Dawn
M. Richard and Karyn Malinowski, Ph.D.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
With
your horse properly and safely tacked, you are ready to mount,
provided you have checked the girth at least twice for tightness.
Walk the horse out of the barn with the reins pulled over
its head. If the reins are split, lead with the rein on the
near (left) side and rest the off-side rein on the horses
neck. Do not let it drag on the ground. Maintain a slack,
but firm hand on the reins even while leading.
Never
mount in the barn aisle or in the stall. If the horse suddenly
rears or bolts for the door while you are mounted in the barn,
you could be seriously injured. Always mount in an open area.
Do not mount near fences, trees or overhanging projections.
Your horse should be trained to stand perfectly still and
quiet while you mount. This is accomplished by maintaining
light control on the horses head through the reins. If the
horse should move while mounting, pull sharply on the reins
with your left hand. By pulling harder on the left rein than
the right, the horse will circle around you instead of walking
away.
With
the horse in a cleared area, you are ready to mount. Before
you do, however, check the girth to see that it is secure
and tight. Bring the reins over the horses head and onto its
neck. While facing slightly towards the rear of the horse,
hold both reins in your left hand just above the withers.
Be sure to take up the slack of the off-side rein. Make sure
the extra reins, known as the bight, are arranged along the
shoulder of the horse neatly, to avoid the possibility of
getting caught in the stirrup.
With
your left hand resting slightly ahead of the pommel, grab
a handful of mane along with the reins. This gives you something
secure to hold on to while preventing you from putting excess
pressure on the horses mouth and the saddle while you mount.
A large clump of mane does not hurt the horse when pulled
as much as jerking on its mouth does.
With
your right hand, turn the stirrup iron towards you. Place
your left foot far enough into the stirrup so that the stirrup
is past the ball of the foot and the foot is secure. Now turn
and face the horse as you grab the cantle of the saddle with
your right hand. Usually a single bounce on your right leg
will enable you to stand up in the left stirrup. If you are
shorter or have weak knees, you will need to pull with your
arms, also. Make sure your left foot is pointing downward
and is in close to the horse to avoid accidentally kicking
the horses side as you mount. Balance your weight between
your arms and your left leg. Move your right hand from the
cantle to the off-side of the pommel while at the same time
swinging your right leg over the horses croup and letting
yourself down into the saddle. Make sure not to kick the horses
croup while you mount. This can startle the horse into moving
and knocking you off balance. Once in the saddle, place your
right foot in the stirrup and take the reins in both hands.
To get
a leg up, face the horse, take the reins and a chunk of mane
in your left hand above the withers and grasp the cantle in
your right hand. Stand close to the horse and bend your left
leg at the knee. Your helper should hold your left leg at
the knee and ankle. With the combined effort of you bouncing
up with your right foot, while keeping your left knee and
leg close to the horse, your helper lifts you upward. A proper
lift should be high enough to allow you to swing your right
leg over the croup without kicking it.
The
leg up and mounting block should not be used as a substitute
for learning the proper way to mount. Unless you are physically
unable to mount by yourself, these mounting aides should not
be used on a regular basis. You should learn to mount by yourself
because, at times, mounting aids will not be available.
Before
the horse takes a step to begin your ride, you should learn
how to dismount safely. Dismounting is basically the reverse
of mounting. With the reins gathered in your left hand and
placed above the horses withers, place your right hand below
the pommel. Remove your right foot from the stirrup, bend
your right leg and move it over the horses croup without touching
it. Simultaneously move your right hand to the cantle and
balance yourself with your hands. Remove your left foot from
the stirrup and jump gently to the ground. As you jump to
the ground, do not push yourself away from the horse. Instead,
slide down along the horses side. Always maintain control
of the horse as you descend.
If the
horse is excited and full of energy, turn it out for exercise
or lunge it before you ride. This allows the horse to expend
some playfulness and also warms up the horse under controlled
conditions.
Once
mounted, walk the horse a few steps and then check the girth
for the third time. Also check to see if the stirrup leathers
are at a comfortable and proper length.
If you
are riding in a group, wait until others are mounted and ready
before you leave. Horses that are paddocked or stabled together
find comfort in each others presence and will follow each
other when one leaves, whether or not the rider is ready.
Always walk the horse away from the barn. Never let the horse
run to and from the stable. This is a bad habit that should
not be tolerated. Walk the last mile back to the barn to help
cool the horse.
Always
keep a secure seat and remain alert at all times. The rider
should never be just a passenger, but rather an active participant.
Horses become frightened easily at sudden movements, loud
noises, and new objects. Pay attention and anticipate the
horses reaction. If the horse becomes frightened by a noise
or object and attempts to run, remain calm, speak to it quietly,
then turn it in a circle and tighten the circle until it stops.
Make sure the footing is safe and the area is clear before
you do this. Once you have steadied the horse and regained
control, give the horse time to look at the object that frightened
it. Then ride or lead the horse by the obstacle, watching
the horse for its reaction. A horse that frightens easily
needs to be constantly reassured by the rider. Seek out a
wide variety of frightening situations and use them in a training
program to reassure the horse that there is nothing to fear.
