It has been
A good twenty.. thirty years since I’ve been on a horse. I could probably still do it, though I might need- with my knees- a bit of help getting on. Still, I think I could still manage.
So watching an episode of NCIS last night, Gibbs throws a saddle up on a horse totally strange to him, then walks around immediately behind the horse.
Sorry, but I wouldn’t do that on a bet to a horse i KNOW. now, granted, he does keep his hand on the horses’ ass as he does it, but damned if i’d walk behind a horse unless I was a good eight, ten feet away, even a horse I know well.
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Keeping your hand on the horse’s ass just lets the horse know exactly when his kick will be most effective.
BTW, cool video. That idiot received just what he asked for. What a generous horse.
“Keeping your hand on the horse’s ass just lets the horse know exactly when his kick will be most effective. ”
My thought too. I’ve seen guys do it that knew their horses REALLY WELL, but a strange horse? Makes no sense to me.
Touching the horse helps calm his instintive kicking reflex. It does nothing to calm his intentional kicking ornriness.
You’re not supposed to be paying attention to Gibbs at that point, you’re supposed to be laughing at DiNozzo’s antics.
Nice bit of shooting with the Henry later on in that episode, though. Yes, a head-on shot at relatively close range, but still…
M
Hard shooting. THe Henry- that one, at least- is not a good offhand rifle, it’s barrel is too heavy and overhung. It’s meant to be shot from a rest, or kneeling, or prone. Not offhand, shooting up, withy a peep, at a moving target. It can be done, and Harmon makes it believable. Still, the horse thing was- frankly- the most egregious fuckup I think thye ever made in the series.
Oh yeah, I learned that lesson the hard way on Grand Dad’s farm. Why in the HELL he bought racing stock I never did figure out, since the man was as likely to participate in anything remotely related to gambling as I am to suddenly sprout Birkenstocks and buy a Prius.
Sad little car, the Prius.
The bruise that horse left on my thigh took a good solid week to heal, and I counted myself lucky not to have a broken leg.
I got the “learning” kick to the upper thigh also, though mine was in the BACK of the thigh, while cleaning a rear hoof, from the horses front leg. Not nearly as bad as a back leg, but hurt like a motherfucker. I got kicked several times by a jenny, which is plenty bad enough, but the worst was getting bit by one.
http://neanderpundit.com/?p=1647#comments
Grandpa was a blacksmith for many years, and when I showed an interest one of the things he talked a bit about was horses; he generally liked them but flat did NOT trust one he wasn’t familiar with. And even when them, for some work was damned careful
Well, better to be close then just at the end of his reach. Then it’s more of a shove, then a kick.
Ill take your word for it, mr Dennis, as you are the real expert here, but I always look at the length of the horses legs, double it, and add a little more.