<since ride management DOES have the authority - and
really, the obligation - to remove ANY horse, regardless of gender, from
basecamp or any other portion of the event. It is rarely simply a stallino issue
- most often a stupid PEOPLE issue, >
Thank you!! Right on the nail head! As a ride
manager, I would darn sure tootin' remove such a horse, stallion, mare or
gelding. We had an incident last year where horses got loose, tore down
the fences of some other riders' horses, caught their horses and went back to
bed, leaving the rest of us to track down the other horses in the middle of the
night. I never did figure out who they were and they were gone before
awards. Maybe next year I will make everybody SIGN IN with their spot or
something so I know WHO to kick in the butt. But definitely rude
behavior...too bad for that horse. He's probably a good horse. Just
a stupid, ignorant person handling him.
are there any rules in place for stallion owners at rides? Are we
wrong in thinking a person bringing a stallion should be sure this stallion
is well broke and controllable, BEFORE he is brought to a
ride?
oh boy is THIS a hot
switch to us! Our stallion, Sal, has over the years, both at rides and in teh
show ring, demonstrated that he is an absolutely near-perfect gentleman. Sad
but true that events such as this one cast such a bad light on all stallions.
The commenet above caught my eye, since ride management DOES have the
authority - and really, the obligation - to remove ANY horse, regardless of
gender, from basecamp or any other portion of the event. It is rarely simply a
stallino issue - most often a stupid PEOPLE issue, and equally as aggravating
are those who thhink that a stallion owner should be any more responsible for
their horse than an owner of a mare or gelding. It simply takes a bit more -
sometimes a lot more - management with a stallion, but the REQUIREMENTS are
juste xactly the same - good manners, safe in camp and out, tolerant on the
trail, and preferably an animal who is not inclined to Houdini exercises, no
matter the gender. The most important part of the equation continues to be
responsible AND experienced management! The best horse of any gender in the
hands of an idiot or a prideful jerk will be an annoyance at best and a danger
at worst.
As
fro tying a horse...a Houdinin should be double-tied, corraled and/or corraled
and tied - or stay home. Period. No one is "entitled" to go to rides just
because they can get there. Don't bring a horse to a ride who cannot at the
very mINIMUM be contained safely and handled safely. Sheesh. IMHO - I would
never tie a horse with a chain - teh OWNER, maybe, but not the
horse;)!
