HORSEMANSHIP Extension Bulletin 536 Revised August 1962 Extension Service Institute of Agricultural Sciences Washington State University Pullman HORSEMANSHIP
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HORSEMANSHIP Extension Bulletin 536 Revised August 1962 Extension Service Institute of Agricultural Sciences Washington State University Pullman HORSEMANSHIP By M. E. Ensminger, Chairman of the Department of Animal Science, Washington State University. Riding cannot be learned by merely reading a set of instructions. It can be mastered only after patient practice under a competent instructor. This bulletin gives some basic principles of horsemanship and information about equipment to help beginners and to refresh the memories of experienced horsemen. The basic steps in learning to ride are: Becoming familiar with the horse and equipment, and then learning to use that equipment properly. Knowledge of cor rect grooming and care of the horse; care of equipment, saddling, bridling, and leading is also essential. SOME RULES OF GOOD HORSEMANSHIP Handling Horses placed just back of the withers; it should not • Approach a horse from his left. Never walk or bear down on or rub the withers and it should stand behind a horse unannounced; let him not be placed too far back. The girth should know you are there by speaking and placing be fastened snugly and should not be too close your hand on him. Otherwise, you may get to th~ forelegs. Be sure that the bridle (or kicked. hackamore) fits comfortably and that the curb chain or strap is flat in the chin groove and • Pet a horse by first placing your hand on his fastened correctly. shoulder and neck. Don't dab at the end of his nose. • Mount and dismount from the left side. Make the horse stand still until the rider is properly • When leading a horse, grasp the reins close seated in the saddle or has dismounted. to the bit on the left side. • Assume the correct seat for the style of riding • Walk the horse to and from the stable. This intended. keeps him from running home and refusing to leave the stable. Controlling the Mount • Retain the proper tension on the reins; avoid Saddling and Mounting either tight or dangling reins. • See that the saddle blanket, numnah, pad, or • Keep your hands and voice quiet; avoid "clack corona is clean and free of dried sweat, hair, ing" to the horse, loud laughing, slapping him caked dirt, or rough places. Any of these can with the ends of the reins, or screaming. cause sores on the horse's back. Never scream, no matter how excited or • Check the saddle and bridle (or hackamore) frightened you may be; it will only make before mounting. The saddle should fit and be matters worse. 2 • Keep the horse under control at all times. If trees, bridges, noises, dogs, and children. In you are riding a runaway horse, try to stop other words, think ahead of your horse. him by sawing the bit back and forth to break • Walk the horse across bridges, through under his hold on the bit and his stride; if you are passes, and over pavements and slippery roads. in an open space, pull one rein hard enough to force him to circle. • Practice firmness with the horse and make him Riding in Groups obey your wishes, but treat him with under • Keep abreast-about 5 feet apart-or keep a standing. full horse's length behind other mounts to • Never lose your temper and jerk a horse. A prevent kicking. bad tempered person never makes for a good • Never dash up to another horse or group of tempered horse. horses at a gallop; to do so invites in jury to • If a horse rears, lean forward and loosen the yourself and the horses. reins. If you lean back and pull, the horse • Never rush past riders who are proceeding at rna y fall over backward. a slower gait; it may startle both the horses • Pull up the reins of a bucking horse and keep and riders and cause an accident. Instead, ap his head up. proach slowly and pass cautiously on the left • If the horse starts backing, loosen the reins and side. urge him forward with your legs. Don't hold • Wait quietly when one person has to dismount, the reins too tightly when the horse is stand as when closing a gate. Do not run off and ing still. leave that person. • Never race after a mounted runaway horse Considering the Horse it will only make him run faster. Instead, if pos • Warm up the horse gradually; walk him first, sible, another rider should circle and come up in front of him. In case a rider is thrown, then jog him slowly. stop the other horses and keep quiet; generally • Slow down when making a sharp turn. the loose horse will return to the group