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Discussion on Trustworthy trail horse goes berserk...smells tigers?
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Beth Gordon
Member
Username: Bethyg2
Post Number: 89
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2005 - 4:54 pm: |   |
My 11 yr old paint is never bothered by cars, trucks, tractors, dogs, cats, chain saws, ATVs, etc. He goes out for light trail riding 4 to six times a week, and we vary the 3 trails available to us. I trust this horse very much. He can be strong so he isn't a kid's horse but doesn't spook or act nutty. Sunday, I had some time so I decided to keep him out a little longer than usual. (Normally 1 1/2 hours) We were just an hour into the ride, and just about 200 yards past the point where we normally turn around, when he started acting weird- rearing, crow hopping, prancing and bucking. Then, he stopped, smelled the air, and bucked me with all his strength. His hindquarters actually contacted the back of my cowboy hat. I could barely stay on. Traffic stopped to watch the spectacle.I tried the john Lyons one rein thing but he just jerked th other way. After 5 minutes I finally got to use my emergency dismount - I vaulted off just as he stepped into the road with cars coming. But it didn't stop- he continued bucking and rearing and it was all I could do to hold onto the reins. He dragged me through the dirt back and forth, he looked terrorized. He did NOT calm down, so with some volunteer spectators I moved him down the road to some grass where I thought he'd calm down by grazing (with the bit, but I was desparate.)I was able to take off the saddle, check it, check his back, but I ended up walking him halfway home. When I got too tired, I got back up and he was fine. I later learned that the house that this occurred in front of keeps 2 bengal tigers on 10 acres along w/ other big cats. I saw other horses pass this home w/ no problem. Could it be a deviation from his routine? or the smell of big cats? (I smelled nothing but am not a horse!)I am contemplating having a professional ride him in the same direction to see if he does the same thing. Any thoughts on how to handle this, if at all, would be appreciated.-Beth |
joj
Member
Username: Jojo15
Post Number: 521
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2005 - 5:36 pm: | |
Holy moly... batman.. is this the guy that has a bunch of tigers. One got loose last christmas, roamed the area, and the law enforcement guy who found him panicked and shot him?
I bet it was the smell of the tiger. The last true remaining predator to a horse. I remember at my old barn. 70 stalls of horses went nuts, a guy brought a baby panther cub to the pool area. 1/2 an acre away. But it didn't matter that the horses were in their own area, comfort zone and everything, and still went nuts. never saw the thing just smelled it.
Beth, are you ok? shaken up i bet. and sore...I would def. get a trainer to take him thru it, otherwise you can never go that direction...Is he ok now? i bet he's sore too...
Would driving him by the property in a trailer, lesson the impact? or just a bad idea?
jojo |
Cheryl Hohler
Member
Username: Chohler
Post Number: 79
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2005 - 5:47 pm: | |
maybe you could ask the people with the tigers if they have an article of material or something that has been with or rubbed on the tigers, that you could use to try and desensitize your horse with.
I had to do this with big game for my pack horses.
Use it to sack your horse out with in a controlled environment. If he won't let you get close you could put it close to the corral or tie it to the fence where your horse gets water. They have to drink sometime. |
Christos Axis
Member
Username: Christos
Post Number: 624
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2005 - 5:50 pm: | |
Beth!
Bengal tigers? I'd buck you off and run home...
Seriously now, if it was only because of the tigers (had he had a way of knowing what a tiger is, how it smells and what it does for a living) he'd take off for home, he wouldn't put up a show on the spot.
It sounds more like being angry with passing his turnaround point, then of course the smell of the cats could have amplified his objections.
Try to violate this limit of his on one of the other two trails and see what happens. Better with another horse or a friend on a bicycle leading for the first time. |
Liliana Velasco Ariza
Member
Username: Liliana
Post Number: 206
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2005 - 5:54 pm: | |
You see what makes me wonder if indeed it was the big cats, which of course seems to be the obvious, is that you mentioned that it is your normal trail?!
Could there have been something else near by, my mare was terrified of pigs, or dead birds on the road, believe it or not another really extra calm shire x TB that we had would panic at the sight of a red puppy flower...
Just a thought...
