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Check tack condition and repair every time you use a piece of equipment. Loose stitching, cracked leather, broken snaps, and missing rivets are signs of weakness that can pose huge safety risks.
Any time you put something on a horse, from his halter and lead to the last stirrup leather, make a habit of quickly inspecting the equipment. Run your fingers across seams and over leather, especially where it bends or is under pulling stress. The most important pieces of equipment for rider safety, the girth and the stirrup leathers, are often the first to show signs of wear. If you find something questionable, pull it out of circulation and leave it on Anne’s desk.
To help prevent damage, feel free to clean and condition tack any time there’s a quiet moment in the lesson schedule. Everything you need is on the shelf with the brush boxes in the tack room. If you’re not sure how to clean tack, just ask someone to teach you!
Do you have a Horse Life Lesson that you think everyone should know? Leave a comment and share your wisdom!
Body language is a great way to communicate with a horse. When in a herd, horses use their own body language to establish dominance, find family members, and invite play.
We call our volunteers “Leaders” for a reason. Horses respond very well to assertive, confident personalities that say “I know what I’m doing. I can find food and water, and keep us away from mountain lions”. Since (most) horses don’t speak English, body language is the best way to get messages across.
When working with a horse, keep your chest open and your shoulders back. Look where you’re going, especially when turning or trying to get a slower horse to move on. Never pull a horse, instead, inspire him from behind you with the end of your lead rope or a whip.
Confident body language encourages the horse to see you as the “leader”, and every new success will make you more sure of how to communicate with our favorite friends.
Do you have a Horse Life Lesson that you think everyone should know? Leave a comment and share your wisdom!
Some infectious equine diseases can be spread by humans, when infected material from one barn sticks to clothing that is brought directly into another barn. Even when all horses at both barns are carefully and routinely vaccinated, there is a risk of spreading germs and viruses.
If you are currently going to more than one barn, the best thing for the health of your equine friends is to have clothing dedicated to each barn, and not to let fecal matter or dirt from one barn go to another one. If this isn’t possible, make sure to brush off and clean out your boots, jeans, jacket, and gloves thoroughly every time you leave a barn. This practice is even more important when coming from an off-site horse show.
It’s also a good idea to keep barn dirt outside of your home. Not only will your house stay cleaner, but you’ll be protecting the health and safety of your own pets.
Do you have a Horse Life Lesson that you think everyone should know? Leave a comment and share your wisdom!
