Читать книгу Caring for Your Horse - Lesley Ward - Страница 7

Handling a Horse

If you’ve been taking regular riding lessons, you already have had some handling experience. Handling describes the activities you do with a horse while on the ground such as catching him, leading him, and working around him.

It’s very important to learn correct handling for your own safety. Horses can be unpredictable, and even the quietest, most sensible horse can spook and run off. When a horse is upset, he will step on you or knock you over without a thought because his instinct is to escape whatever is upsetting him. This is why you should always be aware when you’re around a horse. Almost anything could happen.

Understanding Horse Behavior

Understanding horse behavior helps you know how to react if your horse acts badly or does something that seems strange. Here are a few things to consider:

Horses, by nature, are herd creatures. They like to be in the company of other horses. This behavior dates back thousands of years to when your horse’s ancestors lived in the wild. It was much safer for them to live in a herd because a solitary horse was more likely to get attacked and eaten by a predator. Some horses are hard to catch when out in a field because they don’t want to leave their herdmates. Similarly, if you are riding a horse in company, he may be reluctant to go away from his buddies.

Horses would rather run than fight. Their primary defense is running, which is why they spook or shy (jump or run away from scary objects) so much. If they spot something they think is dangerous, their natural reaction is to run away from it: a response that may have helped them survive for millions of years. Remember this when your horse reacts violently to a flapping garbage bag or an unusual noise. His first reaction may be to get away from it fast. Try not to punish this behavior, as it is only natural.

Horses take their cues from other horses. If one horse becomes antsy in the warm-up arena at a show for example, it is likely that others will catch on and act badly too. If one horse won’t be caught in a field, others also may be difficult to catch.

Horses have remarkable memories. This can be good and bad. A good memory is a plus when you teach a horse a new task and he remembers it the next time. But if he has a bad experience, such as a terrible ride in a trailer or a painful visit with the veterinarian, he will remember it for years.

Horse Sense

A horse can smell things you can’t, hear things you can’t, and see things you can’t. That’s why he may react strongly to something you don’t sense. He may be nervous because he can smell a coyote a mile down the trail, or he may spook at a child running behind you in the arena. It’s important to know about the senses that keep a horse aware of what’s going on around him.

Let a horse know when you are behind him.

VISION

Horses have a unique way of seeing things. They have the largest eyes of any land mammal. The placement of their eyes on the sides of the head gives them a wide field of view—reportedly up to a radius of 200 degrees. Horses, however, don’t see objects well directly in front or directly behind themselves, so keep that in mind when you are trail riding or riding in a new area. Horses do have night vision, but it is not as acute as a cat or a dog’s. Once in darkness, a horse’s night vision is impaired when light is briefly introduced.

Move carefully around the following areas:

directly behind the tail

directly in front of the forehead

under his head and around the front legs

If you have to groom a horse around these areas, speak to the horse so he knows where you are.

HEARING

A horse has large, funnel-shaped ears that catch even the tiniest noise. They also rotate so the horse can hear sounds from any direction. If a horse hears something that interests him, both of his ears will point toward the source of the sound.

SMELL

When a horse spots something scary, once he feels brave enough, he’ll give it a big sniff. If he meets a new horse, he’ll sniff him, too, so that he can later identify the other horse as familiar and safe, or hostile and dangerous. Your horse will soon come to recognize your smell.

TOUCH

A horse’s skin is very sensitive. Notice how he can flick away the tiniest fly, no matter where it lands on his body. Some horses hate being groomed with a hard brush and fidget and grind their teeth. Make your horse happy and use a soft brush. The areas around the nose and mouth are particularly sensitive, so avoid patting or touching him there. You might think stroking your horse’s nose would be soothing, but he’d probably prefer that you pat him on the neck instead.

Horse “Talk”

A horse’s body language can tell you what he’s feeling and help you predict what he’s going to do. You can avoid accidents by paying close attention to your horse’s body language.

Here are some interpretations of common horse body language:

Pinning his ears back means he feels angry or threatened.

Pawing with his front hooves means he is impatient or hungry.

Swishing his tail violently means he is irritated or grumpy.

Swinging his hindquarters toward you means he’s afraid of you or he may kick.

Lifting a leg could mean he is preparing to kick.

Ears forward, head reaching toward you means he’s interested in you. He may be asking, “Hey, do you have a treat for me?”

Resting a hind leg could mean he is tired or simply feeling relaxed.

When a horse points his ears, something has interested him.

Stand on your horse’s near side when catching him.

Catching a Horse

If your horse spends most of his time in a field or corral, you’ll have to catch him before you can ride him. This might be difficult because you should turn him out without a halter. Halters, especially tough nylon ones, can get caught on branches or fencing and seriously injure your horse. If your horse is hard to catch, turn him out in a leather halter; it will break if it gets caught on something.

If your horse is friendly, catching him shouldn’t be difficult, especially if you have a tasty treat—such as an apple—in your pocket.

Here’s the best way to catch a horse:

1 Carry a halter and a lead rope into the field. Close the gate behind you. Call to your horse so he knows you’re approaching. Walk slowly, in an indirect arc toward him. If he doesn’t come, walk toward his side so he can see you clearly. Aim for his left shoulder so you’ll be in the correct position to put on his halter quickly.