Liliana |
Cheryl Hohler
Member
Username: Chohler
Post Number: 80
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2005 - 5:56 pm: | |
He might have seen something also. Walmart sometimes has large stuffed animals that are big cats you could also use this as a visual desensitizer, and audio tapes of any big cats talking played for 20 minutes or more each day or often will help, big cats sometimes make noises that are hard to hear that horses don't like. |
Cheryl Hohler
Member
Username: Chohler
Post Number: 81
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2005 - 5:59 pm: | |
I've come across mountain lion, and bear trails and fresh scat in the mountains that spooked my trail worthy horse big time....
deer, elk, varmints, sheep, cattle, nothing happens.
I have to continualy sack my horse out with a cat skin and a bear skin, it's easy enough to spot sign for further desensitizing. It helps but he still needs refresher sacking. |
Liliana Velasco Ariza
Member
Username: Liliana
Post Number: 207
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2005 - 6:29 pm: | |
Hey I just remembered another thing that happened to me at one time, my also trustworthy angel threw a wobly unexplicably and what happened was that it got stung by a big hornet. ouch |
Holly Wood
Member
Username: Hwood
Post Number: 563
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2005 - 6:57 pm: | |
Beth, have you gone further past that point on other rides with no problem?
I don't know where you are located, and I know it is too cold in some places for ground bees to be active this time of year, but could bees be a possibility? If not, I am betting it is the smell or sight of a big cat.
I once saw a whole group of docile summer camp horses go haywire when a moose sauntered through their pasture. The horses were terrified, and getting them down to camp that morning was quite an ordeal. Moose aren't horse predators, but I have been told by one French Canadian farmer/logger that he watched a bull moose kill and maim some horses once during rutting season, so . . . there are built-in self-preservation reactions that our horses have, and that may have been what your horse was displaying. Ideally, we want our horses to be trained well enough to override those reactions when we are working with them . . . for OUR safety as well as theirs.
I may be wrong, but I am betting that Cheryl's assumption is correct, and her techniques may be worth trying . . . at least it would clue you in to whether or not the big cats are an issue. |
Imogen Bertin
Member
Username: Imogen
Post Number: 620
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Feb 22, 2005 - 8:24 am: | |
Ask for some tiger shit, put it in the yard and see if the horses react to it (if you want to know if it was the tigers or the change in routine...)
Imogen |
Angie Judson
Member
Username: Ajudson1
Post Number: 160
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Feb 22, 2005 - 8:39 am: | |
Beth,
You say he "smelled the air" then bucked more. Sounds like he got confused and thought you were the cat on his back and he was going home no matter what! I think his instincts just took over at that point.
I always figure if a horse that's usually good on the trails has a problem there's a good reason for it. It may not make sense to us, but if I'm riding alone (which is usually the case) I listen to my horse. Usually we can just turn around and calmly go home.
You sure can be proud of your riding skills, sounds like you made the 8 seconds!  (W*W)
I'd just take him for walks that way along with doing the desensitizing Cheryl mentioned.
Keep us posted....geez, lions and tigers and bears O my.......
That reminds me of something....when we first moved here (the U.P. of MI) my husband and I were on our usual loop we rode. I was probably 20 feet behind him. As we were crossing a field I saw something at the opening of the woods trail. I tried to get hubbys attention but he was looking off the other way. I swore I saw a panther! But being new to the area (grew up in farm country in MN) I figured I'd never hear the end of it if I mentioned that's what I thought I saw. Years later I found out that there was indeed a panther loose up here, some guy actually captured it on video. It had escaped from some traveling show that came thru the area.
THAT'S why I listen to my horse!!
Angie |
Beth Gordon
Member
Username: Bethyg2
Post Number: 90
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005 - 3:51 pm: | |
Wow, guys, all good advice. I've gotten a lot of mileage w/ the story- someone stopped me in the feed store to tell me they heard I had become a cowboy...ha. I was scared to death! How people can intentionally get on bucking horses or bulls is beyond me- my problem is that I didn't get off after 8 seconds cause all I could think of was to hold on! I am still mentally recovering.This is a horse I would have trusted in ANY situation! It just shakes you to the core. If he got that weird, any horse can.
