Re: Dangerous Trails

[Jim Mitchell <navion@lightspeed.net>]

RUN4BEAR wrote:
> 
> I rode my own horses down the Grand Canyon a few years ago.  They were
> essentially greenies (did they first 50 two weeks later).  I was scared
> shitless.  The guide assured me horses didn't want to fall and that they did
> not have the fear of heights that I did. .... I learned that horses are sane
> enough to take care of you. 

   I have to disagree with the last statement. I rode a TB in 5 endurance rides, she may 
not have had a fear of heights but her self preservation instinct wasn't good enough 
for me. She stepped backwards off a narrow trail when she got scared and flipped over 
backwards, luckily I rolled off the side and was not hurt. She flipped over backwards 
twice more trying to lead her out of the canyon she fell into. Amazingly she walked out 
of the stiffness and we did another 50 3 weeks later. However I never felt safe on her 
again and sold her back into the hunter world where she is happily contained inside a 
ring on flat ground.

Jim Mitchell