There is a right and wrong way to do most everything. Horses, for the most part are no different. Everyone has different techniques, styles, and horses; however, the basics for treating horses that aren't your own are simple. Most of us know these things already, but I will brief on the top three.
1 Never walk within kicking distance behind an unfamiliar horse. Walking either far behind his legs or brushing up next to them is safest. Sliding your hand across his hindquarters and brushing your body along the backside of him will alert him that you’re there. Not all horses are used to this and some may act up at the touch, walking around an unfamiliar horse is usually best.
2 When approaching any horse it is usually best to speak in a soothing voice to let him know where you are. The two main blind spots on a horse are directly in front of him and directly behind him so don’t approach from those angles. Never run towards an unfamiliar horse.
3 Don’t be loud and fast. Horses have many natural predators and usually spook at anything they aren't sure of. They’re eyes are sensitive to movement so keep your motions calm and slow when with an unfamiliar horse. While most reasons for spooking are vision related, sounds can be very unsettling to some horses. If a horse does spook around you, stay calm. Assure him that there is nothing to be afraid of. Horses often reflect our feelings so spooking along with them won’t help the situation.
I am no expert when it comes to horses, but they are my passion and I would love to share my stories, tips, and ideas if you will share yours back. These are just some basic things that I'm sure most of us have heard time and time again, but being reminded will only help us progress as equestrians.
-Manda
No comments:
Post a Comment