I can't understand this situation at all. I actually believe that the horse just got miffed that I pushed him past his usual turning back point and he just went nuts. How can he even know what a tiger is? I am SURE he has never seen or smelled one before. I didn't see any bee stings but I'm not sure that I would. He's had several bad bug bites and no bad behavior resulted. In any case, it was totally unacceptable behavior which nearly killed me, tiger scent or not. I am having a professional who specializes in behavioral problems come and evaluate the horse in the same area where he went crazy. I hope that he just does nothing, and that this was an isolated incident. But I will not be on him when and if he has a recurrence...will update when I get this rider to come out.
Jojo- this woman who has these tigers also has an array of other large cats. She has non-profit sanctuary status. Not the same guy whose tiger got shot in Loxahachee. This one is in Wellington. Gosh, if I'd wanted to live next to 600 lb predatory cats I'd have moved to India or Siberia! There really should be a law....I live about 4 or 5 miles down the road from her.Our local gators are really enough excitement for me. Tigers should not be one of my issues!!!
-Beth |
Liselotte F. Bradford
Member
Username: Lilo
Post Number: 135
Registered: 4-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005 - 6:10 pm: | |
Beth,
I hope you find out what set your trusty trailhorse off. Either one of my horses might have reacted similarly to an unexpected sight or smell. Our horses had to get used to Llamas, for instance. Where we ride, there are Llamas and sometimes they just have to run up to the fence to get close to the horses. Goats were not instantly accepted, either.
On a recent trailride, two elk bulls came suddenly out of the oak brush and crossed the road ahead of us. A beautiful sight, but the first horse in line (a very trustworthy trailhorse) got spooked. He did not do anything bad, just stood there with his heart pounding (his rider said: heart going 90 miles a minute!).
I guess the point I am trying to make - no matter how experienced, under certain circumstances a horse can react strongly to something unexpected. On the other hand, it could have been the combination of being pushed farther from home, and some weird smell ...
I'll be curious how this goes with the trainer .. will be looking for the update.
Lilo |
Beth Gordon
Member
Username: Bethyg2
Post Number: 91
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 12:18 pm: | |
Anyone watch CNN last night? Someone's 600 lb tiger was shot dead in a park, in back of an elementary school, near a residential neighborhood in California. I mean, I am a big believer in people getting to do whatever they want with their land, but tigers? I keep thinking now one day I will look out my kitchen window and see a tiger stalking my horse.....or minis...or worse my children.(law of averages says one day one will escape). What kind of wingnut has a hobby that WILL, if given 1/4 a chance, eat you? Who keeps tigers in a residential neighborhood? It is zoned Ag/res, and is only 10 acres. What if my hobby was nuclear fusion? Do I get to do it in my garage? What a selfish woman.....Sorry, just had to vent.  -Beth |
Beth Gordon
Member
Username: Bethyg2
Post Number: 92
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 12:20 pm: | |
Anyone watch CNN last night? Someone's 600 lb tiger was shot dead in a park, in back of an elementary school, near a residential neighborhood in California. I mean, I am a big believer in people getting to do whatever they want with their land, but tigers? I keep thinking now one day I will look out my kitchen window and see a tiger stalking my horse.....or minis...or worse my children.(law of averages says one day one will escape). What kind of wingnut has a hobby that WILL, if given 1/4 a chance, eat you? Who keeps tigers in a residential neighborhood? It is zoned Ag/res, and is only 10 acres. What if my hobby was nuclear fusion? Do I get to do it in my garage? What a selfish woman.....Sorry, just had to vent. -Beth |
Beth Gordon
Member
Username: Bethyg2
Post Number: 93
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 12:21 pm: | |
oops- sorry Dr O-my computer is also misbehaving, like my horse. |
Sue G
Member
Username: Warwick
Post Number: 120
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 1:01 pm: | |
Thanks for the chuckle, Beth. Do-it-yourself nuclear fusion, eh? |
Cheryl Hohler
Member
Username: Chohler
Post Number: 92
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 1:46 pm: | |
It's funny what people think is ok, well not funny but you know......
Kinda like wolves and wolf dogs,or the pit bull that will never hurt anyone.
I'd definitly like to hear what the trainer thinks. Who know's what it was that set your horse off. Hopefully it was an isolated incident.
Tigers are an interest training oppourtunity though. I spend alot of time in the mountains packing all kinds of things so I try to expose my horses to as many things as I can possible find.
