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[RC] [RC] MY MP/loose horses - oddfarm

You missed my point, Angie. I didn't mean to imply that loose horses are amusing. Just sharing my experiences, that's all.
 
I was lucky that nothing ever happened. I am sure, I am not the only one who has had a horse or two exploring camp on the first few camping experiences. That's how we learn.  
 
I don't think I am a "bad candidate" for the electric fence. I didn't know it all before I got started in this sport. These incidents happened years ago.
 
Who is to say what system works better than any others? It an individual choice. I am choosing not to bring the horse that escapes camping anymore. He can go through, under, or over any obstacle in his way, as could any horse. Some are just more determined than others. This is pretty much an inherent risk in our sport or with anything that has to do with horses. Unless we want to have rides only where there are stalls. That would solve a lot of problems, but would cut the number of our rides down drastically. Some places won't even let you tie a picket line for your horses. So that takes one of your options away.
 
Like I said earlier, I do like the idea of spot checking at rides, not to be critical, but to be helpful. Don't they do that at competitive rides? But who would be the expert for that? The insurance man? I have never tied to a picket line and couldn't begin to tell someone how to do it safely. And, what if I told someone their way of containing their horse looked safe to me, and then the horses got loose and hurt someone. Am I liable?
 
I don't think anybody intends to let their horses free, it is always an accident. Sometimes they are avoidable, sometimes they are not. Horses and accidents always come together. No matter how careful you are. You fall, the horse falls, the fence breaks, the halter snaps, (bull snaps most certainly can come undone and I have seen horses flip a halter and a bridle off without rubbing against anything) the pen falls over, etc,. Whatever, it is always an accident. Will insurance keep them from happening? It doesn't keep people from having car accidents. A million dollar insurance policy doesn't make people any smarter, either.
 
The problem is when things happen that could have been avoided and people don't learn from it. And that is out of our hands. We can't all be know-it-alls, so the rest of us can hopefully learn and try not let it happen again.  That is all we can do.
That was my point.
 
Lisa Salas, The Odd fArm
Life is risky. Educate yourself. College may be costly, but common sense is free.