Horse Talk

 

If Holy Week silence had you worried that this blog has died, no need to fret. Here we are with our new installment for this week of Easter. It continues important horse information that can keep you out of danger. Unfortunately, had I taken my own advice last time I rode out, I could have spared myself a lot of pain. Don’t get me wrong; I was wearing my helmet. Where I failed was in the religious use of boots and jeans. When the horse stumbled and fell, my head was saved, but my ankle and knee took a major hit.

About the Equipment

It’s great fun to buy stuff for your horse. It won’t be long before you toss out the frayed old lead line and halter that came with your purchase. If the saddle wasn’t part of the price, you’ll be hunting for a used one. Be careful with whatever you purchase and check that all the equipment you buy or trade is rock solid.

The mishap I described on the first pages of the Backyard Horse is directly related to bad equipment. Horses are led with halters and lead lines, controlled with bridles and bits, and ridden under saddle. Equipment plays a major roll in horsemanship. Keeping it clean, oiled, and in near new condition equates to safety. Here is a checklist that includes things around the farm:

  

1. Check halter and lead rope: halters are the leather, nylon, or rope headgear which control the horse when taking it from the stall to riding areas. One halter strap surrounds the nose, another runs along the sides of each cheek and extends up over the horse’s head behind its ears. Another strap runs under the horse’s jaw, and buckles, or ties just below the left ear.  A rope with a clip on one end attaches to the halter at a ring under the horse’s chin. With it you’ll lead the horse out of its comfort zone, the stall. This lead rope will fasten the horse to corral rail, fence post, trailer or tree. Make absolutely certain your halter or lead rope is not frayed or weak. Check the buckles for metal fatigue or cracks. If you have been given this equipment from the previous owner, it may no longer be safe. Most owners ready to sell a horse have had the equipment for a long time. Halters are inexpensive and a pretty new one is worth the investment. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halter
2. Make sure your equipment is clean: every piece of equipment that touches the horse should be free of sand and dirt. The bridle, or headgear a horse wears for riding, controls the mount during the ride. It includes the bit which goes into the horse’s mouth and the reins the rider uses to communicate with the horse. Sandy or muddied leather irritates horses, so keep them clean. You wouldn’t want a dirty cap on your head. Neither does your horse want to be rubbed raw by a grubby head set. I once saw a carriage horse on a street rubbed bloody by badly adjusted straps. Make sure both horse and headsets are clean.
3. Watch out for loose screws or buckles: riding along the beach one day one of my reins came loose. Luckily Shay was kind and ‘whoa’d’. The screw connecting the rein to the bit had loosened during our ride. Check that the reins are fastened tightly to the bit before, during, and after your ride. Some reins are fastened with screws that tend to work loose. A little clear nail polish dripped on the screws prevents them from slipping. Leather laces thin out or dry out with age. Keep leather oiled and replace thin leather strips. To stay safe, always double check the girth of the saddle, too.
4. Carry extras: this means keep extra equipment in your pocket. A cowboy trainer I know suggests carrying a sharp knife. You never know when you need to cut a saddle loose or slice a leather strip thin enough to fit through pre-punched holes in the reins. After my beach incident, I learned to carry extra screws, too. Improvisation doesn’t always work well. When I used the bridal’s chinstrap to refasten the reins, the strap kept twisting--a real annoyance to my horse. For this reason, you should always carry extra supplies. Carry a hoof pick in case a pebble gets lodged in the horse’s hoof. You don’t want the animal turning lame when you’re five miles down the trail.
5. Check the metal: the bit should be adjusted to fit the horse’s mouth. My Arabs use standard 5 inch bits (although Shay’s mouth is small enough for a 4 ¾ bit—too hard to find). Check bits for any rough spots. Rusty bits are fine, since these are designed for the horse’s comfort. Called sweet iron bits, they taste good to the horse and keep its mouth wet. Bits with copper rollers or inlays also help the horse salivate. If you have an older bit that was given with your horse, make sure that it is still thick and not worn in the narrower areas where it could break. Ask a qualified horse trainer which type of bit is best for your horse and its correct placement in the mouth. Usually horses don’t need harsh bits. They only need good riders. Nevertheless, if the horse is intended for certain types of work that warrant a serious bit, then the rider should handle his reins lightly.
