Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Please Reply to: Maddy mmad888@xxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
==========================================

My deepest sympathies go to the WS50 rider who lost her horse over the weekend. 
I think most of us realize that, on any given day, on any give ride, we are all 
subject to that wrong step, that extra bit of excursion or the temperature that 
rises just a few degrees more than anticipated at the beginning of the day?.  
We train, we learn, we try to do right by our horses, but if I have learned 
anything in my first year of distance riding, it would be that I can be 
prepared, but I can?t control it all.

On the other side, as riders, we have to make hard decisions. I used to do 
training rides with a friend, whom I like very much, but is someone who either 
doesn?t have knowledge of basic horsemanship and trail etiquette, or just 
doesn?t care. After several rides, I realized it was detrimental to my horses 
safety and well being, as well as damaging to our training efforts. I approach 
this person, explained my concerns and it didn?t change the situation. Now, we 
don?t ride together.

That said, I?ve had situations in rides where I?ve been bumped off the trail, 
rammed, and at the last ride, passed at a gallop between someone I was riding 
with (without even a warning.)  I?ve come to the conclusion, that some people 
just don?t get it. For those that don?t? be aware ? when it comes to the safety 
and well being of my horse, I will defend him. I agree with a previous post, it 
is up to us to be assertive in communicating with other riders if they are 
posing a danger to our horses, and to do our best to avoid such riders. But, 
I?ll take it a step further? I will actively defend my horse, his safety and 
space on the trail if another rider is threatening us out of competitive drive, 
ignorance, or malice. I?m all for turning the other cheek? but we have an 
obligation to our horses and each other to make sure dangerous or stupid riders 
aren?t welcome to inflict themselves on the majority. Fortunately, the majority 
of riders I've encountered at rides are wonderful people with amazing horses.

Someone posted that it is amazing that more riders don?t understand basic horse 
behavior and herd dynamics. I couldn?t agree more and would ask this group if 
reading materials exist on trail etiquette and equine group dynamics on the 
trail?  It would be great to have such a reference? I would love to believe 
that my friend just doesn?t understand.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-