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RE: [RC] Stallions - McGann, BarbI think its every stallion owner's worst nightmare to have their stallion loose, but then I wouldn't want any of my horses loose! Cyam, our stallion (back in the 70's) got loose at a ride once. He ran toward the next camp and the rider there threw her hands in the air and screamed "shoo" at him. Of course, he swerved off and ran the other way. I was hot in pursuit, but each time he would near a trailer, someone would spook and stampede him off the other way. Finally, he ran toward the vet check area. I'm huffing and puffing behind him, trying to catch up. There was a lady there checking her horse through the vets. As Cyam neared her, I yelled "Just grab him - he won't hurt you!" She did, bless her heart. When I got to her, I noticed that she was holding the two horses at arms length in opposite directions. Thanking her profusely, I assured her that Cyam wouldn't have hurt her or her horse. She said, "Yeah, but my horse is a stallion, too!" I think we are talking about the bad apple again. 99% of stallions are well trained and their owners are obsessed with control and responsibility. Then, there's that 1% (and we've all seen them)that bring an UNTRAINED stallion which leaves a bad impression towards all stallions. The only question in my mind is why, when we see an out of control mare, we don't come away with the same fear about those terrible, dangerous MARES. Barb McGann, AERC # 840 -----Original Message----- From: Heidi Smith [mailto:heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 5:47 PM To: JANUSTUDIO@xxxxxx; mmieske@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [RC] Stallions No flames, just replace HORSE for stallion and I'm agreed. Gender is no excuse for poor behavior from ANY equine!! Maggie >> I agree Maggie, but an out of control stallion is aggressive and can do a lot of damage very quickly. I've seen stallions get loose, trying to mount anything and everything in sight. <snip> Yes, any horse out of control is dangerous, but which loose horse would you rather try to catch, a mare, a gelding, or a stallion? I've worked extensively with both stallions and mares, and can honestly say that the few horses who have ever flat-out been intent on doing me bodily harm have been almost exclusively mares. I'll use different methods to catch a stallion than a mare, and it does pay to note the gender of the horse if it is being unruly, as stallions and mares tend to react in different manners. That said--I will shamefacedly tell you about the night that one of my stallions got loose in ride camp, and you can tell me just how much one had to fear in catching him. I had hauled several horses to a farm close to a ride, not in my trailer, so had no living quarters. The weather was nice, so I opted to just take "Junior" along for the ride, and do the ride while there--and camped by just throwing my sleeping bag out on the ground. Now, "Junior" is "itchy"--he rubs on everything, and is a past master at rubbing open spring snaps. No problem--just always tied him with bull snaps. But this once I didn't pay attention. And you guessed it--he rubbed his snap open and was free to go roaming. Not even enough racket or rucus to wake me up, and I'm a light sleeper where my boys are concerned! I was awakened in the middle of the night by the ride manager laughing his head off, holding "Junior" by the halter. It seemed that "Junior" had wandered into someone else's camp and was calmly eating his feed--and the other person had been awakened by HIS horse nickering at the stranger invading his campsite. He had nonchalantly taken the stranger by the halter (didn't even bother with a lead) and gone off to the ride manager to see if the RM could ID the horse and return it to its rightful camp. The RM knew my horse, and said, "Oh, that's Heidi's stallion." Despite the fact that "Junior" had not once made a sound and had trooped quietly along with this unknown person to go visit the RM, the man nonetheless (according to the RM) threw his hands in the air as if he'd grabbed a hot wire, and shrieked, "STALLION!!??!!" FWIW, the RM didn't bother with a lead rope either, and thought the man's reaction was hilarious. While I was horrified that my stallion was loose, in response to your query as to which I'd rather catch, a stallion, a mare, or a gelding--I'd still have to say, "It depends." I'd rather catch Junior or several other really nice stallions that I know, loose in ride camp, than a fair number of unruly mares and geldings that I know. It still boils down to HORSES with manners and adequate training, regardless of gender. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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