Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Protective Equipment and General Training
• Part 2 of 3: Handling a Horse on the Ground
• Part 3 of 3: Horseback Riding
• Tips
• Warnings
• Additional articles

Communicating with a horse and riding it can be one of the brightest pleasures in life. However, horses are powerful and shy animals that require proper handling. You must always protect yourself and the horse from possible injury by observing safety requirements for being near and on the horse.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Protective Equipment and General Training

1. 1 Wear stiff-toed boots. This will protect your feet if the horse accidentally steps on you. Choose boots with metal or composite toes that can support your horse's weight. If you are riding a horse, then the boots should also have small heels.
   • The weight of a horse varies depending on its size and breed, but is usually in the range of 400-850 kg.
   • Boots with metal toes are capable of supporting much more weight than a horse. Rumors that these boots do more harm than good are a myth.
2. 2 Wear a helmet when riding. Choose a riding helmet with a retention buckle and make sure the helmet is safety certified and has been manufactured no more than 10 years ago. Pay attention to the presence of certification marks on the helmet itself, and also ask the seller for certificates for the goods.
   • Some helmets with air vents may not meet all international safety requirements due to the increased risk of penetrating injuries in such helmets.
   • Replace your helmet at least every five years, or if it is damaged or shows signs of wear.
3. 3 Wear safe, visible clothing. Avoid baggy clothing that can cling to your horse's equipment. More importantly, your clothing should be highly visible on the road. It is recommended to use reflective vests, especially in heavy rain, fog and at night.
   • If you are just starting to learn to ride, jump on a horse or try to compete with it, wear body protection. The protection should sit comfortably on you, not more than five years old and meet international safety standards.
   • Comfortable gloves, seamless underwear and leggings can prevent scuffs and discomfort.
4. 4 Remove unnecessary dangling accessories from yourself. Any loose detachable object can scare the horse or get caught in its equipment. Take the following precautions.
   • If you wear glasses, they should have flexible frames. Having contact lenses increases the likelihood of dust and hair getting in your eyes. See your ophthalmologist for more advice.
   • Take off all jewelry. Even tightly fitting rings and bracelets can snag on something.
   • Tie long hair at the back.
   • Zip up your jacket and hide loose strings and other loose objects.
5. 5 Check your horse's equipment regularly. Make sure all of the horse's equipment is suitable for the horse's size and shape. Check for signs of wear on your equipment. This includes checking for cracks in stretched sections of leather equipment and checking that the stitches are intact. Anything close to rupture or breakage poses a safety risk. Check your equipment before riding a horse and after riding a short distance.
   • The girth should be taut enough that the horse cannot get caught in the leg, but the horse should not feel uncomfortable with the girth that is too tight. Check the girth after getting into the saddle, then after a few minutes of riding, and every few hours on long journeys.
   • You should be able to hold the reins without having to put extra lengths around the horse's neck and without winding them around your own arms.
   • Keep all equipment clean.
   • Make sure the stirrups are of the correct length. As you ride, you should be able to transfer your weight to your heels.
6. 6 Consider using a neck strap. During jumping or sudden movements on the horse, it is easier to hold onto the neck strap than the mane, especially if the mane is braided. Despite the fact that neck straps are usually used by beginners, there is nothing wrong with having an additional safety device. Certain professionals even use neck straps these days.
7. 7 Have human and horse first aid kits available. You should have these first aid kits in each horse stall and in your horse trailer if you transport the horse frequently. Place a piece of thick paper in your medicine cabinet with the contact details of the veterinary medicine, as well as the phone numbers of the nearest emergency hospitals.
   • Make sure that there is someone who knows how to give first aid to people and also someone who knows how to give first aid to horses nearby when you are riding a horse.
8. 8 Close the stall gates and doors behind you. Make sure all additional fence gates are closed before releasing the horse into the field. Never allow your horse to graze near dangerous places such as roads or on unstable ground.
9. 9 Install horse guard latches. Many horses quickly learn to open common latches and latches. Consider using eye locks and / or horse-resistant latches. For particularly bored or smart horses, add extra latches and / or a wooden obstruction to block the horse's head from reaching the latches.
   • If your horse is constantly trying to escape, he may need more companionship, exercise, or walking.

