Why can't adults take things on face value??

cai said:
That's the point, it needn't if people would just do as asked, I would get arrested if I just started hugging their kids, people would be very annoyed if I just marched up to their dogs and stroked them (and I would probably get bitten eventually). She doesn't need to get over it, it's a rare ocurrance obviously or I would not have been so surprised!

I've had her nearly 9 years and this incident was sufficient of a surprise for me to share so clearly in those 9 years it has not been much of an issue. And if I wanted to 'fix it' how irresponsible would I be to use inexperienced unsuspecting people in the street to desensitise her?
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You would also be (maybe not arrested) but in trouble if you left a child in a room to eat from a bucket on the floor and expected it to use the floor as a toilet :) but horses are not children :)

I have no issue with people patting my dogs, if I thought my dogs would bite I would not have them in public unmuzzled.

People are going to try to pat your horse when you are out all I am saying is surely it would be better for her to get over this fear (obviously under controlled sessions) than for this to stress her.
 
To be honest if the op doesnt want people stroking her horse she shouldnt have to, i am not snobby or stuck up but dont encourage people to approach me mostly because i am an antisocial sod.

I always have in the back of my mind as well that as we are now a suing society if the horse spooked or injured someone it would lead to action being brought against me.

My dad has pointers they are usually jumping about too much and when fit can pretend they have never seen a person i have young horses just broken again dont encourage it just in case, we do have a couple of steady ones thats ok with them, but i do think about potential situations. If you have given the go ahead ans stopped and encouraged people to stroke the horse that then spooked or stood on them i am sure you would be liable.

My parents used to have a riding school my dad had a hunter stabled there he used to bite alot myself and all my siblings have scars on our heads where we ran under his stable door and he picked us up by the head, as they had to keep telling people to stay clear they put a sign up explaining he bit twice as many people went near and were bitten they had to take it down.

Its human nature if you tell someone not to do it they want to be the one to prove you wrong.
 
cai said:
That's the point, it needn't if people would just do as asked, I would get arrested if I just started hugging their kids, people would be very annoyed if I just marched up to their dogs and stroked them (and I would probably get bitten eventually). She doesn't need to get over it, it's a rare ocurrance obviously or I would not have been so surprised!

I've had her nearly 9 years and this incident was sufficient of a surprise for me to share so clearly in those 9 years it has not been much of an issue. And if I wanted to 'fix it' how irresponsible would I be to use inexperienced unsuspecting people in the street to desensitise her?
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Your absolutely right that people should listen to you - I once had a small child jumping up and down in a puddle directly behind my new thug of a warmblood and when I pointed out the danger to the parent I got a sniffy response like I was being unreasonable and mean.

However - wouldn't it be nice for your mare to find out that it can actually be enjoyable being touched? Also your circumstances may change and you may not be able to keep her and this fear would certainly make her life and prospects a lot harder. If we love our horses my personal belief is that it is our duty to help them get over these types of issues if we can.
 
sussexbythesea thanks, she does get used to people eventually, I did try when she was younger but she absolutly detestes it, she gets to know people quite quickly.

I have thought of this, my OH says I dwell on what if! Financially I have my partner and parents who (touch wood) would never see me part with Beau (long story but she and Lottie have saved my sanity in a big way and possibly my life and were with me through part of a massive incident and my family owes her a lot), if I was ever long term injured she would adapt with some help to be my RDA horse and I have a competative BSJA home lined up if the worst ever happened to me, they know her and would home her in the competative field if they needed to part with her where she can be loved and cuddled at home and left to get on with it at shows. She knows potential BSJA family well and sees them regularly (I do think about this too much don't I!).

I also have a sharer, we do each others horses all the time so illness and short term injury is covered by her other 2 legged mommy and my OH!

If she was permenantly crook she would be my pet and friend. Seriously I have tried and I owe this horse such a lot. She's so brave when she has to be handled by strangers.

Interesting how these threads develop!
 
I think it's great that you have thought ahead. My horse and other animals are all provided for in my will and I have various contingency plans to keep them if I lose my job or someother disaster strikes (have various friends spare fields in mind :D). Whenever I consider getting an animal I think all those things you have because for me their long-term welfare is paramount although sometimes you just have to take a bit of a gamble and hope for the best. :)
 
Yep! Know exactly what you're talking about, frustrates me no end.

Had a funny situation with a mare we used to own, lovely to ride and was fine once you were standing next to her, but when you walked past her stable she'd fly at you over the stable door with all her teeth bared.

Anyway, I was about 15? Had some friends over, and one boy thought he'd see just how quick this horse could move despite my warnings.

Needles to say she got him, she got him good. The 3rd time he ran past her stable she got him on the face! Headbutt and a bite! Owch! I think his pride was more affected by the whole thing. I was p*ssing myself laughing, served him right for upsetting our poor horse!
 
nikkimariet said:
Yep! Know exactly what you're talking about, frustrates me no end.

Had a funny situation with a mare we used to own, lovely to ride and was fine once you were standing next to her, but when you walked past her stable she'd fly at you over the stable door with all her teeth bared.

Anyway, I was about 15? Had some friends over, and one boy thought he'd see just how quick this horse could move despite my warnings.

Needles to say she got him, she got him good. The 3rd time he ran past her stable she got him on the face! Headbutt and a bite! Owch! I think his pride was more affected by the whole thing. I was p*ssing myself laughing, served him right for upsetting our poor horse!
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I would never allow this which is just taunting and winding the horse up.

I do however remember being that horsemad little girl stood by the side of the road watching the horse walk past and longing to stroke it.
 
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One lovely, polite young lady (who rides at a local riding school, apparently) came over and asked if she might say hello to our horses after their ride on the beach the other evening. She got more than she bargained for when I shoved the lead rope at her and set off after my JRT, who had excused herself from sitting on the lorry ramp and gone off to say hello to a couple of labradors!

My horse is very gentle and my son was right next to her with his horse - but she was a bit surprised to be landed with the job of holding, not just stroking!

We chatted properly once doglet was repositioned...
 
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