River's Horse Website

Introduction

I've lived around horses my whole life. They're fun and amazing, but they can be dangerous if you aren't careful. My Website explains how to read your horses' body language, which can save lives, if you don't heed your horses warnings you can end up being kicked or bitten.
I'll also cover how to react to your horse's warning signs and information about riding, grooming and more.

Reading your horses's body language

One of the most important things to be able to tell is if your horse is tense. If your horse is tense it may kick or bite if it's pushed too far.
If your horse is tense it won't be resting a hind leg, it's lower lip won't be droopy and it's muscles may look tense. It may also have it's ears back, be stomping a hoof and it may throw it's head up if you try to pat it, which is also a sign of being head shy. Head Shy is where the horse is nervous of having it's head touched, which can happen if it's been hit on the head, or people have moved suddenly towards it's head.

You also need to be able to tell if your horse is relaxed.
Resting a hind leg, droopy lower lip, head lowered and relaxed are all signs of relaxtion.

An alert horse will often have it's head up, ears pricked, and nostrils flared are sighs of an alert horse.
If your horse has one ear back and one forwards it's listening to something, if it's ears are flicking back and forwards it's probably trying to locate a sound.
A scared horse will be tense, it's ears probably back and the whites of it's eyes may be showing. If you corner a scared horse it might lash out at you because it feels trapped.

Your horse also makes noises. If your horse is running up and down the fence neighing loudly it probably means they can't find their paddock mate, if they are kept with other horses. It usually means they are lonely.
Horses also make a low, throaty nicker which can show happiness, they might make it when you come over with they're food.
A snort can show alarm (if it's short) or pleasure (if it's a longer snort and the horse bends it's head downwards).
Horses often squeal if they're meeting a horse for the first time, often two stallions will squeal when they meet, or bossy mares.

Staying safe around horses

Here's a list of big no-nos around horses, for the person, and horse's safety.

Never stand behind a horse, when going around behind them either go right up next to them, touching their rump, or way around them.
Don't go under a horse's belly. Even if it may seem easier to just duck under your horse when you're doing up the girth going under their belly is dangerous, you may get kicked. Get a helper to pass the girth strap to you from the other side if you can't reach it.
Don't stand directly in front of your horse. If it charges forwards suddenly it may bowl you over.
Don't thump the saddle down on the horse's back, this hurts the horse and it might kick because it was hurt.
Don't turn your back to a horse that bites, make sure you are watching it at all times.
Never, ever hit a horse on the head, this causes head shyness which can be a pain when putting on halters or bridles.
Don't run towards or around horses, it can spook them.If a horse is spooked it sometimes bolts and they can injure themselves.
Avoid making sudden, loud noises around horses, it can spook them.

And here's a list of some things you should do around horses, for your safety, and the horse's safety, too.

Always wear a horse-riding helmet when riding a horse.
Always speak in a low, calm voice around horses.
Always wear boots when you're around horses, if they step on your foot and you're wearing sandals it can hurt, a lot!
Talk to your horse softly as you walk over to it or around it so it knows where you are so you don't scare it.
Always approach your horse's head, on a slight angle so you end up at it's shoulder. Don't approach it from behind, it may get startled and kick you.

Those are some of the main things to do and not do horses are prey, so they are naturally afraid of things sneaking up on them.

Catching your horse in the paddock and grooming

Horses often don't want to be caught, they run off or hide or just go to the far corner of their paddock so you have to walk all that way to catch them.
It can be a pain. If you are in a hurry it's likely to be worse, too.
Here's a way to make catching your horse easier.

Visit your horses often with treats, get them used to coming when they are called. Make sure you don't just call them over so you can catch them and ride them.
Bring some treats with you, call them like you normally do when you just give them some treats. Hide the lead rope.
When your horse comes over give it some of the treats. Slowly attach the lead rope, remember to approach slowly for the left, aiming for the shoulder. Don't run over or try sneak up behind.
Lead your horse slowly and calmly out of the paddock, walking at the left shoulder.
Remember not to yank the horse along. Avoid letting them put their head down, if they start eating it can take a while to get them out.

If the other horses in the paddock are bossy to the horse you ride you may need someone to come and hold the bossy horse while you get your horse out.

Tying up

First thing is to find a good spot to tie the horse up in. A flat area with plenty of room if your horse decides to swing its rump around is good. You need a solid thing to tie your horse to, a post, tree, or a solid gate work fine. Make sure it's sturdy and can't be pulled over or anything. Attach some bailing twine to the solid thing (gate, tree or post) and make a loop that you can attach the lead rope to. You use bailing twine so if the horse pulls back hard the twine snaps, that way your horse's halter doesn't get broken or the horse doesn't get hurt.
We use a knot called a quick release knot to tie the horse to the bailing twine. That why if the horse gets upset you can just untie the knot quickly to stop your horse hurting itself.

Grooming

Grooming your horse is not only to make them clean, but to check for injuries, also, if you just put the saddle on a muddy coat your horse would get all sore.
First using a dandy brush (stiff bristled brush) you clean the dirt off. Once you've got the mud off, use a body brush to continue cleaning, pay special attention to the saddle arena and girth area.
Next gently brush the face, clean any mud off (using a body brush) be careful not to poke them in the eye.
Then clean out the hooves with a hoof pick. Standing at the shoulder, run your hand down the horse's leg. When you reach the fetlock (ankle) squeeze gently and push the horse's weight away from you with your shoulder. When they lift their hoof clean out the mud, working from heel to toe, avoid digging into the frog in the centre of the horse's hoof. Once the hoof is clean, clean the other hooves out.

Tacking up

Tacking up is where you put the gear (saddle and brilde) on your horse. After you groom your horse, put the saddle blanket on, make sure it's wrinkle free and a little further forwards than it'll be once you are finished.
The saddle is next. Lift it gently onto the horse's back, making sure not to bang it down hard. Before you put the saddle on, run the stirrups up, and put the girth over the saddle.

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