Part 2 of 3: Handling a Horse on the Ground

1. 1 Learn from experienced people. Beginners should never be left alone with a horse unattended. As your skills and confidence increase, you will be able to start communicating with the horse on your own, but even then there should be other people nearby who can help you if something goes wrong.
2. 2 Approach the horse from the side. The horse has blind spots directly in front and behind. Approach her from the side so that she knows exactly about your approach.
   • Even in a small stall, try to turn the horse for your approach. If the horse is tied, approach him at an angle, but not straight from behind.
   • As you approach, talk calmly to your horse to get its attention.
3. 3 Stand next to the horse and keep one hand on it. Your hands will serve as the primary means of communication with the horse. When brushing and putting on your horse's equipment, rest your hand on the horse's shoulder or rump. This will tell her that you are nearby, even if the horse cannot see you. This will also give you the opportunity to kick off the horse in a timely manner if it kicks. Whenever possible, always try to stand to the side of the horse and lean on it with one hand when brushing and donning equipment.
   • Pay attention to the horse's sudden excitement. This can lead to kicking or jumping.
4. 4 Tie the horse before brushing or inspecting it. Tie the rope at the level of the horse's withers (base of the neck) and leave it no longer than your arm's length. Use a quick knot so that you can undo it easily. Never run your fingers into a knot when tying it, as the horse can jerk and tighten the knot with your toes.
   • Ideally, you should tie the horse to the Panic Carabiner, not directly to the leash ring. The panic carabiner is a clasp that unfastens under high pressure.Without such a device, at the moment of fright, the tethered horse can fall, which is dangerous for injuries both for him and for you.
   • Never tie a horse by the reins of the bridle.
5. 5 Be careful when driving behind the horse. Staying behind a horse puts you at risk of receiving a powerful kick. If you do not have enough room to safely walk behind the horse, move as close to it as possible, keeping one hand on its rump and continuing to talk so the animal knows where you are. From a short distance, a possible hoof strike will not be as strong.
6. 6 Do not bend down in front of the horse unless you have trained him to do the same. It is safer to move in front of the horse than in the back, but it is also risky. Never bend under the horse's belly, neck or leash. It is very easy to scare a horse if you move quickly, low and out of sight. These actions put you at risk of being kicked or trampled. If you are in front of the horse, it may rears up and beat you with its front hooves.
7. 7 Lead the horse by the rope. Do not grab onto the bridle itself, otherwise the horse at the moment of fright may lift you off the ground. Never wrap the rope around your arm or other part of your body, or let it drag along the ground, as it can entangle your legs. If this happens, the horse can pull the rope tightly and seriously injure you.
   • To shorten the length of the rope, simply fold it. Keep the rope centered on the folded section so you can easily release it from your hands.
   • Never wrap the extra part of the horse's reins around your arm, as your arm may be broken or even torn off if the horse gets scared and twitches, or the horse may drag you along the ground with it.
   • Do not try to drag the horse. She is much stronger than you and can easily lift you off the ground.
8. 8 Give your horse treats from your open palm. If the horse is very nervous, put the food in the bucket. Continuous hand-feeding is not a good idea as it may encourage the horse to bite.
9. 9 Handle the horse's legs carefully. If you need to look at the horse's hooves or legs, let the horse see what is happening so that he can feel more relaxed about it. Place your hand on the horse's shoulder or rump, and then slowly move it towards the side of the leg. Gently grasp the horse's fetlock joint to raise the leg while also giving the “up” command to train the horse.
   • When holding a horse's leg, do not bend over or sit down. Instead, squat down so that you can easily jump back if necessary.
10. 10 Be careful when surrounded by several horses. Pay attention to other horses nearby, not just the horse you are currently working with. Do not go behind other horses or get too close to their feet.
    • In particular, do not carry feed in the middle of a group of horses. They may be crowded with excitement around you.
11. 11 Train your horse to safely enter the trailer for transport. Getting your horse into the trailer can take weeks of patiently communicating with her and trying to convince her to enter it on her own. Even with a trained horse, remember to only tie and untie your horse when the trailer door is closed so that it doesn't try to escape before you're done.

