Horse Riding Safety

Horse Riding Safety

Spring is finally here and its time to start riding again.  Horse riding can be a safe and extremely enjoyable hobby when the rider takes steps to minimize the risks.  As with most of the enjoyable activities in life, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks. But by educating yourself to equestrian safety, the possibility of injury can be greatly reduced.

Here are some thing to consider before saddling up this spring.

1. Match the horse to the riders ability.  Throuhout our riding lives our skills are constantly improving.  Novice riders need to stick with calmer, gentler more experienced horses until the necessary riding skill are achieved. If you wonder that you may be “over mounted”, you probably are.  Consult a riding instructor BEFORE purchasing a horse, they will help you find a horse that is matched to your skill level.
2. Professional Instruction. Inexperienced riders should get lessons from a professional.  Riding lessons can be somewhat expensive, but well worth it for increasing rider safety.  You may be able to reduce the cost by finding a lesson partner on your own skill level.  Some instructors offer reduced rates for groups of two or more students.
3. Always wear a Helmet. Always wear a properly fitted ASTM/SEI certified equestrian riding helmet.  Equestrian helmets are different from bicycle helmets, as they are designed for impact to the back of the head, as opposed to the front or side injuries that bicycle helmets are designed for.  Most of the horse riding head injuries are to the back of the head.  If you need help in making sure your helmet fits properly, just bring it in to Hawkeye Tack & Western Wear and let one of our staff help you fit and adjust your helmet.
4. Check your tack & equipment regularly.  Start this spring with a through safety check of all of your tack and equipment.  Make it a habit to give your tack a safety check every few weeks. Look for worn, broken, damaged or missing parts.  Check for worn leather and fabric and rust and pay particular attention to fasteners, such as Chicago screws.  This is also a good time to check that your bit is fitting properly.  There should be no space between the bit and the corner of the mouth and no more than two creases in the corner of the mouth. Bit fit can change as leather expands and contracts over time.  If you have questions about your tack or its condition, see one of our experts at Hawkeye Tack & Western Wear.
5. Stirrup Safety. Wear a boot with a good heel to keep your foot from slipping through the stirrups.  Not being able to get your foot free during a mishap is a terrifying experience and can result in the rider being dragged. As an additional precaution, you can prevent dragging accidents by using safety stirrups such as peacock stirrups, break away stirrups or tapaderos the keep your foot from slipping through the stirrup.  If you have trouble mounting your horse, use a mounting block or stirrup extender such as easy up stirrup extenders.
6. Stay Alert. It’s easy when you’re plodding along, chatting to your riding buddies on a beautiful day on the trail to forget you’re supposed to be actively ”riding” your horse.  You may become a bit of a back seat passenger.  This can be very dangerous as your reaction time may be delayed by critical seconds.  Stay alert and attentive at all time while riding.  Not tense, but constantly aware of the environment, your riding surface, your peripheral vision, your distance in relationship to the other riders, your horses responses to your cues, much as you would (or should ) while driving.
7. Trial riding Safety.  By Following a few safety and etiquette rules, trail riding, can be a safe and fun way to see our beautiful country.
   1. Never ride alone.  Ride with someone you know to be experienced and thoughtful
   2. Take your cell phone.  Carry it on your body, if it is attached to your horse and you are dumped and the horse takes off with your phone, it is of little value.
   3. Wait until all riders are mounted to move off.
   4. If you are returning after dark, wear reflective clothing and take a small flashlight.
   5. Horses prone to kicking should wear a red ribbon on their tails.
   6. Keep at least one horse length between you and the horse in front.
   7. In larger groups, elect someone who knows the trails as trail boss.  The trial boss knows the trials, maintains the pace and is considerate of others when increasing speed.
   8. Do not pass the trial boss.
   9. When riding during hunting season, make lots of noise and wear visible clothing such as a fluorescent vest.  Using rhythm beads on you horse is a good way to alert hunters that you are not a deer.
   10. A pocket knife and baling twine can be very useful for emergency tack repair.
   11. Take a hoof pick.
   12. Do not leave the trial.  Holes and unsafe surfaces, sharp objects and hornets nest may exist in unknown areas such as open fields.

Practicing safe riding principles can mean many years of happy, health riding enjoyment for you and your horse.

We have several copiers of the Weaver DVD on Ride Safely on the Trial featuring Stacy Westfall at Hawkeye Tack & Western Wear, you can check them out for FREE and watch yourself or show to a group.

Have fun and stay safe!