Seven Things a Horse
Owner Should Know
1. Horses are more
like deer than dogs. They frighten easily, run away at the drop of a hat,
and have less loyalty to humans. Don’t assume your horse will instinctively cooperate
or look out for your safety.
2. The quickest path to injury is through a disrespectful
horse. You MUST be seen by your horse as THE BOSS first, and a friend second. Horses
are constantly testing each other (and you) to see if they can claim a higher
place in the herd hierarchy by pushing around weaker herd members. DO teach him
obedience every time you handle him, or risk being bitten, trampled,
squished, etc. Training is a
requirement, not an option.
3. Trust your
instincts. Although most horse people are good people, just as in all areas
of life, there are bad apples. There are poor trainers, crooked sellers,
abusive breeders, neglectful stable owners and “experienced cowboys” with lots
of bad advice. If something seems wrong, it very well may be. If you spot thin
animals, broken fences, questionable training techniques or just get a “bad
vibe,” trust yourself and walk away.
4. Horses and
horsepeople have “cliques.” Some like to jump or show in western pleasure;
some like to relax on a trail ride. Some really prefer one training method;
others hate it. Find a horse, a trainer and a group that suits your interests,
and don’t get discouraged if you don’t find the right one immediately.
5. Never stop having
fun. At some point, someone will pressure you. A clique in your barn will
scorn your chosen sport, a partner will demand you try showing to justify the
expense of a horse, a rival trainer will sneer at your riding skills. Don’t let ‘em pressure you. Do with your
horse whatever makes you both happy, even if it’s just petting and carrots. Not
everyone is an Olympic dressage rider in the making. Relax!
6. Check your tack. Ask yourself if that bit really needs to
be that harsh. The simpler the tack, the better. A horse that “needs a harsh bit” actually
needs to be trained not to pull! Except for highly trained horses in serious
sports, putting extra stuff on a horse just covers up problems instead of
fixing them, and often causes the horse pain. Tack is not a substitute for training. In addition, make sure your
tack fits you and your horse.
7. Wear a helmet.
Just like wearing a seatbelt, it’s the easiest thing you can do to save your
own life. Make sure it’s a helmet made specifically for horseback riding; while
a bike helmet is better than nothing, it does not offer the same protection. Yes, you do have the freedom to ride
without a helmet… but remember that if you’re injured, your friends, family,
co-workers and horse also pay the price of your absence or death.
Decoding a
Horse-for-Sale Ad
FREE TO GOOD
HOME: 21yr old grade QH gelding, HYPP tested N/N, 14.3Hh, bombproof trail
horse, loads good, easy keeper, but has arthritis, needs to be used for light
riding only. Good ground manners but headshy. Up to date on shots. Buyer pays
Coggins. Call XXX-XXX-XXX.
21 years old: About 60-70 in human years.
Older horses often have more health problems, but are also generally (though
not always) more quiet, slower, well-behaved and better for beginner riders. A horse
matures at 3-5 years old, is roughly middle-aged by 13, and lives until about
25-30. Horses should not be ridden before age 3.
Grade: Either not purebred, or not
officially registered as purebred. Many horses are grade/have no “papers.” A
grade horse may be excluded from breed association shows, but “grade” says
nothing about a horse’s actual quality.
QH: “Quarter Horse,” a breed.
Others: Arab (Arabian), TWH (Tennessee Walking Horse), TB (Thoroughbred), etc.
Gelding: A neutered male. An
un-neutered male is a stallion, an adult female is a mare. Young males are
colts, young females are fillies, and all very young horses are foals. Most
male horses are gelded to prevent aggression and unplanned breeding. Mares are
almost never “spayed” due to the expense and risk involved in the operation.
HYPP: A genetic disease known to
affect “stock” type horses, especially Quarter Horses, which trace their
heritage back to a stallion named Impressive. This disease causes mild to
severe seizures, and has been known to result in the deaths of horses and their
riders. N/N = double negative, not affected. N/H = a carrier, probably actively
affected. H/H = double positive, a carrier and absolutely actively affected by
the disease, even if seizures have not yet occurred.
Hh: “Hands high.” Horses are
measured in “hands,” an old English system of measurement now standardized to
four inches. Horses are measured from the ground up to their withers (where the
shoulder meets the neck). Most horses are between 14.2 and 15.1 hands high (the scale goes 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 15,
15.1, etc). A horse’s height affects how much weight a horse can carry,
and how far you have to stretch to get into the saddle. It also affects how far
you fall when you fall off…
Loads: Whether or not a horse is
good about getting into or out of a horse trailer.
Easy Keeper: Doesn’t need extra food to
maintain weight well (sometimes also means “fat!”).
Ground manners: Leading nicely, standing
quietly for medical care, mounting up, grooming, etc.
Headshy: Doesn’t like his head/ears
touched-not a serious fault. Other behavioral faults include being cinchy,
blowing up, cribbing, wind-sucking, nipping/biting, pawing, weaving,
pacing/stall walking, rearing, being hard to catch, etc.
Coggins: A certificate verifying a
horse is negative for Equine Infectious Anemia, required by law before a sale
or show. Must be current as of the year the horse is sold/moved. It’s a fairly
cheap lab test—call a vet.
Where did you get the N/N, N/P and P/P status for HYPP? I've always known it to be N/H combinations. It would be interesting to know if people are using another status.
ReplyDeleteExcellent list otherwise!
D'oh!! Just fixed that-- thank you for the correction!!
Delete