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365 Days in Horse Country – Safety Review


Blog by Michael Stuart Webb | October 14th, 2013


365 Days in Horse Country – Safety Review
 

 


It’s easy to get comfortable around horses when you spend so much time with them.  But one of the worst mistakes a horse person can make is to become complacent about safety.  Horses are big animals, and they can easily hurt or even kill a human without meaning to.  Even the quietest, gentlest equines are capable of accidentally causing great bodily harm under the right circumstances.

Staying safe around horses should be your top priority.  Remember the following basic rules when working with your horse.

  • Stay alert – Even if you know your horse very well, be aware of what he is doing at all times when you are working around him.  Never leave him tied unattended, and always pay attention to objects and other horses close to him.
     
  • Take nothing for granted – When you first started working around horses, you were probably taught never to duck underneath a horse’s neck, walk behind a strange horse, or sit on the ground next to a horse.  If you have forgotten these very serious safety rules, bring them back into your life.  All it takes is a sudden spook or well-placed kick in any of these situations to put you in the hospital; or worse!
     
  • Wear a helmet – Many people prefer to feel their hair blowing in the wind when they ride, but studies have shown that serious head injuries can, and often do, easily result from a fall from a horse.

 

Michael