To wear a red ribbon or not?

[avthechav]

I wear a red ribbon on av's tail when hunting and competing. She came to me as a kicker but since I have had her she has NEVER kicked anyone whilst being ridden (She will have a pop when being led though if she gets the chance). However I am extremely careful with her, ride at the back, dont get caught in a crowd, politely verbal about keeping people away e.t.c. She sometimes tenses when people get close but recently she has got loads better with other horses. Some people take no notice of the red ribbon but I feel that it is a warning and they then share responsibility if Av kicks out.

On Saturday when out hunting a few people asked me if she really did kick, and I explained why I wear it. It was also implied in some hunting guide that I read this week that you should ONLY wear red if your horse is a proven kicker. My view is that it is better to wear red before your horse has 'proven itself as a kicker'.

So red on the tail or not, What do you think?

 

[MerryMAL]

I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[popsicle]

Keep the ribbon on, then at least others should keep their distance and if they don't, then they were warned!

 

[chester1234]

Red in the tail. Little Ginger Pone goes out with red as he can get excitable in the first 40mins and may flybuck. He did this out on his first occasion [where I didn't know what he'd do] and caught someone, and then got the reputation as a kicker. I then put red in his tail, and he's been fine since. People always ask why if he has red in the rail I ride him up front or in the middle of the field and I explain that after the first 40minutes he's fine.
i had one young friend go up his ar*e though and he did take objection, and her mother just looked at her and said "it has red in it's tail, it's your own fault!" Which I thought was fair. Maybe put green in her tail, as then people tend to give you a wide berth as well.

FWIW, I know someone that hunts her impeccably mannered cob with a red ribbon, because people kept using his bum as airbrakes and pulling his back shoes off and she got sick of having to replace them.

 

[Bubblegum]

Definitely wear the red ribbon. You will get far more abuse if your horse DOES kick someone...and he hasn't got a red ribbon...than you do if your horse doesn't kick...but has a red ribbon.
Explain nothing...say he does kick...and then you have everything covered.
I speak from bitter experience!!!

 

[Rowreach]

Unfortunately out hunting you may think you are out of the way/keeping at the back, and then they all turn round and come charging at you, and suddenly you are at the front and being overtaken by muppets

My 14yo hunter has never forgotten being used as a brake by a fat lady on a fat cob when he was only 4 years old

She crashed into his left quarter, and to this day he will buck out to the left if anyone comes charging up behind him. I always put a red ribbon on him, and I always have half an eye over my left shoulder

Sometimes I think wing mirrors and a sign on my back saying "Keep Right!" might have more effect though

 

[Super_starz]

I wore i red ribbon last winter as some idiot ran into us in a warm up and after that if horses got to close, he would panic.

I was told by a few people that you shouldnt wear one as if another horse did get kicked you would be 'admitting liability', but i always found people stayed well away if i wore the ribbon!

 

[MandyMoo]

i would wear the ribbon...better safe than sorry!

and atleast if she does kick out at someone, they can't moan as the warning was there, they just chose to ignore it! xx

 

[625]

We always send ours out hunting with red ribbon on, as a beware to others and also I dont want them be used as brakes by others!! One of ours was kicked on Saturday by one without a red ribbon resulting in a trip to the vets and stitches in his leg (poor boy) I myself am a red ribbon fan and would definitely say use yours far better to be safe than sorry.

 

[livetoride]

I suppose the trouble is that if everyone wore a red ribbon "just in case" it would cease to mean anything.

 

[avthechav]

Great everyone, thats what I wanted to hear....the red ribbon stays!

Talavera and Rowreach- I know exactly what u mean, i felt av twitch the other day (bless her) looked round and someone was so close their horse's head was touching her bum. This person was a hunting person and a pony club mum, i said in s fairly panicy voice 'Please stay back I've got a red ribbon for a reason' and she said 'Oh i know, but my horse just wont stop pulling till he reaches the front!!'

(I thought that he prob would stop if he had a TB hoofprint in his head!)- I was also at the back!!

Stupidwaldo- this was precisely the reason i started wearing one a comps, dont u just love warm ups!

625- thats awful and me and Av have our fingers (and hooves) crossed for ur horses speedy recovery

 

[MagicMelon]

I dont think you should ONLY wear a red ribbon if your horse is a proven kicker. I have worn a red ribbon in youngsters tails in the past at their first few shows if they feel a bit defensive. I think its way safer to be careful.