This message is from: "Rebecca Mayer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Just a few comments from one who usually lurks:
re accidents--No human can participate in sports without sometimes falling
or having an accident, so why should horses be expected to be perfect.
There is
always a risk.
re concussions--having treated a lot of people with brain damage from
accidents--riding, car, skiing--I would say that it is very important to
let the brain recover after an accident involving a concussion and not risk
another bump during the next few months. Multiple concussions--each
relatively mild--can result in permanent damage of a most distressing
kind. This happened to a friend of mine--mostly falling off her bike-- and
she is permanently disabled. I see quite a few people after automobile
accidents who do not realize that the problems with memory, concentration
and depression that they are having 6 months later are from a concussion.
re the driving accident mentioned--I had the same thought as the person
who felt the pushing of the cart may have startled the horse--we live
on a mountain and have to train very carefully for the weight of the cart
going downhill--we usually start with an empty cart. Most of the horses
react initially. I started driving my mare after a long time of disuse and
got the britching too tight and my what a reaction! Thankfully she
is very sensitive as I only had a snaffle bit and she was miffed.
re bailing out--Yes I have when the horse took off into the woods. We
were ok, horse was ok, cart was repaired--other horses running in the
field spooked her. We decided she was not a driving horse as it was not
a short bolt.
re training--I don't back before age 3, but a lot of training goes on before
this. I am concerned when I read about horses that have not been ridden
being jumped on and ridden--primarily because I think we need to consider
that their back muscles are not in condition and they may pay for their
kindness to us. Would you like to carry a heavy pack up a mountain
with no chance to get in condition first?
