how some people survive with horses.
So there I was, driving along on a busy and high speed road in my horsey hometown, and I notice someone got a new pony. My first thought is, well that's a small little paddock to keep a pony in all by itself, but let's keep an eye on it.
Two days later, I drive by (it's on my way home), and pony is gone. Hmm, did they sell? Return?
The next day I drive by, and slow down, I'm curious, I see that the paddock looks lived in. Pony must still be there.
Two weeks go by, paddock looks lived in, but no pony!
Last night, I practically stop in the middle of the road, looking for this pony. Lo and behold, there is the pony!!! Tied to a very long yellow rope, one end attached to the halter, one end attached to a golf cart, parked in the middle of the yard. Pony is grazing away at the plentiful grass in the yard.
I am certain Sugar would break all four of her legs at once if I tried this with her! haha
Here's a confession lol, we've done that. Only when we're camping. If we're sitting around the fire and it's still light out, we'll tie the horses on a long rope to the tree and let them wander and graze. At least with our guys I know they actually rarely get tangled in the rope. They figure out pretty quickly how to get out of trouble. If they step on the rope all they do is back up and it'll free them. Of course I feel the need to say that the first time we have a young horse out, we don't just tie them on a long rope. We work them up to it. And we're there the entire time so if something does happen, we can fix it before it becomes bad. At night the horses are tied so they have no chance of getting tangled.
ReplyDeleteI hope for the pony's sake he's used to being on a long rope. I know I would never put a horse on a long rope somewhere I couldn't see them the entire time they were on it.
I think it's different when you keep your horses on your own land or at your campsite...Sugar is boarded and I have never kept any horses at home or been out camping!!!!
ReplyDeleteI think I should be happy that they are getting the pony out to graze...that's much better than cooping it up and not feeding it.
I also think the pony must be smart enough to be careful, as it hasn't gotten tangled yet!!!!
I was worried when I first started reading your post, but now I think what they are doing with the pony is sort of cool. I bet he enjoys being outside a fenced in area, even if he is tied up. :-) I agree with Cjay though - I hope someone is keeping an eye on him while he's tied.
ReplyDeleteI 'rescued' a horse that was tied out to graze. That was all he knew. For some reason he didn't get tied up in the rope. I wonder about things like that, too!
ReplyDeleteI'm an English rider so never learned how to use hobbles- but my Western friends swear by them as a humane and safe way to allow a horse to graze in the area; they can get wrapped in ropes and get hurt, but apparently hobbles are pretty harmless (provided the horse doesn't have to be able to run from danger, such as bears or wolves!) Have you tried hobble before? I'm curious if my hunt-seat horses would be able to learn them!
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