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March, 2010
Horse Safety on the Home Front
My sources for this article were varied and include, among other sources, Katherine Houpt’s Domestic Animal Behavior, Henry Blake’s Thinking Like a Horse, and The Manual of Horsemanship: The Offical Manual of the Pony Club, and back issues of The TTeam Newsletter.
Pete and I have what a teacher of mine once called a happy problem, which is one that is the result of the best of circumstances. Our “horses” are atypical in that they appear to be pony-like. (An aside: The Icelandic people say that because they have no word for pony, that the Icelandic horse is therefore a horse. However, they do have pony breeding, so in my mind, yes, Siggi, Raudi, and Tinni are ponies.) They are smaller than average, have soft, almond-shaped eyes, and have thick forelocks, all of which gives them a deceptively cute appearance. Tinni, Siggi, and Raudi have been very well socialized. They’ve been taught to mind their manners when strangers enter their pen. They wait their turn to be petted and are not pushy. HOWEVER, they are still horses, and as such, still have the capacity to inflict harm on those who think otherwise. The average weight of an Icelandic horse is 750 pounds, which enough to steamroll an unsuspecting child. I don’t have time to deal with lawyers or funeral directors.
One of the very first things I tell people when they come into the yard is that horses are creatures of routine. For example, we keep Tinni and Siggi apart because Tinni bites Siggi’s shoulder when they spar. Tinni now knows that he’s to go into the small pen at 11 p.m. and released into the large pen at 8 a.m. Conversely, Siggi knows that he’s to go into the small pen during the day and released at night. If Pete or I are working close by, all horses are allowed to hang out in the large pen. They’re also given grain at 10 a.m., after they’ve finished their mid-morning hay.
I feed in a specific order. Tinni who is dominant, over Raudi and Siggi is fed first. Raudi who is dominant over Siggi is fed second. And Siggi who is at the bottom of the heap is fed last. Routine is safety-related. Varying the time of the pen swap or feeding out of order could result in confusion. Confusion could result in stress. Stress could result in panic. Panic could result in horses charging around like idiots and people getting bowled over. These are two good examples – they precede my cautionary note that a strange person’s entering the pen is, to a horse, a disruption of routine and for this reason it’s important to exercise great care when entering the facility.
I have taken to mentioning that whenever one approaches ANY horse to take the animal’s body language into consideration. Reading a horse’s mood isn’t rocket science. A hyper-alert horse has wide eyes, forward ears, and a high headset. There is always a reason for this. I one day saw mine take the above-noted stance and then glanced up the hill next to the shelter. There I saw five moose looking down at us all. I did as I usually do, and held off on entering the pen until Elvis err, the ungulates left the area.
We often have visitors. I tell parents that yelling and running around the horses is a no no. My rationale is that it puts the horses at ease. I also give a brief demonstration on how to approach a horse. I tell all that it’s best to approach the horse at the shoulder, taking mindful steps, and not rushing. I speak softly when I advance and when close, scratch the horse on the withers. I NEVER EVER slap any of the horses and discourage others from doing the same.
My horses have never kicked out at human beings. I never tell anyone this. Rather, I lie and say that all horses kick and to stay a good distance away from their hindquarters. I have heard that a close up kick is less dangerous than a distant kick. I hope never to test this theory out.
I would never, ever encourage anyone to corner mine or any other horse. This puts one in a vulnerable position and can result in injury. Horses are claustrophobic, and in such circumstances may feel threatened. The instinct is then to fight or flee. They will attempt to flee by facing the corner, and then when approached, say with a halter, turn their butts and threaten to kick. Some, I have read, consider going over the fence. It is, I instead say, best to let the horse come to you. I catch my horses by walking away, and then move towards them, going in an arc. When they look at me, I turn my back and walk away. I continue with the approach/retreat method until the horse is focused on me.
Giving horses treats in an indiscriminate fashion is forbidden at my place. I give positive reinforcers when the horse does what it’s asked to do. (This is done when clicker training). Otherwise, horses will mug, push, bully, and do whatever they can to get at what they perceive to be a reward. Bribery is also out since all it does is confuse the treat issue.
So there you have it – the house err horse
rules. I was once told that I was being excessive about this. My response
was that like those with swimming pools, I am taking precautions. This
I add, is in the best interest of visitors, us, and the horses, err ponies
that inhabit the place we all call home.
Horse Safety on the Home Front