FALCON CREEK FARM NEWSLETTER

(February/March 2004)

SOME DO’s AND DONT’s

There are many things I see people do on a day to day basis while working with and around their horse that maybe they shouldn’t be doing or things that could be done a little better and safer. There are also things people don’t do that they should be doing to help get along with their horse a little bit better. Much of what I see that needs to change, involves safety. It is so important to make things as safe as possible, when working around horses, because they are so big and while they don’t always mean to hurt us, they can just because of their size and behavioral tendencies (like spooking!)

I have complied a list of Ten things that I see folks do from time to time that, if were corrected, can result in a safer and more productive time with your horse:

1. DO tie your horse such that the tie, or knot, is below the horse’s head. Tying your horse too low invites the danger that he will get the lead rope stuck over his head. If he pulls back against it, this can cause him to panic and even injure himself (or you) if he pulls too hard. It may also cause him to get his front leg over the rope if he’s tied too low.

2. DO NOT completely tighten your horse’s cinch right after you put your saddle on while he is still tied up. This makes many horses panicky or irritated and can cause behavioral problems such as kicking, biting and head tossing. It’s just too much, too soon for many horses. Tighten it in stages, maybe two or three times. Only snug it up enough at first so that you can walk him outside. Finish tightening the cinch after you have walked him around and are ready to ride or lunge. Always tighten it before you ride.

1. DO NOT ride your horse if he has been in his stall all day or all night, or has confined for a long period of time. Do some ground work or lunging first to get his brain engaged and get some of the kinks worked out. It also helps to warm up his joints and muscles slowly. Afresh horse is not one to hop on before getting a little of his energy out. Ground work will help minimize the possibility of a “rodeo” event.

2. DO NOT take a bucket of grain out into the pasture to catch your horse if there are many other horses out there with him. All this does is create a swarm of horses around you all wanting the grain and they will all fight each other to get it. There can be a great potential for you to get hurt here if you don’t stay out of their way.

3. DO check your horse daily for cuts, swellings or any physical or emotional abnormalities. Don’t forget to check under the belly, chest, head and legs. Get to know your horse’s “normal” physical and mental state, so if anything deviates from that, you can determine if he needs medical attention.

4. DO NOT tie your horse if you are going to do something to him that may scare him. Some example is this might be worming, giving vaccinations, having a vet treat or examine him, clipping, bathing or blanketing him. If your horse panics or gets scared, he is going to try to break away and that will only further scare him and possibly even injure him or you in the process. You have to provide a horse a way out of being confined if he should become scared. This can also make your horse afraid of being tied even when nothing scary is happening. They may always be afraid of “what if”.

5. DO NOT buy a horse that matches your own horsemanship skills. If you are a beginner rider, don’t buy a young, untrained horse. If you do not know what you are doing, a young or “green” horse surely isn’t going to help you learn it. Heed the saying “green and green make black and blue”. It is always helpful to consult with a qualified horseman before purchasing a horse. They can steer you to good horses that will match your experience level or away from horses that don’t. Always, Always, Always have a veterinarian do a pre-purchase exam on any horse you plan to buy.

6. DO stay current with your horse’s farrier, worming and vaccinations. Many lameness and health problems can be avoided relatively inexpensively with routine farrier and veterinarian care.

7. DO NOT hand feed treats to your horse. This causes horses to start nipping and biting, in hopes of finding some food reward. It also lets the horse know that he can get you to give up “your food”, which leads to dominance issues, where your horse thinks he is dominant because he can take food from you. This can lead to making your horse dis-respect you and make him hard to ride or train.

10. DO NOT wait until you have to go somewhere to start teaching

your horse to trailer load. I can’t tell you how many times I have

seen people come to the barn bright and early in the morning to

load up for a horse show or to go somewhere and they have to be

there right away, and their horse won’t load in the trailer. They

then spend many frustrating hours trying to load the horse and by

the time they do, if they ever do, the horse and rider are emotional

wrecks and the day is pretty much shot. Not a fun way to

experience horse showing, huh?

Practice loading your horse when you have time and are

not in a hurry. If your horse is violent about loading, ask for

professional help, it’s not worth getting you or your horse hurt.

Happy Riding!!!

Comments and feedback are always welcome!

Leslie @

Falcon Creek Farm

http://www.falconcreekfarm.com/

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