From: Hal Sikes
[â?¦]
As to the Stallions being in portable stalls your Gelding would knock
down, that speaks directly to their character and training. Name me
another breed where you can have 20 or more Stallions on the same hitching
post without major problems.
==========
Socialization in a herd environment works wonders for encouraging the
disposition and ability to mix well with others for the vast majority of
horses, regardless of gender. While it helps to socialize the horse as a
youngster, this can also be accomplished with the more mature horse.
For example, mixing in the herd as a younger horse teaches manners,
particularly to studly colts (or even fillies) turned out with alpha mares
and the â?okidâ? learns what â?oNOâ? means. Horses living in a less
socialized environment (for example, primarily stall life) â?" or living
with a human handler not respected as herd boss - tend to be more
vulnerable to having unacceptable behavior. Where you can find a horse in
dire need of manners rehabilitation is when the youngster has been raised
in an environment where he or she is essentially taught there is no need
to respect others in the herd or the human handlers.
There are still QH breeders (primarily working stock, like prospects as
cutters, working cow horse, reiners, etc.) who run herds of colts together
until they are 2 or so, then start culling the least promising future
riders from the herd. Those uncut young stallions learn acceptable herd
behavior in the herd, and that carries over to mixing well with others in
other environments if that early experience is reinforced.
Obviously the well mannered horse is needed for MSAR, and good manners
includes mixing well with other horses. Since discussion veered off to
stallions, Iâ?Tll mention that since many folks donâ?Tt have well
socialized and well mannered stallions â?" tend to keep them isolated,
with little or no herd interaction â?" studs are commonly not considered
good prospects for MSAR and the MSAR organization may have a written rule
prohibiting stallions. Humans have created this situation of stallions
being considered unreliable mixed with others, and commonly that is now
correct.
- - - - - -
Jorene Downs
SAR & CERT
Mounted SAR
www.ceoates.com/msar
_______________________________________________
MSAR-Riders mailing list
MSAR-Riders@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/msar-riders
Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.