A Second Look...
Safety Primer

   “You know, I really don’t know how I got so careless, “says a rider who had just barely escaped injury when a loose saddle turned with her. “I knew better, but I guess I just wasn’t paying attention!”
    She’s not alone. Even the most experienced rider can get careless. Sometimes we become too sure of ourselves and our abilities and forget that horses can be dangerous. Not paying attention, becoming distracted, or simply being too tired to watch what we are doing can all result in accidents. This safety primer is designed for both the beginner and the experienced rider to evaluate the beginner and to help the veteran rider remember those important do’s and don'ts that he already knows but might not have thought of lately.
The key here is thinking. Most people agree that 95% of horse related accidents are the fault of the rider, and most could have been prevented. A simple tip that would have helped the rider, mentioned above, would have been to have left the stirrup lying across the saddle after she loosened her cinch. When she got ready to get back on, the upturned stirrup would have reminded her to cinch up again. Now, for some do’s and don'ts to refresh your memory on, “TIPS AROUND THE HORSE”.

DO remember the old rule, “Fasten the front cinch first, your breastcollar next, and then the back, if used, last. Then do just the opposite when unsaddling. A saddle attached only with a back cinch or breastcollar can easily slip under the horse if he moves suddenly. The results can range from a damaged saddle to injury to both horse and rider.

DO remember to ride your horse in a bridle and lead and tie him in a halter. Almost everyone has lost a favorite set of reins at some time when a horse that “knew better” set back and broke them when tied up with a bridle and bit. Additionally, there is risk of damage to the horse’s mouth, as well as the danger of  a loose horse.  A good rule to remember is, never tie your horse up with your reins, always use a halter and lead.

DO tie a horse with an easily-released knot. If you don’t know how to make some sort of slip-knot, LEARN!. A horse should be tied securely, but you should be able to release him immediately in case of an emergency. Also, when tying a horse, remember to tie him on a short enough lead to prevent him from being able to get his head down and foot over the reins. Tying the horse at mid-nose level is ideal, but tying higher is preferable to tying low. Also, hang your hay bags so they are high enough that he will not get hung up in them. Never tie your horse close to anything he can get the halter hung up with and cause an accident.

DON’T take your horse’s good behavior for granted. Although your horse may be a model performer that never makes a wrong move, you can make life easier for both of you if you don’t give him any opportunity to make mistakes. A good example is a stallion. He never acts ungentlemanly, and seldom do you ever see his handler correct him. He explains, “I  don’t let him get into any situations where he will be tempted to act up. If he does, he gets reprimanded immediately, but I try to always ride him smart. If he never gets the opportunity to misbehave, he never gets into the habit of doing so.” A woman with a mannerly, well behaved gelding is steadily changing his behavior for the worse by taking good demeanor for granted. She is constantly walking up behind him, not saying anything until she suddenly slaps him on the rump, frightening him out of his wits. She also enjoys feeding him treats out of her hand and hiding them in her pocket, letting him nose around until he “finds his surprise.” She’s enjoying her horse, but how much pleasure will she take in him when he begins to develop the natural responses to her treatment-kicking and biting? Don’t give a horse help in developing bad habits. Riding smart is a good idea for all of us. Know your horse. Know his reactions. If there is something that upsets him, work at home to get him over the problem. Until you have worked around it, though, try to avoid the issue and the confrontation away from home.

DO always let a horse know where you are by talking to him. Even the most gentle horse can kick if surprised. Remember, he might even be asleep, so warn and remind him of where you are at all times.

DON’T forget safety footwear for yourself. Everyone knows the footwear of choice for working around horses is boots. Have you ever forgotten or thought “it won’t matter just one time!” Unfortunately, one time is all it takes to get a broken toe or foot. Prevent that by always taking time to wear the right footwear. If a horse does step on your foot, the natural reaction is to pull away, but that hurts even more! Do just the opposite of that, lean into the horse, and push with your shoulder to make him move. This will relieve the pressure more quickly. Also, always ride in boots with heels for safety. Roper Footwear and Apparel makes a wide variety of boots for riding, comfort and style. Check out their website at www.eroper.com

DO have your horse’s pasture or lot hazard free. Most horse owners agree that if there is an old can, piece of metal or wire, or board with nails on it, a horse will find it and get hurt on it. Clean up your pasture before you ever put a horse in it. Then regularly check to see that someone hasn’t dumped a potentially harmful object into it or that a storm hasn’t blown something down that has become a hazard. While you are at it, check your fencing. Is it still escape free? If not, make the needed repairs.

DO take the halter off when you turn your horse out in the pasture. One of the common causes of accidental death in horses is leaving a halter on a pastured horse. He can easily get it hung on something and choke to death, or seriously hurt himself trying to get free.

DO check your tack for signs of wear each time you ride. Major concerns: billets and cinches, curb straps or chains, bridle cheek pieces or anything that might break while you are riding that could cause dangerous consequences.

DO keep tack clean. The cleaner it is, the less likely it is to wear. Built-up sweat  is damaging to leather and most synthetics. Clean leather with a good leather  product such as Lexol; clean blankets and cinches with a good non-irritating soap like EZ-All Multi Purpose Solution. Martha and her beautiful Palomino stallion, Harveys Wallbanger love all the great products from EZ-All. Order yours online at www.barrelracers.com

DO remember to take safety measures when trail riding. Water is a particularly frightening obstacle for some horses. If you horse refuses to be ridden across a creek or stream, have another rider lead him across on their horse. Do not attempt to lead him across on foot. A horse that is nervous about water could leap onto the very place you are standing, pushing you under. Also, if you suspect that there is any chance that the creek has a deep spots in it, unhook your tie-down. A horse must extend his neck and have his nose up to swim. A tie down will cause him to drown in deep water.

DON’T ride alone on a skittish, untrained or problem horse. If an accident were to happen, you would have no one to help you.

DO carefully monitor the condition of your horse trailer. Check the floors regularly for signs of rotting; have wheel bearings packed. Periodically check your truck or car for any signs of wear on the trailer hitch, underneath where it is connected to the frame, as well as on the visible section.

DON’T forget to WATCH your horse. Knowing what is normal for him will help you know when something is wrong. If you suspect that he does not feel well, take his temperature and check his respiration. The horse’s normal temperature is 100 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit, taken rectally. He should breathe between 8 and 12 times per minute at rest, and you can check that by having your hand close enough to his nose to feel him exhale. His pulse (put your fingers under his jaw to find his pulse) should be in the neighborhood of 35 to 40 beats per minute. Another check is the capillary refill time test. Put your thumb on the horse’s gum with enough pressure to cause a white spot and then remove it. The color should return to the spot in one or two seconds. If it doesn’t it could be a sign of shock, low blood pressure or dehydration. Sometimes the only clue that something is wrong is that a horse goes off his feed or loses his appetite. Knowing what is normal for him will help you decide whether professional assistance is needed.
 

DO get your Equine Vet to help you with a medicine kit for your horse. Learn how to use the medicines when needed and learn how to give your horse shots.

DO- If your horse is sick and you need to call your vet, know all the questions he will ask such as what are the horses symptoms, temperature, etc.

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