|
 |
|
Photo By: Marilyn Merrick |
Stories From
Craig Cameron
True Story -
Kicking Mare
There was a lady
who wanted to
come to one of
my horsemanship
clinics, but she
didn't think she
could because
her mare kicked
badly. She
could not ride
her horse in
public. I told
her to bring the
horse and if I
could not fix
her, the lady
wouldn't have to
pay.
I put the horse
in the round pen
and prepared her
for hobbling
with the
leg-yielding
exercises. By
the time I was
done, I could
get the mare to
lead by any of
her four feet.
I then
hobble-broke her
and eventually
put on a set of
sideline hobbles
(soft, cotton
hobbles that
attach a front
leg to its
corresponding
hind leg).
I rode in on my
horse and
circled the
mare. I flagged
her and she
tried to kick,
but the sideline
hobbles
prevented her
from doing so.
I got close to
her, rubbed her
and she finally
realized she
could tolerate
me being around
her.
The mare found
that the herd
was a good thing
again. She went
back to her
natural
instincts and
worked within
the herd
situation. She
turned loose,
relaxed and
stopped being
dominant,
aggressive and
protective.
Her owner then
was able to ride
her in the
clinic in the
midst of other
horses. When I
looked over at
the lady on her
horse, I found
her grinning
from ear to ear.
Excerpt from:
RIDE SMART by
Craig Cameron
with Kathy Swan.
Pages 118
Published by
Western
Horseman. |