where • Walk the horse when going up or down a hill; he may be caught. running may injure his legs and wind. Do not race horses; when so handled, horses form bad habits and may get out of control. • Vary the gaits and do not force the horse to After the Ride take a rapid gait-canter, rack, or trot-for • Bring the horse in cool; walk him at the end more than half a mile at a time. of the ride. • Do not allow the horse to gorge on water when he is hot; water a warm horse slowly On Roadways just a few swallows at a time. • Keep to the right side of a road except when • Groom the horse thoroughly after each ride. passing, and never allow your horse to wander • Wash the bit off carefully before it is hung in all over the road. Give right of way courteously. the tackroom. Remove hair and sweat from • Keep the horse moving when a car passes. If the saddle and girth before putting them on you stop, he may act up or back into the pass the rack. Wash all leather equipment with ing vehicle. saddle soap at frequent intervals to preserve • Anticipate such objects as cars, stones, paper, the leather and keep it pliable. 3 Panel Stirrup leather THE ENGLISH SADDLE Wool lining Rope stra Back housing lace str•n•[J-~· or :: back jockey Skirt ---~~r-.-~~ Dee ring Front jockey .a seat jockey, one piece Leather flank Frorit tie girth billet strop or cinch strop Stirrup leottier THE WESTERN SADDLE EQUIPMENT Saddles After the horse has been ridden a few minutes, Although there are many different saddles, the girth should always be re-examined and the English saddle and the western saddle are tightened if necessary. The saddle should be the two basic types. cinched tightly enough so that it will not turn when mounting, but not so tightly that it causes English Saddles discomfort to the horse. The English saddle includes flat saddles modi The length of stirrups will depend upon the fied for training, racing, jumping, park riding, type of riding. The length may vary from very and polo. English saddles always have relatively short on running horses to quite long on stock flat seats and are lightly constructed. This is the horses. The stirrup leather on English saddles saddle commonly used on bridle paths in the city, should always be turned so that the flat side of especially in the East. The English saddle allows the leather comes against the leg of the rider. the finished rider to show his best in riding form, For correct posting, in English riding, the skill and balance. stirrup straps or stirrup leathers must be adjusted Western Saddles to the right length. If the stirrups are too short, posting will be high and exaggerated. For English The western saddle has a metal or wooden riding, the stirrups can be adjusted to near the tree; a pommel topped with a horn for roping; correct length before mounting by making them a comparatively deep seat; a cantle; heavy skirts; and heavy stirrups. The stirrups may be either hooded or open. The western saddle is primarily a work saddle. It is designed for comfort during FINGERS ON RIGHT ARM ali-day riding and to provide enough strength POMMEL FULLY EXTENDED to stand up under the_strain of roping. However it is heavy, hot in the summer, and in pleasure riding it tempts the rider to "pull leather" as a substitute for skill and balance. The average western saddle weights from 3 5 to 40 pounds. Saddling the Mount Regardless of the type of saddle, it should be placed on the horse's back so that the girth will come about 4 inches to the rear of the point of the horse's elbow. When first adjusted, the girth should be loose enough to allow a finger between it and the horse's belly. After tightening the saddle, it is always a good practice to "un track" the horse by leading him ahead several LEFT SNAFFEL paces before mounting. This untracking does two REIN things. First, if the horse is the kind that blows up so that he cannot be cinched snugly, the un tracking will usually cause him to relax. Second, if a horse has any bad habits, he will ofen get Checking English saddle stirrups for correct length. them out of his system before the rider mounts. 5 ,.............-Headstall ring , · Lip strap dee ~C_/---Mouthpiece ) -Points of attachment Eyelet for for curb chain lip stra~----- ttJ· l Rings for two sets of relps PELHAM CURB BIT-Used in a . Pelham Bridle for WEYMOUTH CURB BIT-Used with snaffle bit hunters, polo ponies, a.l'ld pleasure horses. in Weymouth Bridle for 3- and 5-gaited horses. ~· '). ~ .. tJ· ~· ... ......-Dee.~... ~:e . l 6:~ WALKING HORSE BIT - Fre SNAFFLE BIT__;The most widely DEE RACE BIT-Often used on quently used .