Ridecamp: Re: [RC] When A Horse Trips...

On Sat, 24 Aug 2002 19:39:25 -0400, "Carolyn Burgess"
<carolyn_burgess@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>My new gelding at 11 has only been under saddle for a year.  He is still 
>trying to figure out how to balance himself and me.  He used to stumble and 
>fall down at a walk.  I have also pulled him off his chest as he fell down.  
>My riding buddies can hardly believe that I can do it, but if you saw it in 
>action, you would know that the rider is the reason that this horse is still 
>on his feet.

Did you ever see the movie "Son of Paleface?"  There is a scene where
a car loses a wheel.  Roy Rogers ropes the end of the axle and holds
up the car, but he has to chase after the bad guys so he hands the
rope to a passenger in the car -- who holds up the car.  (Yep, this
movie is a slapstick comedy.)

Or, if I tie a rope around your waist, and hand you the rope, can you
pick yourself up by pulling up on the rope?

You are on the horse's back ... he is supporting your weight.  If you
pull up on the reins, with every pound you pull up you are pushing
down on his back just as hard.  For you to "pull him off his chest"
would be like that passenger holding up the car, or you lifting
yourself off the ground with the rope.

You can affect your horse's balance by pulling up on his head as he
falls (most likely to his detriment), but there is no way you can lift
his falling body.  It may feel to you like you are doing so, it may
even look like it to your riding companions, but that is not what is
happening.  The horse is pushing himself back up "off his chest" with
his legs, and it appears to you that your pulling is doing it.  Much
like it appeared to moviegoers that the passenger was holding up the
car.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxx
http://www.rnbw.com


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