Safety First

Horses are predictable in their unpredictability.  They are prey animals and have been hard-wired to react first and ask questions later.  Some are more that way than others but it is the tendency for humans to get complacent and believe that their horse won't surprise them.  Don't be fooled into a dangerous situation; always act prudently around your horse. 

Here are a few things to remember:

• Don't leave your halter tied to the fence, tie rack or cross ties when you lead your horse away. Horses easily get snared in this and can panic. People riding by can also get their feet caught in it. If you want to leave the halter there it is probably fairly safe as long as the lead is untied.

• Don't tie your horse near hooks such as gate hinges, bridle racks, or portable tack racks. They can easily hang their halter on these and panic.

• Don't tie low or long. If you tie your horse low they can get a foot caught in the rope and get hung upside down. If you tie them too long they can do the same thing or also get their head underneath the rope which usually leads to unnecessary pulling back. Eye- high and short is the rule of thumb.

• Don't EVER tie any horse to any part of yourself. Be careful that you don't put a hand through a loop or coil in a rope. · Don't tie two horses close enough together that they could kick each other.

• Kids and dogs don't know better. You need to look out for them around horses!

• Everyone should wear a helmet and boots. If your foot gets caught in your stirrup even for a hesitating second, the boot or the stirrup need to go in the trash. Crepe soles, lug soles, ripped leather soles etc. stick. Stirrups that are too small or too large for your feet stick also. If you ever do get a foot stuck and are being drug, roll on to your stomach, it can twist your foot out of the stirrup.

• Always take your right foot completely out of the stirrup and only have the ball of your left foot in the stirrup when you step down.

• If you are riding and your horse gets tangled in wire, don't get off unless there is NO way that YOU could get tangled in the wire as well.

• Always warm your horse up. Most accidents with horses are due in part to the horse not being properly warmed up before being ridden.

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