Part 3 of 3: Horseback Riding

1. 1 Whenever possible, ride only under supervision. Novice riders should always be accompanied by more experienced riders on their horses. It is also a good idea to ride in company when you are practicing horse jumping.
2. 2 Drive a particularly energetic horse before riding. If the horse is furious or full of energy, it must first be driven on the line by an experienced rider.
3. 3 Keep calm. Speak and behave calmly in the presence of horses.Horses work best with patient and quiet people. Never yell near a horse, as the noise can scare it.
4. 4 Always be vigilant. Check your surroundings for possible sources of fear in your horse. These can include children running, approaching cars, and even plastic bags flying in the wind. If a horse's pupils dilate and his ears stick up, he may feel fear. If this is the case, start talking to the horse calmly and try to go to a place where he can calm down.
   • Start desensitizing your horse in a familiar environment if it becomes easily frightened.
5. 5 Be careful when introducing your horse to horses he doesn't know. Horses don't always show friendliness to each other when they first meet. Touching noses can turn into bites and even a fight.
6. 6 Let your horse decide how to overcome difficult terrain. Let your horse choose the pace of slippery ground, including ice, snow and mud. When riding up or down steep slopes, take your horse at a walk, even if he wants to go faster.
   • Walking is also a good choice when moving at night or in poor visibility conditions.
7. 7 Stay away from other horses. When other riders are nearby, either move level with them or keep a respectful distance so the horses do not kick. When looking between your horse's ears, you should be able to see the hooves of the horse in front. That is, when driving in a group, you should also not lag behind the others so that you have to catch up with them at a gallop.
   • In some cases, the presence of a red ribbon on the horse's tail indicates its tendency to kick. Stay away from these horses.
   • If you are leading an equestrian group, inform the riders behind them about possible dangers ahead. This includes broken glass, poor ground surfaces, and tree branches located at the head level of the riders.
8. 8 Learn how to properly handle the horse that is carrying. Losing control of your horse can be dangerous, especially if you are unsure of what to do in this case. It is usually safest to stay on the horse and let it run until it calms down or gets tired. Pulling on the reins can reduce the horse's field of vision and cause the horse to lose balance.
   • If you have had the opportunity to pre-train your horse, you can try making it go sideways to slow it down. Without prior training, pulling on one of the reins can only limit the horse's field of vision and balance, and it can try to turn at full speed.
   • Do not jump off your horse unless it is close to a road, cliff, or branches that are too low for you to duck under safely.
9. 9 Handle your horse safely after riding. Since you and your horse will be tired after riding, it's a good idea to have a list of tips handy to get it right. Try the following checklist:
   • slow down before approaching the stall;
   • after descending from the horse, tie it with a quick untied knot;
   • clean the horse;
   • return the horse to the pasture or stall (train the horse to take his time and calmly stand next to you while he is wearing a bridle);
   • remove the bridle from the horse (pat and praise the horse for calm demeanor, he should continue to stand calmly next to you until you leave).

Tips

• If you are competing with your horse, there are a number of additional considerations you need to consider, including adapting the horse to an unfamiliar stall, as well as accustoming it to the presence of a large, noisy crowd of spectators. Consult experienced competitors for advice.
• Learn to securely tie your horse to prevent it from reaching the knots.Sometimes this is necessary when, after riding a horse, you need to make a stop at some place. Do not tie your horse to objects that it can move, such as empty containers, fences, or doorknobs.

Warnings

• Never stay locked in a stall with your horse.
• Take extra care with previously mistreated horses. They can dislike humans and are usually more dangerous than horses that have always been treated appropriately.

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