On Feb 7, 2008, at 1:28 PM, Karen Thomas wrote: >>>>> But that ride showed me that Rosa, who had been an annoyingly >>>>> pissy >>>>> mare for the slower NATRC Novice rides, *did* have the "heart" for >>>>> he >>>>> longer distances and more challenging trails. > > > I don't care to put my horses through situations where they are > "annoyingly > pissy" just to compete in sports that *I* want to do. >
Rosa was extremely hormonal, always in heat, and didn't like to have people starting at her -- as in judges in NATRC. She *really* hated the show ring with the spectators. But she liked the trail (as long as she wasn't being stared at) and never needed to be touched by my heels or a quirt (and never was). I'd just make a kissy sound and she would go down the trail, ears forward, until I said whoa. In Peruvian lingo she had brio (willingness to work) -- other breeds call it heart. Lynn Kinsky, Santa Ynez, CA http://www.silcom.com/~lkinsky/
