Horse Handling
Whether riding in a school or outdoor area, every rider must ensure that his horse stands quietly until he is on its back and ready to move off.
The reins should be fastened and sitting flat upon the horse’s neck. Whilst preparing to mount, the rider should always have one arm through the reins, e.g whilst adjusting the stirrups down, adjusting the stirrup leathers or tightening the girth. It is unsafe to leave a horse standing by itself whilst mounting: even the tamest: best trained horse can take become spooked and run away, causing serious injury to itself as well as to other horses and riders.
Always adjust the stirrups before mounting. The length should be approximately equal to the length of the outstretched arm, with the finger tip on the tongue of the buckle by the stirrup bar. The length is about right if, with the leather taught, the stirrup reaches the armpit.
Two mount, stand on the near side of the horse(left), with your back to the horses head, and begin to mount as follows:
• grasp the reins in your left hand on top of the horse’s neck, with the left rein between the third finger and the little finger, and the right rein running through the palm of the hand. Both reins should be in like contact with the horse’s mouth with a slightly stronger contact on the right rein if the horse fidgets.
• step far enough back and to the right to be able to put your left foot in the stirrup.
• grasp the mane in your left hand, and with your right hand take hold of the stirrup leather and turn it towards you.
• place your left foot in the stirrup so that the stirrup is behind the ball of the foot, then lean your left knee against the saddle so that your toe does not disturb the horse.
• stand on tiptoe on your right foot, catch hold of the cantle of the saddle with your right hand, hold on to the mane or the pommel with your left hand, transfer your weight onto your left foot, press your left knee against the saddle and push off energetically with your right foot, leaning or upper body forwarded you do so.
• placing your right hand on the pommel for support, swing your right leg slowly over the croup and lower your seat carefully into the saddle.
• place your right foot in the stirrup and take up your reins.
A mounting block or store can be used as an aid. This is of particular benefit to our older riders a also helps to prevent damage to the horse’s back. Before moving off, the rider should transferred the right rein into his right hand and then make the horse stand still for a while before moving off.
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In order to correctly place a snaffle bridle on a horse you must first hold the bridle in your left hand by the poll in a way so that when you are standing beside the horse the bridle naturally faces the same direction as if it were already on. Once you are ready you then:
· Move to the left hand side of the horse, slightly behind the head.
· With your right hand put the reins over its head.
· Remove the halter.
· Place the poll of the bridle in your right hand and hold it just in front of the horse’s eyes.
· At the same time grasp the bit in the palm of the left hand in preparation to insert into the horse’s mouth.
· Press your left thumb gently on the horses lip to open its mouth.
· Whilst this is happening raise the bridle with your right hand and place the bit in the horse’s mouth with the left.
· With your right hand lift the poll of the bridle as high as it will go and then over one ear at a time.
· Do up the throat latch and or noseband
· Pull the forelock out so that it sits over the browband and tidy the mane under the poll.
Once this is done, inspect the corners of the mouth to see if the bridle is adjusted properly. If the adjustment is correct the corners of the mouth should produce two wrinkles, or smiley faces, one on each side. The headpiece should sit flat just bend the ears. If the browband is too small or tight it will cause the headpiece to rub the back of the ears and chafe the horse. The throatlatch should be loose enough so as to allow a person’s hand to be placed in between the throatlatch and the throat.
Using A Drop NoseBand
When correctly fitted a Drop Noseband should sit approximately four fingers width above the nostrils and should be fastened in such a manner that it will not allow the horse to open up its mouth but still allow it enough room so as to mouth the bit. The rings that join the chinstrap to the nosepiece should be no further rearward than the mouthpiece of the bit. The only way that the rings can be any further back is if the nosepiece is too long. The chinstrap will fasten in the chin groove with the buckle on the outside of the jawbone in such a manner that it does not place pressure on it. The upper edge of the nosepiece of the cavesson nose band, or the cavesson part of the flash noseband, should sit approximately one fingers width below the bottom of the cheekbone, and the noseband should be adjusted to provide room for at least one finger to be inserted between it and the nasal bone.
The correct placement of a bridle on a horse is not just for the safety of the handler during its fitting. When a bridle is correctly fitted it increases the comfort of the horse which in turn makes the horse more responsive and the ride more enjoyable.
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The thought of lifting a horse’s hoof can frighten some people considering that a kick from a horse is able to inflict serious injury! Although exercising caution is fine, the truth is if a person lifts up a horse’s foot correctly you will give the horse no power or capability to be able to strike you.
The following is how to correctly lift up a horse’s foot:
Beginning on the front foot, move toward the horse on an angle from the head so the horse unmistakably knows that you are near, this is so you will not startle the horse. Put your body even with the shoulder ensuring face its rear, facing the opposite way to the horse.
Ensuring that your feet are not against the horse’s foot, begin sliding your hand along the outside of the shoulder as well as down the extant of its leg, finishing slightly higher than the ankle. Lightly grip the ankle and produce a click sound in order to get the horse to lift its foot. If the horse is properly broken, that minute signal should be more than sufficient to make the hoof to lift.
There will be a small difference involving raising a back and front hoof, although the fundamental stance and movements are almost the same. As you lift a horse’s back hoof it will usually give a tiny pull that you may misread as a kick. This is an ordinary reflex movement with horses and nothing for you to be concerned about.
Also, as you lift the horse’s back foot you’ll need to move toward the horse a little so that your hip is under its leg. Put its leg on your thigh, grasp the foot and lightly bend it up. In doing that you afford the horse some support and even more important is that the location of the leg and the bent foot will stop the horse from kicking you.
Whilst you are initially beginning, return the feet carefully to the ground and commend the horse. The other side should be completed precisely as a mirror image, however attempt to finish at the head and begin the other side preferably than moving around the back. It’s not a good idea for a novice to move toward or go around all but the most well known horses from behind in such close proximity due to the fact a horse will be close enough to kick out.
Whilst raising any foot attempt to ensure the horse is correctly standing completely on all feet so that as you raise a foot the horse is able to easily stand on its remaining three. At no stage must the horse rest its body on you! Even as you put its back leg on your thigh you’re never letting the horse use you as a leaning post.
After you have raised your horse’s hoof a number of times it should become extremely effortless and take no more than 5 minutes to pick up and even pick out all feet. Nearly all properly educated horses will lift their foot for you the second they sense your hand pass down their leg.
It is an extremely safe idea to have power over the horse’s head whilst you are lifting its feet. This is able to be done by tying the halter to a post or getting a friend to control the horse’s head. In holding the head you make sure the horse is not able walk away from you whilst you’re attempting to lift his hoof and even worse bend around and have a nip of your rear!
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