2 Stand on his near (left) side, next to his shoulder, and face the same direction he’s facing. Give him a treat as a reward for coming to you or standing still, then slip the lead rope over his neck and hold the two parts of the rope together with one hand under his throat. This gives you some control so it is harder for your horse to escape.

3 Place the noseband of the halter over his nose, then pass the crownpiece behind his ears, and buckle it. Always give him a pat on the neck to let him know how good he is. Being caught should be a pleasant experience!

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!

Some horses don’t like to be caught, and there are few things more annoying than chasing a wily horse around a field for hours!

Here are some tricks that might help:

Many horses associate being caught with working. Go out in the field occasionally just to visit your horse. Put on his halter, give him a treat, and then let him go.

Carry the halter and lead rope behind your back so the horse can’t see it.

Most horses are greedy and investigate anything that sounds like food. If your horse is by himself in the field, carry a bucket with some feed and shake it. Put down the bucket, and he should put his head in it. Wrap the lead rope around his neck and, voilà, he’s trapped. Never carry a bucket of feed into a field full of horses; they may fight over it, and you could get kicked and seriously injured.

Horses are nosy. Carry a squeaky toy or a crumpled piece of paper and squeak or rustle it near your horse. If he comes over, move slowly so as not to frighten him off and cause him to bolt.

Walk in a large circle around your horse, then slowly spiral in until you’re close enough to put on his halter.

If you’re desperate, lead his field mates out of the field. Your horse will probably loiter around the gate, eager to be with them. When he is alone, he may be easier to catch.

Turning out a Horse

Carefully open the gate wide enough for you and your horse to walk through side by side. Once you’re in the field, turn your horse around so he is facing the gate. Close the gate, take off his halter, and let him go. Don’t let your horse loose when he is facing the field; the temptation for him might be too great. He might get frisky and try to run off, and you could get kicked and seriously injured or trampled. When in doubt, have a friend or trainer help you the first few times you turn out your horse. An extra hand is always helpful in case you lose control of the horse.

Leading a Horse in a Halter

Stand next to your horse’s shoulder, facing the same direction that he’s facing. (He should be on your right.) Clip the lead rope to the metal ring on the halter under his chin. Your right hand should hold the lead rope about 3 inches under the chin. Loop the excess rope and hold the loops in the middle with your left hand. Don’t wind it around your hand; if your horse runs off, you could be dragged behind him. Walk even to your horse’s shoulder; don’t get too far in front or behind.

A bucket of food may entice a hard-to-catch horse.

To stop him, come to a complete halt and say “whoa.” If he does not stop immediately, tug once or twice on the lead rope with your right hand and say “whoa” again.

Leading Problems

If your horse likes to drag you along and nibble every blade of grass, you may have to use a stud chain over his nose to keep his attention, similar to a choke chain on a dog. You can buy one at a tack store for a couple of dollars. Thread the snap end through the square bit of metal on the buckle (left) side of the halter, run it over the noseband, thread it through the square on the far side, and then snap it to the round ring halfway up his head. Then attach the lead rope to the chain at the bottom. Walk next to your horse normally, but tug on the lead rope if he tries to get away from you. This pulls on the chain, which puts pressure on his nose. He should listen to you pretty quickly, and after a few days you should be able to remove the chain.

If your horse is sluggish when you lead him, carry a long dressage whip—not to hit, but to use as an extension of your arm. This type of whip is best because it reaches his hindquarters, which is the prime tapping area. Hold the lead rope as usual, and carry the whip in your left hand. If your horse does not move forward when you ask, flick the whip sideways behind you and tap him on his hindquarters so he understands that you want him to move—now!

Hold the lead rope with two hands.

If your horse is a puller, you may need to put a chain over his nose.

As a safety precaution, tie the lead rope to a loop of safety twine.

Tying up a Horse

Always tie your horse in a safe place, with plenty of space between him and other horses. Always tie him in a halter. Never tie your horse with his reins; if he spooks, he will pull back, the bridle may break, and the bit will hurt his mouth.

Tie your horse to a specially mounted metal ring or a solid object such as a tree or fence post. Never tie him to anything that isn’t firmly planted in the ground that he could run away with—even something heavy like a picnic table. As a safety precaution, tie a loop of safety string (usually baling twine) first and then attach the lead rope to the string. If your horse pulls back, he will break the string instead of his lead rope, his halter, or even his neck.

Tie him up high and fairly short, so he can’t trip over the lead rope. About 18 inches from the ring or post is adequate. And always keep an eye on your horse when he is tied up. It takes only a few seconds for a horse to get into trouble and hurt himself!

QUICK-RELEASE KNOT

Always use a quick-release knot, which should come undone immediately with a strong tug on the free end. Here’s how to tie one:

1 Thread the end of the lead rope through the loop made of safety string.

2 Form the loose end of the lead rope into a loop as shown.

3 Make another loop with the loose end and thread this under and through the first loop.

4 Leave the second loop hanging, then tighten the knot by pulling it and the rope attached to your horse at the same time.

5 To release the knot, pull on the loose end of the rope; it should come undone.