Todays MSN poll results say that there is support at 3.6 to 1 in favour of the wooden spoon as a necessary part of child control. I rest my case.
As far as horses are concerned ( I bred and used a lot of horses) most horses do not need spurs ( I've never used spurs) but the odd one needs a whip. I had a stallion once that was hard to control. If I carried a whip he was good and I hardly ever used it. He knew when I carried it and that was enough. He was some smart horse. Kids are the same. If it is there they better understand the boundaries.
As an aside. I was shopping last week and signed a credit card. The girl serving me said was I the Mr xxxx that bred Palamino stock horses. She had bought a mare years ago, said it was the best natured mare she had ever owned. Checked its registration to try and get another from the same breeder but couldn't track me down. That mare was broken in knowing that to misbehave was to earn a quick flick. Never cruely inflicted with anger but enough sting to get the necessary result.
