Whip It! Whip It Good!

Sat Nov 3, 2007

Stopped at the barn last night on my way home from work, & the horses
were still outside. Not wanting to be trampled by that big stupid
chestnut gelding again, I took out my LONG quasi-driving whip (it's
yellow fiberglass, around 4 feet long, got it on eBay along with my real
driving whip). Bob still hadn't fixed the gate "for real" (although he
told me he was going to). Instead the top is tied to the post with a
lead rope (instead of being set on its hinge like it should be). It was
also crowded with geldings on both sides. Coos was standing a bit to the
side as usual and saw me coming.

I had two ponies and a QH in my way, so I took the whip and just whipped
it (duuh) through the air, and it made a WONDERFUL high-pitched whipping
sound. Those horses turned tail and RAN back up into their pasture, heh
heh. The horses on the other side of the gate backed away from the gate
sort of worried-like. I managed to get the gate open, and closed, they
started crowding in again...WHOOOOSH goes the whip! Again, I was just
whipping the air, never got near actual horseflesh, and those geldings
all turned and hurried away. Quzqo flinched a bit, but again was "you
don't mean that for ME, right?" and stayed put, lol!

Got him haltered, the horses started crowding back up...and again I went
after them with the whip, even hit one (not THAT hard) in the chest (he
was wearing a blanket, so it didn't hurt him, it just made a good loud
noise!), those guys turned tail and RAN! LOL! Cleared 'em out totally!!
Coos was a little worried, but when I got him on the other side of the
gate I let him sniff the handle and rewarded him with a piece of apple.
He, of all horses, should be used to whips by now, what with all the
whip-based clicker-training I've done!

That was nice though...horse-free maneuvering through the gate
area...kinda refreshing!

Oh, I found out why that chestnut gelding is such an ill-mannered lump.
He's owned by Bob's wife! She rides maybe once a month and doesn't do
ANY day-to-day handling of the horses. No wonder he has no manners! Grrgh!

Today appears to be dawning a clear, sunny day. Hopefully there's a nice
trail ride in my future...assuming nobody comes up lame like last week!