The scariest/funniest incident was with my friends up hunting and a bull moose thought my friends horse was pretty hot looking...... We had to bail, and the horse made it back to camp. We were very lucky that the horse was ok but, you should have seen the look on my friends face and the horse's too. That big black thing wants to do what?????
Sorry not really relative to the post but thought I'd share it. |
Fran Cilella
Member
Username: Canter
Post Number: 190
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 1:56 pm: | |
Sadly, Beth, the tiger incident in CA is not the first of some idiot keeping a big cat as a pet. Not that long ago, I think in NY city (!!), someone's "kitty" (I think a tiger or a panther) turned on him, causing serious injury. When the police looked into the incident, the cat was not the only exotic animal found in the small apartment. Friends of mine who were in NY City over Thanksgiving claim to have seen a Cheetah suning itself in someone's window.
Can't imagine how anyone who claims to love these animals could keep them so out of their natural habitat...or, when Fluffy the lion grows up, just turn it loose. I saw the news reports and although I'm very saddened that that CA tiger had to be destroyed, what's mind blowing to me is that all the sanctuaries that are set up to rescue these cats from the idiots are completely full!! Scary and very sad to think about how many of these beautiful animals are out there, not being properly cared for, and posing a potential risk for others.
...OK...my apologies for venting as well....
Fran |
joj
Member
Username: Jojo15
Post Number: 522
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 3:40 pm: | |
Beth,
when i was property searching out by us (sorry guys you might not see the funniness) i couldn't understand why Loxahatchee groves homes were cheaper than the acreage. I mean same developers, same acreage, same everything. Till one day the realtor made a comment that most of loxahatchee groves backs up to lion country safari...
eeee gads... can you imagine? after a hurricane? forget it. i didn't care how cheap the housing was, i wasn't about to take a chance that one day a tiger might, or might not get loose. Or a stampede of angry rhinos. how about a few elephants trotting down the street... hmm...
I do feel that anyone can do what they please. As long as it doesn't Harm another. or create an undo safety issue. Like i posted earlier some guys tiger got out. And although he said he was a big kitty... the law enforcement shot him where he lay. and i really don't see anything wrong with that, except for the poor animal dead because of a person's exotic tastes...
joj |
Colleen Goolsby
Member
Username: Goolsby
Post Number: 287
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 4:12 pm: | |
I think they should have tranquilized the tiger and shot the owner. If they did that a few times in these situations, I think people would take their responsibility more seriously. |
Angie Judson
Member
Username: Ajudson1
Post Number: 162
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 7:18 pm: | |
I second Colleen's comment. I can't stand the thought of animals suffering when it's the owners who are,______ well, fill in the word you think fits best!!
Anyone who owns any animal outa the ordinary should be required by law to let their neighbors know what they have. Then at least when we're out riding we know what we might encounter.
O jeez Cheryl, I hope we never meet any Macho moose on the trails.....funny but scary. |
Brandi Reinert
Member
Username: Brandi
Post Number: 21
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 7:33 pm: | |
Colleen, I'm with you! Let the consequences fall on the one who deserves it, not the innocent victem. |
Lisa Giannetta
Member
Username: Geronimo
Post Number: 7
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, Feb 27, 2005 - 9:26 am: | |
Hi Beth, I wanted to share a few incidences that have occurred to me and my horses. About 6 years ago I was trail riding on my slow and steady QTR mare when she too, got a wiff and an eye of something and gave a spin and full on buck -both legs out kicking, and became of difference horse. She had the most spirit I'd even seen, we took off running (so did the other rider and horse)she gave a few more kicks and seems to be worried about what was behind her. We have black bears, mountain lions and coyote in the area. but I really don't know what it was. She has never done it again and we had gone back to that same trail again without incident. Secondly, My gelding Geronimo was born at a stable that had a wild animal rescue on one of the property. They had a panther,a Bear, a wolf, monkeys, aligator, you name it. Anyway, these people were the best, they never charged much for board, the