RC: Re: stallions

["Kristene Smuts" <Ksmuts@sarcc.co.za>]

Amen to all the views that it shouldn't ONLY  be stallions who should be well behaved.  My question is this : why should I, a stallion rider / owner, be the only one to make sure my horse is well behaved while other horses are allowed to run riot?  What about that horse that will cover a good distance backwards just so it can kick my horse, who has been standing quietly, minding his own business?  There have been times where injury to myself and my horse have been averted simply because my boy will start retreating when he spots the threat - I would not be heeding other horses because I'm concentrating on my boy and his behaviour, thereby not noticing other ill behaved horses.

There are very few stallions who are as well behaved as my boy.  BUT, I also never forget that he is a stallion, especially when I ride with other horses.  What I fail to understand as well, is that most riders think that the very visible yellow ribbon he has in his tail is for decoration.

AND, I weigh only 63 kgs, don't lift weights, so I've had to find a way of dealing with him - through his mind.  So Jim, you are quite correct ... train the mind AND the body.  But unfortunately training the body is far easier than training the mind and most people would rather spend time in the saddle than on the ground.

Kristene