6. Saddle rules: special care should be taken to get the right saddle for your horse. As you know, a saddle must hold your weight. Hence it must be in good condition, all its leather straps strong and its buckles solid. Above all, it must fit both the horse and the rider. A worn saddle, or one that has lumps and gaps in its sheep skin underlining, will not only give you a bad ride, but it can injure your horse. You would do better to ride on a bareback pad under such circumstances. If you did not purchase the saddle from the horse’s original owner, or if the saddle looks as though it has not been well cared for, try out some saddles from your local saddlery. Most saddle stores allow you to take a saddle home for a day or two. Let someone who knows proper saddle fitting check out your new saddle when you place it on the horse. If you have never heard the old cowboy song that goes, “Ten dollar horse, forty dollar saddle, I’m going out West to punch them cattle. . . .” be prepared to spend money. New saddles are pricey. My saddle, especially designed for Arabs with their wide shoulders, cost me three times the price of my horse, Reagent. If your saddle rubs hair off of your horse, it probably doesn’t fit well and you will have to exchange it for another. Before mounting any saddle, re-check the girth (that goes under the belly), the latigo (the strap that attaches the belly strap to saddle), and the stirrups and connecting buckles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddle
7. Of gates, tie posts, and trailers: any piece of farm equipment used for horses must receive a thorough inspection. From gate latches to tie posts, check for weakness, rust, and jagged protrusions.  If you transport with a horse trailer, check the trailer for rusted spots, weak floorboards, and worn tires. I almost lost my horse when the retread (I didn’t know the tire was a retread) came off and the trailer bounced over it. The back door popped open and my horse nearly landed in the street. Luckily the ring to which she was tied held and she stayed safe. A half rotted tie-up post (rotted below ground level) can be disastrous if the horse wrenches it free in a moment of terror. So make sure wood posts are truly secure before tying a thousand pound animal to them. Steel posts rust, so check those too. Always check your property for things horses can get into mischief with, or stumble on, or caught in. You don’t want your horse tearing out of your yard with a fence attached to it or a twisted wire tangled around its legs.
8. What the fence . . .:  fencing can be your biggest concern around the farm. Fences should be checked periodically for breaks, rust, or weak connections. Latches on gates ought to be solid and open and close easily. The best fencing for horses tends to be the pipe corral panel made of no-rust heavy weight galvanized steel.  Mine are free standing and connect with chains that drop through connectors on the sides of each panel. If you already have wood fencing, be aware that most horses will chew the wood. It’s food, you know. The new plastic fencing will work, but it can be easily pushed through by a horse. It shatters into sharp edges. You should install an inside line of electric wire to prevent the horse from nearing plastic fences. The square heavy gauge wire fencing found on many cattle ranches is highly dangerous. I have some of it in the outer yard where I allowed my horses to graze until Shay got hung up on the wire. I came home late one day and found her caught in the fencing with her legs crossed. She was unable to free herself without tearing off a hoof. Luckily she stood perfectly still and waited until I arrived. I managed to pull the wire apart, carefully lifting each of her legs out. Most horses struggle to free themselves, inflicting serious injury to themselves. So double check fences. Better yet, install horse safe fences. I have ripped out the wire fencing and replaced it with pipe corrals.
9. Dress for the ride: every equipment checklist should include your own riding gear. Besides jeans and a long sleeved shirt, you should invest in a helmet, chaps, and boots.  Helmets are required for anyone under eighteen years of age competing in horse shows. Riding helmets, like bike helmets, are ANSI approved. There are many kinds of helmets. Some folks in the hunter, jumper or dressage disciplines wear the black, felt covered show helmets used for horseshows. Endurance riders use lightweight helmets with gussets to let air flow over the head.  Even helmet lined cowboy hats abound or you can improvise (check out the underage riders in the Rose Parade—there are helmets under those Stetsons). Any helmet is better than no helmet, even if you want to look like a cowboy with your ten gallon hat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equestrian_helmet
10. Boots made for wa . . .uh, riding: Boots are a must, not only because you are sure to be stepped on at least once in your dealings with horses, but also because they are built to fit the stirrup. The height of the leather protects ankles and calves (ankle road rash is killer!) and the tall heel prevents your foot from slipping through the stirrup. 

Remember that riding breeches or chaps designed for horsemanship help keep you in the saddle. These leather aids grip the saddle when a horse makes an unexpected move. When I take my younger horse out, I wear my leather chaps for the traction. Even the best rider is never the expert on every horse. Horses can do goofy things and chaps keep legs planted.  A steady leg is a winner at horse shows. That’s why chaps are required in all Western Pleasure classes. If you’ve ever watched cowboys galloping across the screen in those old movies you’ll quickly notice how steady their legs stay. So, if you’re planning on showing your horse at state or national event, or just out for a trail ride, everything you and your horse wears should look that good.