Pet Peeves Around the Barn
October 28, 2008
Check out three “Pet Peeves Around the Barn” from the Certified Horsemanship Association.
1. Bit Grunge
One of my pet peeves is when riders put away a bridle without cleaning the bit off.
When the bit comes out of the horse’s mouth it frequently has slobber and food particles, combining together to form a lovely green slime. The slime will come off the bit quite easily when you first take it out of the horse’s mouth, by rinsing the bit and wiping it off.
If the slime is left on the bit, it will dry and crack and cause significant discomfort to the horse the next time it is used. Take a few extra seconds when unbridling to clean the bit before hanging up the bridle.
Christy Landwehr
CHA Clinician – Denver, Colorado
Help keep your horse safe – AQHA can show you how! Download the FREE Tie It Right report and learn how to safely tie your horse’s hay net.
2. Spit it Out!
My pet peeve is when students pull the bit out of a horse’s mouth when unbridling, instead of letting the horse drop his head and spit the bit out. Pulling the bit out of a horse’s mouth will cause the bit to get caught in his lower teeth and to throw his head up. Sometimes it can even lead to serious bridling problems. The correct way to unbridle is to pull the crown piece over the horse’s ears, hold upward pressure on the bridle until the horse lowers his head, opens his mouth and spits the bit out.
Jorine Seale
Magnolia, TX
CHA Clinician and Board Member
3. Letting Loose
It is very unsafe and instills terrible manners in a horse to walk him through a gate and then just turn him loose as he walks off. When turning horses out, this may lead to the horse taking off as soon as you go through the gate and he may kick up his heels as he departs, kicking right toward the handler. Whenever a horse is led through a gate, he should be turned around toward the gate the before letting him loose. This will prevent him from running off as soon as you enter the gate and also turns his rear-end away from you before he is let loose.
Ardith Turpin
CHA Instructor
Horsemanship Director YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin
Middeville, MI
The Certified Horsemanship Association certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals and hosts interactive conferences. For more information, click here.
Learn the right way to tie your horse’s hay net and bucket. Dennis Moreland shows you how in this FREE report: Tie It Right. Download your copy today, and share it with your friends!
Comments
13 Comments on “Pet Peeves Around the Barn”
Add a Comment
November 4th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I know of a girl that wanted a horse all her life, when she got one………..this happened to her when she turned the horse out. Unfortanately she did not survive. I teach a Saddle Club of yound girls and I tell them the story when teaching them “how to go through a gate and turn the horse loose”. I think everyone should teach this “Basic”………..It can save a life!
Gerilynn in Emmett Idaho
November 4th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
My son’s horse spun away from me once & kicked up his heels enroute to the other side of the pasture. It got my attention! Since then, I always make them walk thru the gate, turn & wait for me to remove the halter or release them to graze. It teaches them to wait for me w/o taking off like a flash. If they try to pull away or spin before I’m ready, I walk them back out of the pasture thru the gate, turn, talk to them a little & then we go back into the pasture. Usually, it only takes once but, if needed, I repeat the lesson til they turn & stand quietly while I pet them before removing the halter.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Once my horse & I go through the gate, I turn him, remove the halter & he gets a treat or two. Some people may not believe in giving treats, but he has never ran away from me and it gives me a minute to say good bye and one last pet on his nose.
November 8th, 2008 at 9:35 am
I give my horse a mini ground work lesson before ever turning him loose, after we go through the gate. We practice halt, turn on the forehand, backing, head down, what ever he needs as a reminder. That way he associates turn out with a little lesson first , not a free for all. He has wonderful manners because of this 1 minute refresher each time he is turned out. Try it and see your horse’s manners and respect improve.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I agree wholeheartedly…..I make every trail ride a “mini” training lesson. Stopping to converse with a neighbor teaches your horse patience and to stand still, for no reason at all. Putting on your gloves or just fiddling around with your reins IMMEDIATELY after you mount teaches them NOT to walk on, etc. Ican go on and on with just the little things that make a horse nicer to be around and have better manners.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I need some help with one of my mares. She is trained, but she is not ridden much (other horse is a reiner). I always lunge her before riding because she is powerful. When I take her out to lunge her in the arena, she turns as she moves out into a circle on the lunge line and kicks out to the side and has hit me three times now. Each time is a little higher. I know that this has to do with not handling her more. She is smart and I am always careful with her (and all horses). She doesn’t do this to the stable hand that lets her out and lunges her. I am pretty experienced, but this has me baffled as to how to handle this without getting too ruff with her.
December 11th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Cleaning the bit after every use. Get off you high horse. You work full time and come home every day then drive 30 min to the barn you lease to ride and care for your 4 horses. I clean my bits once and a while when there real grody. But my horse seem to like a so called dirty bit over a clean one. Oh, and I do not have a bit warmer either
January 7th, 2009 at 10:14 am
When I turn my horses out to get all their yahoo’s out before I ride, I make them go, “people first” thru the gate, turn to face me in the middle of the round pen, unclip the halter, and I back away 3-4 steps to avoid those “happy” heels. They have to stand quietly before I unclip them, too. Even my stallion has learned to wait and not dance his feet. He only gets out about every 10 days or so, with 2 others in training (by me) and a full time HS teaching job.
June 11th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
when I go to pick up a brile or somthing, there is a crusty coating over the bit and its disgusting. so clean your bits!
July 12th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
To. Elizabeth Bridwell, Shame on you keeping horses in stalls for 10 days at a time. I will not waste any more words on you. Pathetic.
July 20th, 2009 at 9:05 am
We know elegantly crafted pet gates are afew. it is important to be wise in buying one. it is best that are pet are trained well even if we just have little time with them.
October 20th, 2010 at 11:57 am
I take my horses around the round pen at a walk on lead both directions at least once. Then while on the rail I tell my horse Whoa and back up tot he center of the ring. If they try to follow I back them up to the position I was in when I told them whoa. The I go to the center and wait a bit before asking them to walk on. If a horse is really fresh I turn them into my round pen standing on the other side of the fence before unclipping the halter. You can also teach this when You take them into their stall. walk them around the stall both directions and tell them whoa on the far side wall. back to the gate requiring them to stay in place. then go back to them and take the halter off.
February 12th, 2012 at 9:29 pm
I have an issue and not sure if Im doing something wrong, or what. My horses evertime its turn out time to graze after feeding or been in the stall for a night will kick out at you after you pull off the halter n lead rope I have to JUMP back to not get kicked.. what should I do?!!!!!!! Ive already gotten kicked in my arm and alomost in my face because they get a lil too happy help me!!!!!!!!