So, me and Miss Merci had just gotten done riding and were heading for a nice bath when we encountered someone grooming their horse. No problem, we just asked them to take a cross-tie down and move the mare over. Merci hadn't met this horse yet, so she paused while passing her. I had no problem with this, I gave her a second to look and was about to apply pressure with the Dually when the other horse's owner slapped Merci on the rear. Hard. Merci jolted forward, with a look of fear on her face. I was so mad, I told the lady not to smack my horse, but she wasn't paying attention and didn't hear me/ignored me. Poor Merci didn't know what hit her - literally! Poor baby. In the future I will be more careful in situations like that, but geez, have some respect, would you lady? Sheesh!
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Aside from her slapping your horse, I think she was even more thoughtless over the fact that Merci could have jumped into you and/or knocked you over. :(
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Far better then, if she had snapped verbally at you to move your horse. Or - even better - explained soon as you approached that hers was prone to lash out at other horses, so don't let yours stop. (Or whatever other reason she might have for not wanting Merci close to her horse.)
Too bad some have no stable manners at all. (And I don't mean the horses!)
This story says a lot about just haveing a good horse and dog and bugger most humans, not all, just most.
I never fail to be amazed at a culture (horse culture that is) that deems it ok to assault someone else's animals. I have lost count of the number of times people tell me someone has walked up to their horse (at shows/yards/loading etc) and hit their horse with hands or a whip. How has this been allowed to happen? And why do we tolerate it? (good for you Nadine for telling her not to). I also train dogs and I do not know a single dog owner who would allow someone else to hit their dog. We collectively MUST stand up to people who assault our animals.
I hate it when people do that. Especially when you are trying to ride said horse. My last husband did that, and once when my son was on a wild horse for the first time and it didnt know enough to move. Horse took off FAST, son stayed on, husband got royally chewed out, but it wasnt HIS fault, horse should have moved when told to, son should know how to handle horse, etc. That was the last time either my son or I got on a wild horse when he was home. Stupid and dangerous. I am not fond of most people.
I agree! People DO NOT have respect for anything living nowadays! It's baffling! I'm the only humane horse-trainer at my stable, and I am constantly amazed by how poorly other's horses are treated. They keep them in their stalls all day, everyday, like a prisoner, and then expect them to be on their best behavior when they ride. AND they expect the horse to "act" like they love the human. Just ridiculous!
This kind of thing is all too common - perhaps the lady might listen next time if you give her a return slap on her butt! (Joking of course) - but seriously, it is NOT OK to even so much as touch someone elses animal without permission. People treat horses like motorbikes, park 'em up in the stable and then come along, throw some tack on and expect the horse to behave like a machine and do exactly what they say. It's just wrong.
She is lucky that the horses didn't react by kicking out at her hey and also that the horse didn't knock you down! some people!