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RE: Re: [RC] Did I Understand You Correctly? - heidi

I think many have missed the point of what kat said.  She did NOT say that "horses do exactly as they please."  What she DID say is that people are wrong in assuming that horses have no choice in what they do, and that people are foolish to think that they have that kind of "power" over a horse.  Those two statements are a far cry from each other.
 
Horses are domestic because they CHOOSE to make the compromise with people to do the bidding of the people.  If a horse truly CHOOSES not to do what you want, there is little you can do to force him to do it.  A determined horse can resist kind or cruel enticements--the latter including whips, spurs, etc.  Someone mentioned trailer loading--I have a really super "force" method of trailer loading, but it still completely depends on a horse that will get in the trailer before killing himself, and I depend on the horse making that CHOICE when I use it.  I've seen rogue horses that would injure (and kill!) themselves before they would comply with human wishes--and all horses have that power, even if they don't CHOOSE to use it. 
 
Horses do what we ask because 1) they work well in partnership with humans, and 2) we have selectively bred those who work best in partnership with humans to augment that trait.  Kat is 100% right that if a horse truly decides not to go over a jump, there is nothing a rider can do short of trussing him up and lifting him over it with a crane to FORCE him to do it.  Skilled riders can certainly overcome a great deal of reluctance on the horse's part--but they cannot overcome a flat refusal.
 
Heidi



I am sorry but if horses did exactly as they please they would still be wild animals.
that is silly to suggest they do exactly as they please/
Lucinda

Trailrite@xxxxxxx wrote:
In a message dated 7/27/2006 11:39:08 AM Pacific Daylight Time, katswig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
p.s.  I am still somewhat surprised (although I suppose I shouldn't be) by the number of people who are sufficiently conceited about their own power that they think horses have no say in what they do.  Your horse is bigger, stronger, and faster than you are...he does exactly and only what he damned well pleases.  Horses only comply with our own requests because they are good natured (granted, they have been genetically selected for this).
I'm not sure what your saying here.  Your saying that horses have a choice to be ridden or not to be ridden by there size, strength & speed? 
 
Tammy Robinson
Trail-Rite
18171 Lost Creek Road
Saugus, CA 91390
661/513-9269 office 661/513-9206 fax
661/713-3912 cell
NEW UPDATES AND DESIGNS!
http://www.trail-rite.com/ Trail-Rite Products



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