kicking

[Rosiefan]

One of the trainers at Cheltenham said on telly today that you can stop a horse kicking you by pulling it's tail - is this true? I'm not sure I'd be prepared to walk along behind trying it

What do you think?

 

[rrose]

never heard of that. so no idea.

 

[peterthepony]

Ok ive never heard of it stopping them from kicking you!

 

[vieshot]

I saw that, i think he was just refering to the particular horse that he was talking about

 

[carthorse]

If you hold a horse's tail while grooming etc. you can sometimes feel a warning twitch run down the tail but you would have to be quick to avoid it and if you step away I think it is often worse than being close

 

[Christmas_Kate]

It's something they used to do years ago, something to do with being able to feel the horse about to kick. Another method used years ago (I don't know if it still is) was to tie one of the front legs up in the air (rope over a beam), so you could treat the horse without risk of getting kicked.

 

[Rosiefan]

That sounds quite drastic - think I'd just stay out of the way

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

I have to have someone hold one of rocks legs up when i clip his legs so he cant try and kick me - sounds like a similar theory, nothing particularly cruel about it?

Back to OP, i also saw that on tv and was a bit confused as to why he held its tail when he walked behind lol

 

[Rosiefan]

Walking behind sounds quite brave IMO

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Lol thats what he said though, said he was good in the stable but he had to hold his tail to go round the back of him - found it a bemusing comment, be interesting to know if there was something in it or an old wives tale lol excuse the pun!