horses were
hauled 3 plus hours, given small portion of water twice, ridden and hauled
home....it was distressing.....
Heres what I learned from endurance riding.....always
keep hay and especially water in front of horse at all time.....they WILL
drink lots at night. It just distresses me to see horses with empty
water buckets....
Karen