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I think it is a good idea for people to have trained their horse to hobble, 
and also to learn how to deal with freaking out, so that the horse learns 
how to do a controlled panic and freak-out and/or the rider knows what to 
expect when the horse does freak out.

You definitely need to be in a safe environment -- solid fence.  I would 
not even think of trying to teach a horse to learn about saddles and tack 
falling under them until they have been hobble broke.  I reinforce hobble 
training on all of my horses at least once a year.

The funny thing about horses, or well the ones I've worked with anyway is 
that once I've got them trained to handle being hobbled, handle being 
tangled up in ropes, handle having their saddles fall under their stomachs 
-- when they do get in any kind of a situation, they don't just blindly 
panic and freak.  They may have a quick reaction where they jump or 
something, but then almost instantly they stop and stand and look to me for 
help.  I am not exaggerating when I say that this has saved the lives and 
stopped serious injury of not only my horses, but of myself and friends 
riding them.

I use solid rope reins, and usually either rope halters or biothane 
headstalls.  I prefer that my tack doesn't break, as it has come in handy 
when I've needed it not too, and I have never yet needed it to break.  I 
can't worry about every little thing that my horses can get into accident 
wise.  I can only hope that I've done my homework beforehand and that they 
have some brains installed before I take them out in public so they don't 
go running blindly thru a crowd in ridecamp.  If their reins come off over 
their head and they get tangled in them, I don't want them to break. I want 
the horse to realize he's tangled, and that he needs to stay put and stop 
moving until I (or somebody) can get there to rescue them.

Here is a post I posted on RC before with links on how to hobble train.  If 
everybody would at least do this one basic training thing with their 
horses, we might all be a lot safer at endurance rides.

http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/archives/past/03/33/msg00257.html

Karen
in NV


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