horse facility was nice, they had kids that rode and did 4H. As my colt got bigger he always seemed to be a scaredy cat. He started to pull away at the lead when walking around the ranch. These animals were not in sight, but sometimes you could hear them. They were also behind large cages and the area was gated around the compound. Anyway, I moved my horses away when my colt was about 8 months old, but circumstances brought us back years later. The first night that I brought my now gelding back, he went through two fences and was laid up for a month. He had cuts from the wire, nothing broke, but I think mentally it was bad for him. He wasn't alone when it happened, he was with two buddies, they had a few minor cuts but did not go through the fence. After my horse mended, he became uncontrolable. He was so hot all the tme and when I rode him, especially around the ranch, it seems like he was going to explode. He began to pull away when I walked him on the lead. He would take off, zip around the ranch like a crazy horse. I could always catch him, because he was afraid as well. This was the beginning of many problems. We've had many issues since then, but I believe our problems began because of his natural instincts. We are still working on leading issues years later but they have improved even in the past week). Everyone told me that it was the horse and not the animals, but after thinking about it, the kids at that ranch were always having problems with their horses bucking or rearing for no apparent reason. But I belie}ve that my horse, being overly sensitive could not handle the smell or noise from the preditors around the hill. I moved him away from there and after years of training, he isn't the big scardey cat he was a few years ago. It's taken alot of time to get his trust again, we are still working on it. I've thought of selling him, but feel responsible for some of his behavior. Long story short. Horses and preditors don't mix unless you have a "Zip" or have time to make a "Zip", and the patience of John Lyons. Good luck to you and trust your horse.Lisa |
Beth Gordon
Member
Username: Bethyg2
Post Number: 94
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2005 - 10:50 am: | |
Everyone SITTING DOWN ? The TIGER GOT LOOSE Saturday! How weird is that? just when I had my "incident." Guess my horse has some sense....I do still trust him under normal Florida circumstances (i.e. he can handle wild pigs, otters, deer, alligators, big noisy birds, and loud car motors), but I will avoid this place with the 600 lb man-eating predators.
I pulled my car out of my subdivision Saturday, and saw a bunch of police officers with machine guns. I asked why I couldn't pass, and they said some nut let a tiger loose, it was grooming itself in a horse pasture in Wellington. They waited for Lion Country Safari (a local attraction) experts to shoot it w/ a tranquilizer dart. Luckily for the tiger, it worked. It was in the papers this Sunday, the Palm Beach Post. I am going to try and post the article here. I am still wondering how it is that Florida gives a license to this person, on only 10 acres, to have 16 big cats- in a residential neighborhood. Apparently she was the first home out here- and to this I say, So???
I am trying to regain my horse's trust now. Which is definitely harder when I myself get the heebie jeebies every time we go out alone and I hear a twig snap. We are both still nervous but are riding, riding, riding through it. I decided against having a professional ride the horse in front of the tiger lady's house- what's the point- what if he throws the guy and gets away? Am I making a big mistake allowing the horse to "get away" with such behavior- when if I just avoid this place he is unlikely ever to encounter the smell of big cats again? He still has ill effects from the incident- he is more spooky on the trail. What I need is the reincarnation of Bright Zip.... (remember the picture of him and the grizzly?) |
Terri Haynie
Member
Username: Terrilyn
Post Number: 256
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2005 - 11:38 am: | |
I've been following this thread, and when I saw the escaped tiger on the news on Sunday, I wondered if it was your area!! Best of luck to you as you work through this. I understand it was carelessness on the part of the person going into the tiger's area...someone didn't close the gate properly? I agree....perhaps this animal sanctuary needs to be moved/closed now that suburbia has encroached upon it. |
Holly Wood
Member
Username: Hwood
Post Number: 571
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2005 - 12:55 pm: | |
Horses don't lie. They don't always make the best choices, but they aren't devious . . . they always have an honest reason for doing what they do.
