From: Stewart
Dear Jessica, please keep up the good work. I've been a subscriber for almost five years and I learn something new every time HORSE-SENSE comes out. I've looked through your archives and not seen this question asked before, so hope you will answer it for me here.
I ride my horses on trails, with my family. That's our hobby and our big pleasure, it's something we do together and it's something we all of us enjoy a lot. We've been doing it for so long now that we're on our second set of trail horses, and that's what makes me ask this question. What do you think about people who go llama-packing on trails that folks like me and my family use for horse riding? Our old horses (one died at 23, three are retired out on pasture at our farm) were pretty much everything-proof on trails, they were trained when we bought them, and only one of them was nervous about llamas. But our new horses are another story. They were trained when we bought them, but they are younger (two seven-year-olds and two nine-year-olds) and it seems like they are terrified of llamas. We do our best to get out of the way whenever we see llamas coming, and we get into the woods off the trail if we can, but we're in a mountain area and sometimes it just isn't possible for us to get out of the way. Is there some way we can signal the llama people to get out of our way some of the time? I don't want to get anyone mad at us, and we understand that they have the right to use the trails too, but it would be nice if there were some llama-free trails for horse-people. Is there some way of finding trails without llamas or is there some way we could ask the llama people to move off the trail while we go by, or is this whole situation just setting up to be antagonistic, like the old cattle and sheep wars on the range?
My wife and daughters say if I'd just quit being macho and ignore the llamas then the horses would settle down, but it's not that simple. I'm not trying to be macho, and it's real hard for me to ignore llamas when they're making my horse dance and toss his head and feel like he's about to go into a bucking fit. Some of these trails are rocky and narrow, with a steep drop, and a bucking fit could get me killed, or get my wife or one of my daughters killed. I don't want to give up our trails. What can I do here?
Stewart
Llamas are really fascinating animals, and I think you could learn to like them if you'd give yourself - and your horses - a chance. Llamas are also attractive, and clever, and curious, and sweet - very much like horses, in many ways, but with much more impressive eyelashes. ;-)
Horses and llamas can get along very well. The people who are llama-packing are just out enjoying the trails with THEIR animals - they're doing precisely what you and your family are doing. This isn't a range war situation. Trail-riders and llama-packers should be allies and friends, not enemies. Both of you are in far more danger from, say, out-of-control dogs off leads. People with good trail manners, whether they are riders, llama-packers, or hikers, should all be friendly toward one another on the trails.
If your horses are nervous of llamas, then fine, I understand that - they're in a situation where they can't afford to dance around, and they sense YOUR nervousness, and being horses, they don't know that you're worried about what they might do if they are afraid of the llamas. They put two and two together in their own, perfectly logical way: llamas appear, YOU get nervous, therefore llamas are a threat, therefore THEY should be nervous too. The more nervous they get, the more nervous YOU get, and again, they're horses. They don't know that you are worried about the potential danger to your wife and daughters, should one of their mounts bolt - they only know that you are getting more nervous, and that they, as good herd animals, should be getting more nervous too. That's horse logic. The only way around it is through - and that means ONE of you has to calm down first, so that the others can calm down. I vote for YOU.
You sound like a nice family - and you're clearly people who enjoy your trail-rides. Why not assume that the llama-packers are equally nice people - which they almost certainly ARE! - and deal with them accordingly? I know it's hard to imagine that the creatures that make your horses nervous could be made nervous by your horses, but that may well be the case. Not all llamas are completely confident around horses, either, and the ones you see retreating into the brush when your horses go by may be withdrawing discreetly because they have good manners, or simply because they want THEIR animals at a little distance from the horses that are making THEM nervous.
So, here are my suggestions. The very next time you meet llama-packers on the trail, say hello, dismount, have a chat - take your time about this - and then ask if you can lead your horses past the llamas. It's generally more convenient to have the llamas get out of the way of the horses, but remember, this is NOT because horses have more of a right to use the trails, it's just because horses typically travel FASTER than loaded llamas. Be friendly. Be really friendly, nice, interested, curious - not phoney-friendly. You're a nice guy - just be yourself! If they're friendly to you in return, as they almost certainly will be, ask them where they're having lunch, and whether they might be interested in sharing your picnic. Llamas and horses generally get along very nicely once the humans have sorted out their own situation.
If that's not possible - or even if it is - talk to the llama-packers about their animals, tell them about yours, get to know one another, and then ask whether you could all get together sometime, away from the trails, at their farm or yours, so that the horses and llamas can meet in a more peaceful situation. Most trail-riders would jump at the chance to get their horses accustomed to llamas in a safe, relaxed environment. Most llama-packers would appreciate the chance to get their llamas used to horses - and to teach trail-riders something about llamas. NOBODY likes their animals to be nervous and upset about other animals on the trail. NOBODY wants to see other people look annoyed just because they've seen that you have a llama or horse or dirtbike or dog with you. EVERYBODY is likely to be looking for the perfect solution, and a friendly farm visit may be just that.
SMILE, BE NICE, and ASK. The worst thing that can happen is that someone will say "No", and I'm sure that if you ask several people, at least one or two will say "Yes, what a great idea!" You'll solve the problem in the best possible way, by making all of the animals (not to mention the humans) more comfortable with each other. You may end up with a group of new friends. And then when one of your trail-riding friends complains to you that the llamas on the trails are making his horses nervous, or when you get a new horse that hasn't ever seen a llama before, you'll know exactly what to do, and you can educate your friends. The llama-packers will talk to one another, too - and your information on how to deal with horses will be passed along. This will benefit everyone on the trails - now, later, and forever.
Remember this when you encounter hikers, too, whether you're riding horses or packing llamas. If you take a little time to be friendly and talk to the other people, your effort will pay off, both immediately and later, both for yourself and for others. Every hiker who learns not to run or shout around horses, or who learns why it's not safe to let dogs run up to llamas, will happily share that information with fellow hikers. And - just a little bonus for you - if your reaction to others on the trail is to smile and talk to them, you'll be relaxed and breathing slowly, and your horse's attitude will reflect your own relaxation.
Jessica
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