Horse handling can be hazardous if you don’t follow the basic safety rules. The calmest horse or smallest pony has the potential to hurt someone if it is startled or frightened. These tips may help you avoid kicks, trampled toes, bites, drags, or runaways.
Horses are Pray Animals
As prey animals, a horse’s ability to react quickly and outrun a predator was key to their survival in the wild. This instinct remains strong in the domestic horses. They can become startled easily and remain upset after whatever scared them has passed. Some horses are more reactive than others, which is why for the beginner, it’s best if they start working around a horse that is calm and quiet.
Approaching
Always speak to the horse before approaching or touching him. Approach the horse from the side to avoid his “blind” spots (directly in front of and behind him). Never approach your horse directly from the rear. Touch him first on the neck or shoulder with a firm but gentle stroking motion. Don’t “dab” at the end of a horse’s nose.
Be especially careful when entering a pasture or paddock containing several horses. Horses can inadvertently jostle or step on you or even kick. Don’t take grain or other food into a group of horses. This will entice them to crowd around you and could incite a “food fight” with you caught in the middle.
Leading
When leading, walk beside the horse not ahead or behind. The safest place to be is even with the horse’s head or halfway between the horse’s head and its shoulder. It is customary to lead a horse from the left and use the right hand to hold the lead 10 inches from the halter.
Always use a lead rope attached to the horse’s halter rather than grasping the halter itself. Don’t loop the end of the lead rope around your hand. Instead fold it back and forth and grasp the middle of the folds. To avoid being pulled over and dragged, never wrap a lead rope or any other line attached to a horse around any part of your body!
Don’t allow the horse you’re leading to touch noses with an unfamiliar horse as this can lead the “strangers” to suddenly bite or strike at one another.
Tying
When grooming, saddling up, or cleaning your horse’s stall, tie up your horse. Tie him securely with a quick release knot or have someone hold him with a lead rope. Tie your horse with a rope long enough to allow comfortable movement but short enough to avoid becoming tangled or getting a foot over the rope. Tie a safe distance from tree limbs or brush to prevent the horse from becoming entangled. Tie your horse far enough away from strange horses so they cannot fight. Tie only with a halter and never lead with bridle reins. Use crossties when possible but be sure they have panic snaps or are secured with a breakable tie.
Be sure to tie to an object that is strong and secure to avoid the danger of breaking or coming loose if the horse pulls back. Never tie below the level of the horse’s withers. Tie to a post set in the ground not to a rail or a fence. If a horse has broken loose once, he is more likely to pull back again. Don’t leave a tied horse unattended!
Grooming
Stand near the shoulder or next to the hindquarters rather than directly in front of or directly behind a horse. To work with its tail, stand off to the side near the point of the buttock facing to the rear. Grasp the tail and draw it around to you.
To walk behind a horse, go either (1) close enough to brush against him (where a kick would have no real force), and keep one hand on his rump as you pass around or (2) far enough away to be well out of kicking range. Avoid ducking under the tie rope!
Always let a horse know what you intend to do. For example, when picking up the feet, do not hurriedly grab the foot. When lifting the foot, touch the shoulder or hindquarter and then run your hand down the leg. When you get to the fetlock say “up,” and squeeze the joint. The horse should pick up his foot for you. For more details and a quick visual see my post titled Why Do We Need to Clean Horse’s Hooves?
Horses are often careless about where they step. When releasing a horse’s foot, make sure your own foot isn’t in the hoof’s spot as it returns to the ground. When tending to a horse’s lower leg or hoof (as in applying a bandage), never kneel or sit on the ground. Remain squatting, so you can jump away in the event he startles.
Turning loose
When turning out a horse or pony for exercise or returning him to his pasture, lead him completely through the gate or door. Turn the horse around facing the direction from which you just entered. Only then remove the halter. Avoid letting a horse bolt away from you when released.
Feeding treats
Give carrot or apple chunks from the palm of a flattened hand to avoid being accidentally nipped. Better yet (especially in the case of greedy horses or ponies), put treats in a bucket before offering them.
Common Don’ts
When working around your horse, wear sturdy hard-toed shoes or boots that will protect your feet if the horse or pony steps on them. Do not wear sandals, flip flops, mesh athletic shoes or any thin shoes in a stable or around horses. Don’t wear jewelry around horses. Rings can cut deeply into fingers, and bracelets can get caught in reins or lead lines. Dangling earrings are particularly dangerous.
Be calm, confident, and collected around horses. A nervous handler can make a nervous horse. If you are just starting out, you may feel a bit overwhelmed at all you need to remember. But quickly, safety rules become habits just as looking both ways before crossing the street.
In the next post, I’ll share some Safety Tips for Horseback Riding, so please stay tuned!