Good for you, Beth, for sticking with it . . . It is doubtful you will ever have a similar incident. |
Sara Wolff
Member
Username: Mrose
Post Number: 525
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2005 - 1:03 pm: | |
Perhaps you need to trust your horse's judgement a little more. If your horse handles all the "normal" (alligators!) things on your rides, and he suddenly starts acting up, he may know something you don't. On my horses who are used to the normal trail stuff, if they start snorting and acting nervous, I take a hard look and listen. Unless I can see that it's just a piece of plastic blowing around, or something similar, I trust their judgement and go another route. Note, I don't go home. Just turn and go another way. I've had a horse avoid a rattle snake I didn't see; refuse to ride through a rock formation where later on I saw cougar tracks, and refuse to cross a wooden bridge, that someone else fell through the following day. I feel my horse is my partner out on the trail, and as a partner, I have to listen to her at times. |
joj
Member
Username: Jojo15
Post Number: 524
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2005 - 2:24 pm: | |
Soooo true Sara... There is some unknown thing in a steady horse that i know to trust her when she balks. Of course, i haven't seen a tiger on trail. But i have seen bears. and remnants of things that truly were spooky. and when she won't cross a river... now i know to look up a bit, cause i bet there is a gator close by... And she is almost as good a watch dog as the dogs are....
Beth, i read the little article.. there are pics on the palmbeachpost website of the tiger and capture. Its interesting cause in one of the photos in the background there was a riding ring with jumps in it...I wonder if this refuge owner has horses?
i know you're angry, but you can't blame the refuge for being out here. And on the other side of your point, my neighbors have the same feeling, like "we were out here first". And i do feel for them. "we meaning hunters, farmers, etc. All the reasons they moved out here are vanishing. Imagine buying land 1/2 mile from your favorite hunting site. And now that surbanites are moving in THEY are getting upset because of 4-wheelers or swamp buggies, or gunfire, bonfires, airboats, etc... But, its also a matter of respect between neighbors. Now that i moved in and have goats (prey) and horse (prey) and cats (prey) and birds, he has to lock up his hog dogs... which would love to chase and eat anyone of my kids... I could see how a city person, would not get along with some of my neighbors. I do feel that we should be accomodating to them in some regards. They were here first. And when the land across my property gets built on. I hope they respect the fact i have horses, and dogs, etc
Wildlife management did say in the article that they have a 10ft high fence that goes around the whole property and the tiger couldn't have left the 10 acres.
jojo |
Colleen Goolsby
Member
Username: Goolsby
Post Number: 289
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2005 - 3:21 pm: | |
Beth
I sympathize with the tiger problem and think you handled the situation great. I also think pet owners need to be responsible and I don’t agree with private ownership of “wild” animals but hearing the comments like
‘this animal sanctuary needs to be moved/closed now that suburbia has encroached upon it. “ and “she was the first home out here- and to this I say, So???” Reminds me how suburbia is encroaching on all of us (some faster than others.) and one day when a housing development surrounds yours or my farm and residents are up in arms about your horses might get out and step on their lawn or kick their children (which actually happened) and the smell of horse manure, and you should move to another area with more land, so what if you’ve been there for 30 years-we are here now so MOVE AND TAKE YOUR STINKY HORSES WITH YOU! Well, we might think differently about the folks running these sanctuaries. Of course I don’t have tigers living next to me (although I did have a neighbor who had mountain lions for pets and I recall one getting loose). I don’t mean to offend anyone Just something to consider.
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Cheryl Hohler
Member
Username: Chohler
Post Number: 100
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2005 - 3:33 pm: | |
Horses are pretty smart, my dogs usually cue me before the horses do but if i miss the dogs cue on the trail I definitly know when the horses sense something.My gelding starts chomping and snorting. I am glad that since the cat escaped no one has been hurt.
My mountain riding is probably pretty risky but I know what I will come across and I do my best to desensitize my horses using scat, hides and tapes of sounds the animals make. My 16.1hand mustang actually wanted to take on a very large bull during a storm was interesting but he minded.
Best thing to gain your horses trust right now is to do a lot of regular sacking out and groundwork right now.
On another note not to scare anyone or cause anyone to be paranoid my aunt called me this weekend and said some guy she works with took his mule and dogs out to the mountains and he got knocked out of the saddle and next thing he knew his mule was killing a mountain lion, he was pretty lucky and had a camera and took pictures. The mule actually had the lion in his teeth and repeatedly whipped the animal back and forth, killing it. I hope my horses protect me if something rare like this ever happened. |
Imogen Bertin
Member
Username: Imogen
Post Number: 624
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 1, 2005 - 4:51 am: | |
Colleen you are so right. There is a proposed bylaw in Killarney now, where horse-and-cart to see the views is a traditional tourism activity, to give the horses nappies so the poor townspeople don't have to put up with that nasty stinky horsemanure. I mean... really...
