This...

...is why you don't want a lop eared horse.

The normal horse is having definite issues working out what lop ear, outside the ring, is trying to say to him.

Emergency Dismount

This is what you SHOULD do if a horse rears and flips. If you can.

Note that the first thing you should do if a horse starts to lift both front feet is lean forward, drop the reins, and apply both legs firmly to send the horse forward. Another thing that can work if you have the balance is to free a hand and gently press on the top of the horse's head...I stress gently. Never hit a horse on the poll - it's so vulnerable you can actually kill them.

And then once the horse is behaving, work out why it started rearing. The most common reason for an otherwise well behaved horse to suddenly rear is pain - usually in the mouth or the withers. Check saddle fit and teeth.

Cute...

...until something goes wrong. Helmetless child, mini pony, tricks. Not a good combination.

Is it me or is she wearing crocs? Or at least not very suitable footwear. And I really don't understand the urge some people have to ride on top of rugs. Rugs aren't designed for it and they won't give you good grip. To be fair, this is clearly a pretty well trained trick pony, but I still think the child should be wearing a helmet and boots for this.

Everyone...

...who trail rides alone in public areas needs to watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OMYidq3glo#t=157

The only time this ever happened to me it was in a pub yard and my horse resolved the situation...by stealing the offender's beer.

Fall Training

One of the things that annoys me about the horse industry in general is the lack of this:

Okay. Most of us can't afford a fall rig like this one. But many more places could put in the old school quick and dirty barrel on a log and pit of sand fall rig.

Fall training is a vital part of preventing injury, especially those injuries that a helmet can't do anything about.

To give an example, I got bucked off by a Quarter Horse - he meant business and was actually pissed off with me about something. I had a sore shoulder for three days.

Another rider got bucked off by a Paint Draft cross. The only difference between the falls was that her horse (who also meant business) was very slightly taller and it was in the indoor on footing not the outdoor on grass. She spent the night in the ER, got a moderate concussion and damaged her pelvis in a way that gave her a permanent limp.

Other difference? I've had fall training.

If your barn does not offer fall training (which can also be done using real horses if you have ones that are saintly enough) and you can't find one that does, then find a local dojo that teaches a "soft" style such as judo or ju-jitsu. They will often provide the training for a reasonable price - and really, would you want to spend the night in the hospital right before Christmas?

Eventually, tuck and roll becomes instinctive. You don't even need to think about it, and it reduces the risk of spinal injuries, long bone damage and even being stepped on by the horse (Smaller target). It's something instructors don't even like to bring up because they don't want to "scare" their students. Pheh.

If you ride, you will fall off. Doing it right is vital.

Raceday Stunt

Three scantily dressed women come into the parade ring and "steal" a horse.

What does this look like?

It looks like an irresponsible woman stealing a horse and taking it for a joy ride. I was particularly amused by how many commenters remarked on her not wearing a helmet.


































So, having made enough white space, let's look at this video again.

This is a professional stunt. The "horse thief" is a trained rider, likely an exercise rider or possibly even a jockey. She's riding the horse very well and the horse is calm (in fact probably enjoying himself).

And, if you look, she IS WEARING A HELMET. What they did was cut a brim to match the helmet. Then they wrapped a purple feather boa around it. Finally, they wrapped the woman's hair or wig (hard to tell which) around the helmet straps. This is brilliant costuming and I think we can learn from it - this was done by a professional, but there's no reason ideas can't be stolen from it to disguise a helmet (especially if you can afford an English style "jockey club") for equestrian costuming.

(The stunt was done to advertise a reality show about jockey training).

Helmet Awareness Day

Helmet awareness day is tomorrow, Saturday the 22nd. So I'm going to share this.

My parents made me wear a helmet as a child. I was often the only one wearing a proper helmet as opposed to a hunt cap. The barn did not require them and the hats they provided were hunt caps - hard, but with no strap, and essentially useless.

When I was fifteen, I was warming up a rather hot pony at a show and he suddenly pulled full blown rodeo. I went over his head, rolled, he jumped over me and his shod hoof struck the side of my head. I'm lucky it was as high as it was instead of hitting my unprotected jaw. I got up and got back on. There was a swelling on the horse's butt that I am pretty sure was the result of a wasp sting.

When I took my helmet off, the entire inner shell had shattered. I vowed that day I would never get on a horse without a helmet. Ever. I even sometimes wear a helmet for ground work, if I know the horse I am working with is particularly difficult or if I am handling a horse for the first time. My riding instructor actually teased me for that (until her horse kicked her while she was leading him and put her in intensive care for a month...don't worry, she's fine now).

Helmets save lives. Wear them. Tradition isn't as important as keeping what's inside your braincase intact.