A person is usually cautioned concerning horses, when walking behind them or standing behind them. Usually the warning is NOT TO. It's easy to get kicked! A startled horse will lash out with its feet - one of its main defenses. The tactic when grooming a horse and going from one side to the other is to keep your hand on their rump as you pass around (so they know you're there), and stay close, so that if they DO do something, it will hopefully just push you away, and not smack the daylights out of you.
In my younger riding days with Trigger, I enjoyed getting out with the neighbor boys on their ponies. It was usually the 3 youngest ones, with a couple of their ponies. SHETLAND ponies, which are notorious for their, uh, "behavior traits." Not that they can't be good, but they can be ornery.
One day we were stopped for a break out by our corral. One of the boys, who was probably 5 or 6 or 7 at the time (been too long for this 47-year-old brain to remember!) thought he'd try a trick he'd seen. You may guess it ... when you see cowboys in movies run and jump on their horses from the back, taking a flying leap over the horse's rump. This kid thought he'd try that with his pony.
OK, so we all stood and watched, and I might have thought something like, "He might regret this ..." But stood and watched we did. He got his pony set, backed up a little, and ran and JUMPED ... and he didn't even clear the tail! So ... another try. Back up ... run ... JUMP ... STILL couldn't jump high enough! By this time the pony was starting to get irked. Her ears went back as she took a look behind her with an upraised head. Well ... he just had to try again. Back up ... run ... JUMP ...*SMACK!!!!* That pony waylaid him with her back hooves - right in his chest! Kinda knocked the wind out of him, but he was alright other than that. Needless to say, HE DID NOT TRY THAT ANYMORE.
Lesson learned: TV always makes things look easy!!
That's funny! Well, maybe not for your young one then, but I bet he sure gets a "kick" out of the story now.
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That hurts just reading it! But, kids just have to try everything once! I'm still chuckling ;~)
ReplyDeleteI still remember the shocked look on his face, as if he couldn't believe she actually kicked him!
ReplyDeleteI don't know about your boys--but mine are a little on the slow side when it comes to learning lessons--but as a friend once put it--that's why a MAN put a man on the moon--just couldn't leave it alone--try and try again!
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