Until
you become familiar with the horse, limit your riding to enclosed
areas. If the horse is excitable or nervous, have a friend
ride with you to help in a problem situation. Avoid riding
in a field or pasture that contains loose horses. Curiosity
may bring the loose horses running towards the horse being
ridden and frighten it.
When
going up or down a hill, do not run. When going up a steep
hill, lean forward to move the horses center of gravity forward
while still maintaining your balance. Lean forward slightly
when going down a steep hill to free the hindquarters of the
horse. The horse needs to use its head and neck, as well as
to keep its hindquarters under it to maintain balance. Therefore,
keep your hands low and loose to free the horses head. Let
the horse pick its own way over rough ground or in loose footing
such as sand, mud or snow, where there is a danger of slipping.
Maintain a hold on the reins, but do not guide the horse.
Let the horse choose the easiest path.
Do not
allow the horse to eat while you are riding because control
of the horse is lost when its head is all of the way to the
ground while grazing. In this position, the horse is not paying
complete attention to the rider and may attempt to take command.
The horse loses respect for the rider and, if allowed to continue
with its bad behavior, will become a problem mount that wants
to eat and not work.
Never
fool around while on or around the horse. Horseplay is for
horses only, not horses and riders. Horseplay is dangerous
to you, your horse, your friends, and anyone who may be nearby.
Be extra
careful while riding bareback. Without a saddle, you can easily
slide off the horses back. Always ride with a bridle on the
horse. Without a bridle and bit you have no control over the
horses movements if it acts up. Riding with only a halter
does not give you sufficient control.
When
you come upon a rider proceeding at a slower pace, approach
slowly, indicate verbally you want to pass, and continue cautiously
to the left side of the horse you are passing. Do not crowd
the horse. Never rush past slow horses or any horse. The sudden
movement may not only frighten both horse and rider, but may
lead to an accident.
When
riding in a group, ride abreast or at least 1 full length
(about 8 feet) behind the horse in front of you to avoid being
kicked or struck. It may be necessary to try several arrangements
to find one in which all of the horses are manageable. It
is up to the rider to make sure his/her mount behaves properly.
If the horse attempts to bite or kick, it should be reprimanded
immediately. A kicker must have a red ribbon tied in its tail
to warn other riders to stay back. With careful attention
to timing, most horses can be trained not to kick.
When
crossing public roads, cross as quickly as possible, but do
not run. All horses should cross at the same time and only
in areas where cars can clearly see the riders and have an
opportunity to slow or be able to stop. In areas of heavy
traffic, it is safest to dismount and lead the horse across.
At times,
it may be necessary to ride on paved surfaces or on the narrow
shoulder of the road. Walking is the safest speed, but in
general, do not proceed faster than a trot. If you ride along
the shoulder or in ditches, watch out for trash that could
injure or frighten the horse. If the gravel is large and sharp,
your horse may require pads under its shoes. If you frequently
ride on hard-surfaced roads, the horse should wear special
shoes capable of gripping these surfaces.
If you
must ride on roads or highways, stay on the side required
by law. The law varies from state to state, so check with
your state motor vehicle office for details. Most of the time
horse traffic must move in the same direction as vehicular
traffic, but occasionally this will be impossible. Keep in
mind the laws regarding horses on public roads and use your
best judgment. Take every possible step to avoid hazardous
situations along the road, and try to stay away from high-speed
roadways.
Walk
the horse when approaching and crossing through underpasses
and over bridges. Use caution when crossing foot bridges because
most are not designed for horses.
Riding
at night can be fun but it is more dangerous than riding in
daylight. Keep the horse to a walk; faster gaits are hazardous
to both the horse and the rider.
Allow
the horse more freedom of judgment. The horses senses are
much more keener than a humans.
Select,
with care, the area where you are to ride, preferably in the
daytime so you can take notice of hazards. Choose controlled
paths or familiar open spaces.
Wear
light-colored clothing and reflectors and carry a flashlight.
Reflector legwraps are available for nighttime riding.
At the
end of your ride, walk the horse back to the barn. Make sure
the horse is cooled before putting in a stall for the night.
Groom the horse after removing the saddle and bridle. If the
horse has sweated a lot, towel it dry then blanket it with
a wool cooler in cold weather. In warm weather, rinse it with
water and remove the excess water with a towel or sweat scraper.
Prevent the horse from becoming chilled from drafts by making
sure it is completely cooled before leaving.
Before
you put the tack away, make sure it is clean. Brush off loose
hairs, saddle soap all leather after each use, and wash saddle
ads often. If you care for your tack properly after each use,
it will remain safe and last longer. Frequent cleaning also
helps you become aware of repairs that need to be made before
you ride again.
Now
that you have the riding safety basics at hand, you can feel
more comfortable about that ride through the countryside with
your horse.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This document is
FS349
,
a series of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Rutgers, the
State University of New Jersey. Publication date: January
1989.
Distributed in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture
in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June
30, 1914. Cooperative Extension work in agriculture, home
economics, and 4-H, Zane R. Helsel, director of Extension.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension provides information and educational
services to all people without regard to sex, race, color,
national origin, disability or handicap, or age. Rutgers
Cooperative Extension is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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