Imogen |
Christos Axis
Member
Username: Christos
Post Number: 633
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 1, 2005 - 11:36 am: | |
Cheryl,
Your aunt has been taken for a very long ride...
The pictures of this mule "killing" a mountain lion are all over the web, but that lion had already been shot dead by the time the mule got hold of it. |
Fran Cilella
Member
Username: Canter
Post Number: 191
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 1, 2005 - 1:40 pm: | |
Colleen,
You're scenario about people moving to the country and complaining about farm animals and horses is dead on...This is actually happening in my community. People are moving to rural areas and then complaining and suing farmers because of the smell of manure. We actually made national headlines since some politician or government board got smart and now when someone wants to move out into the country, the town is suppling "scratch and sniff" cards so that before someone buys a house next to a horse farm, they know what the potential odor factor is (I am absolutely not kidding about this)...and the potential new homeowner must sign an agreement stating that they will not sue a farmer over normal farm operations such as operating machinery late at night, a loose horse, smells, etc.
I completely empathise with Beth's scare and do not believe people should be allowed to keep exotics as pets...but if they are there legally and take precautions so that the animals cannot escape and pose a risk to anyone else, then it is unfair to expect them to move. |
Colleen Goolsby
Member
Username: Goolsby
Post Number: 290
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 1, 2005 - 3:03 pm: | |
Imogen
Are nappies the equivelent to diapers? I have seen carriage horses with some fabric device that runs from their behinds to the carriage that catches any droppings. Funny how the same people that are offended by manure on the street will pay high dollar for the same stuff if you put it in a plastic bag and call it organic fertilizer.
Fran
I think that is a great idea! Finally a governing body doing something logical and practical. My "scenario" is also happening in my rural area. I guess thats why is kind of a sore spot with me. I wish my local officials were more sympathetic to the local farmers and long time citizens, but I guess money talks. |
Terri Haynie
Member
Username: Terrilyn
Post Number: 257
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 1, 2005 - 3:12 pm: | |
I have to agree with Colleen and others. My statement was a bit hasty....but after a scare like that it is how I would FEEL. However, I do live on a long stretch of road with no neighbors and no one to complain of my three horses and other assorted pets. Eventually, that will change, and I do think about what will happen when it does.
As with any situation, though, it's hard to make a categorical statement that just because something was there FIRST, it has the right to remain permanently and unchanged. If that were the case, there would be no such thing as eminent domain. Not that that's a good thing....it's not! The point is, all of us have to adapt to change, and most of the time it doesn't seem fair -- Where can you go anymore to get away from it all??? It just ends up following you!
There don't seem to be any easy answers to this one. And I dread the day I begin having neighbors...but I know it's coming..... |
Beth Gordon
Member
Username: Bethyg2
Post Number: 95
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 1, 2005 - 3:18 pm: | |
Hi all,
I know, I know- there is always tension between the horsey and non- horsey people in my subdivision. And sometimes it is very unpleasant. But at least my horses haven't developed a taste for human flesh....I mean, it just takes the word nuisance to a whole new level. It's a danger, not just a nuisance. Plus, I have 5 acres and would not dream of more than two big horses and two minis, as they all destroy paddocks very fast and it's hard to keep the place looking nice especially since I work. But 16 big cats on 10 acres, when in the wild these cats prefer over 100 square miles to themselves? How miserable the cats must be- my friend who witnessed the scene said the cat walked in a square even though it was in a large horse pasture. How sad. The "sanctuary" which includes a private home (I wonder how that tax deal works...)is licensed, has fencing all over the place, and still this happened. I think my horse has a lot more sense than this tiger person. He knew a dangerous situation when he smelled it, and the frantic behavior was his way of telling me, run for your life! The tiger lady apparently does not understand the danger. Had the tiger lopped off her head in the five hours he was loose before she decided to call the authorities (word has it the tiger was loose since 6:30 AM, not the 9:30 reported in the paper), I believe people might feel differently about the place around here. By the way, she has several dressage horses on the same 10 acres. So, I guess they get used to living with tigers. Right now I'm feeling sort of glad that my trail horse can sense danger and communicate that to me, even if he didn't do it in the most endearing way. -Beth |
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