ridecamp@endurance.net: SNAKES, how to prepare?

SNAKES, how to prepare?

Janet Baca (bacaj@hotmail.com)
Sun, 04 May 1997 15:01:40 PDT

Hi Bob:

On April 30 you wrote:
Subject: Re: SNAKES, how to prepare?
-- [ From: ROBERT J MORRIS * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

Interesting that the subject of snakes arose.

We have found, much to our surprise, that our horses appear to
discer between the poisonous and non-poisonous snakes.
Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID

A friend and I did some mountain riding on Saturday and after a very nice
conditioning ride up some 3,000' turned around to go home. We got about halfway
down the jeep trail I heard that old familiar sound tch, tch, tch, tch, tch,
after we walked by. A little adrenalin came up into our hearts but the horses
did not even flinch. The Australian Shepherd let out one bark about 20' after
we passed the sound. We both laughed and went on. After going down the jeep
trail another 1/4 mile my girlfriend Claudia starts jumping around in the saddle
and her horse starts bumping into my horse and my horse decides to get closer to
the cliff, oh fun! The dog, Panda, is barking viciously running back and forth
and I'm just trying to find out what's happening. I hear that old familiar tch,
tch, tch, ....again so I really look hard and find Mr.Timber Rattlesnake along
the side of the road within striking distance of Claudia's horse. I kick my
horse to go forward and we just trotted a few steps to get on the other side of
the ruckus. After Claudia sees the snake she calmly walks past the snake on
horseback and the dog follows. The snake never attempted to strike and the
horses never got nervous because of the snake. They were confused because of
the ruckus we were making on their backs and were waiting for instructions. The
addage that the horses know whether they are poisonous didn't hold true in our
case. My Arab has seen lots of rattlesnakes but has never attempted to jump,
shy or do anything. My old mustang however knew exactly what they were and
would not go near them if he heard the rattle. We had a good bit excitement
yesterday! BTW, the dog has learned not to get within striking distance
finally!
Janet Baca
e-mail: bacaj@hotmail.com

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