If a dog he didn't know was there lunged at him out of the blue? Of course! He wouldn't ~buck~ like Rusty didn't buck, but he can sure jump sideways and spin around. The key safety element is not that they have NO instant reaction to being surprised, it's that they remain controllable after the surprise happens... that they dont' run off, that they don't buck. If she's expecting a horse to have no reflexes at all she'd have a stupid horse with no instinct for self-preservation that might just walk her off a cliff wall someday ;~D
Heh... Bay would have snorted at all the statues and yard furniture. He'd have gotten over it, but he loves to blow at stuff like that.
The lady ~might~ have better luck looking at very old, very seasoned horses, or maybe a mule, or she just might never find a new horse she trusts. I wish her luck.
That's why I asked you if Bay would spook. Being an older very seasoned horse.
I think she knows all that. I just don't know if she is really ready to buy. I think she's got some conflict. she wants to have two so her husband can go with her, but she's just got some conflict on what she/he needs/wants.
Becky
Rusty's reaction was a jump sideways, a spin away from the fence, but he didn't even get one stride in before he stopped for me. I immediatly turned him to look at the fence, and that was it. I thought he did great under the circumstances. He never even snorted. Just stood and looked for a few seconds, then when I asked he turned and walked on around, picked up the trot and lope just fine even past the fence.
Becky