General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Ann Romney = Animal Abuser [View all]magical thyme
(14,881 posts)Understand that beginner lesson horses are chosen specifically for their lack of interest in anything other than eating or returning to the barn. It is strictly a safety issue.
On the one hand, that type tends to be very tolerant of "beginner abuse," that is the inadvertent abuse that happens at the hands of all beginners of anything. Kind of like the big, couch potato dogs that can have children crawl all over them, pull their ears and tails and not feel physical pain or take personal offense at it.
On the other hand, if all hell breaks loose at the barn (which can happen -- pastures have been used even as emergency landing fields for planes in trouble) while a beginner or group of beginners are on board, having a herd of beginner ponies take advantage by dropping their heads and grazing or meandering back to the barn is preferred over more ambitious, higher energy horses panicking and bolting every which way.