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  • From: Una Smith <una@lanl.gov>
  • To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [MSAR] Horse with a good mind
  • Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 09:21:00 -0600

I have been doing a lot of riding lately. The violent summer
monsoon storms (dangerous lightening, downpours, flash floods
in arroyos) have passed and the days are gorgeous: sunny and
cool. Aspens are turning now; cottonwoods are still to come.
Fall flowers are blooming.

On the last ride, 4 hours in all, after 2 hours I took off my
mare's bridle so she could graze whenever we stopped. The rest
of the ride she wore halter and one rein (the lead rope), and
most of the time the rein was hung on the saddle horn, not in
my hand. As some readers here know, she is a recently retired
polo pony and still learning how to be a trail horse. A year
ago, she did not understand the concept of a trail, and had to
be steered to stay on one. Now she understands! I can ride
almost any trail while putting my hands and attention to other
tasks: read the map or GPS or compass, write in my notebook,
talk on the radio or phone, eat and drink, put on and take off
rain slicker etc. She will cross trail obstacles such as water
or fallen trees without my steering her by any means. Means
being reins, seat, or legs.

Before I experienced it for myself, I never would have thought
horses have so much to learn about traveling, on or off trails.

I'd like to hear about your training challenges and successes.

Una Smith
Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse, in New Mexico





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