ridecamp@endurance.net: Spooky arabs

Spooky arabs

Mark & Karen Willmus (willmus@runestone.net)
Tue, 11 Mar 1997 23:56:32 -0600

I laugh when I hear about spooky Arabs because we have a strain, here, who
are bordering on lazy. For example, we're talking a two-year old stud colt
who would prefer not to canter for over five minutes. Nothing wrong with
him, but he eats like a pig, and is something of a couch potato.

Also had an Arab mare and gelding when I was a kid who were barely green
broke when I started riding them at the age of 12. The mare was kind of
jumpy until she got to be ten or so, but the gelding was always mellow.

Right now I have an Arab gelding from the Khemosabi line who can put on the
act, but who isn't actually spooky (ie. he doesn't have a problem with
anything when he's loose in the pasture.)

What I see in Arabs as compared to quarter horses and "colder" breeds
(don't know anything about Walkers or Paso Finos, but I would think the
Pasos would be just as "hot" as Arabs) is that Arabs REACT so much quicker.
They're generally tighter, smaller and quicker horses than - let's say a
heavily muscled 16 hand Appaloosa - and they're also very perceptive, which
is why many people have problems training them, I think.

Sooo.. when on a trail ride with my Khemo gelding alongside a 16 hand
palomino mare, the gelding suddenly sees something and veers, leaving the
mare saying..."What! What! What'd you see? Ooh... THAT!" and the
gelding's recovered before the mare even had a chance to figure out what he
was looking at. I mean, she just doesn't notice things.

By the way, when the 16 hand palomino mare does spook... she does it up
right. But because her reactions are always slower, it's easier to feel it
coming. Kind of like driving a school bus versus a Honda.

It's late and there's my two cents for the night...

Karen Willmus

willmus@runestone.net

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