- Tips For Beginners -

Above all else, safety first!

• Always wear your helmet when riding. Don’t ever get on the horse without wearing a helmet!

• Never wear shorts or really loose clothing…it promotes hazards!

• When walking behind a horse, either stay really close, or really far away. Walking just a few feet away increases the force of the impact, should the horse decide to kick.
• Never run or shout around horses. Walk and speak in a normal voice.
• Never sneak up on a horse, because you will startle them. Approach the horse from an angle, because they cannot see you if you are directly in front of or behind them.
• Never stand directly behind the horse
• Always watch the horse for signs of action…what it will do if startled or scared
• Always squat down if you’re doing something towards the ground…you can spring away faster than if you’re kneeling
• Don’t make sudden movements around horses
• Never punish a horse in anger. They will not understand. Know the difference between discipline and revenge
• Always wear boots or shoes when working around horses. No sandals or loafers, please
• Never ride when you’re completely alone. Always have some means of communication in case something happens.

 Leading, Tying, and Turn Out

• Hold the lead rope in your right hand, standing on the left side of the horse’s head.

• Never loop the excess lead rope around your arm or hand
• Drop the lead rope on the ground or place it over the neck when haltering or unhaltering.
• The horse should walk beside you, not in front or behind
• When turning a horse, turn to the right and walk around him. Turning to the left could easily result in squished toes.
• If the horse tries to get away, don’t try to hang on
• Never tie or wrap the lead rope around you!
• Protect your fingers!! Keep them out of the way!!
• Make the horse stop at gates and doors and the handler go through first
• When turning a horse loose, always make him turn to face you and stand still before you let go of the lead rope.
• Don’t turn a horse out with its halter on
• Tie the rope “eye high and arm’s length”
• NEVER tie with the horse with the reins!!!
• Tie the horse to something solid – not a board or something that would easily break

Bridling and Saddling

• Stand back and beside the head so the horse won’t hit you with his head
• Never stand in front of the horse’s feet
• Open the horse’s mouth by sticking your thump in their mouth
• Be gentle when pulling the bit into the horse’s mouth
• Use your left hand to guide the bit into the mouth, and the right hand to slip the crownpiece over the ears
• Always check the saddle and saddle pad for abnormal objects
• Don’t tighten the girth all the way to start with
• Secure the girths and stirrups before putting the saddle on the horse, to avoid banging the horse with them
• ALWAYS check the girth for tightness before you mount!!

 Mounting and Dismounting

• Don’t flop into the saddle when mounting

• Never move off as soon as you are seated…always wait a few minutes, so the horse will not get the idea that mounting means “go”
• Foot should be parallel to the horse or with the toe turned into the girth, while mounting
• Check the girth before mounting
• Bounce three times and spring lightly into the saddle; don’t haul yourself up using the saddle to pull your body up
• Always run English stirrups up after dismounting
• Never loop the reins over any part of your body

 Arena Etiquette

• Horses going to the left have right of way
• Fast horses (cantering or galloping) get the rail, slow horses move in
• Always check behind you before stopping or backing
• Never hit your horse

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