Horses have strong emotions, which means their behavior can be somewhat unpredictable depending on the type of mood they’re in. It’s important to check in with your horse daily to see if he’s in a good condition to ride. A checklist shows if a horse is just having an off day or if there’s more to his peculiar behavior. Going through a checklist before riding can prevent serious injuries from occurring. Through this, you’re making sure a horse isn’t holding any aggressive energy back that could buck you off while riding.
So, where do you start? Here are some “must-touch” areas on your horse to ensure a safe ride each day.
Eyes
Trust is absolutely critical when dealing with horses. You want your horse to know that whatever you do is in its best interest, always. Start by reaching your hand toward his face to see if he allows it, then move closer to his eyes. If your horse shows no reaction and allows you to cover, rub around, and medicate the eyes then you have passed this test with flying colors!
On the other hand, if your horse is resistant and showing tightness, you’ve got some more work to do before riding. Using treats, you can start rewarding your horse each time he learns to trust you more. The goal is that eventually he won’t respond when you go near the eyes.
Ears
Some horses will let you scratch, hold, clean, and trim their ears inside and out with no issue. Other horses may try their best to fight you on it. If your horse doesn’t like his ears being touched, it’s your job to make sure he can at least tolerate it. Visits from the vet, grooming, and other scenarios may require touching of the ears that you’ll want to be ready for. If your horse is hesitant to let you near the ears, you’ll want to practice teaching him to keep his head down and relax the muscles that bring tension around the ears.
Feet
Horse care often consists of cleaning, trimming, clipping, and rubbing of the feet and hooves. Not just for the physical benefit, but for the mental one too. If you’re able to pick up all four feet without conflict, it shows that you and your horse share a special level of trust. When you act with love and care, your horse is more likely to sense your pure intentions and cooperate with you. Whereas, if you try to assert yourself too much for reasons other than wanting to care for your horse, he may back away. Make sure your horse is passive when you touch his feet before taking him for a ride.
Nose
The goal is to have a trusting relationship that knows no bounds. If you can touch, rub, and hold around the chin, nose, and lips, then you’re doing something seriously right! If your horse shows any resistance when touching around the nose, then there are still trust issues present. Practice getting closer to his face with rewards that enable good behavior. Always take things slow and gracefully so you don’t spook your horse. You don’t want to startle him with too much change at once.
Tail
It may seem scary to go near a horse’s tail when you’re unsure how comfortable he will be, but it’s also a big part of building trust! If you’re able to touch on and around your horse’s tail, then you’re good to go! If you haven’t achieved this level yet, here’s what you should do. Try grooming, lifting, and holding underneath the tail daily so your horse will eventually have no issue with it. This can be dangerous, as your chances of getting kicked increase drastically. Work up to it slowly to avoid being injured. Hopefully this helps your horse release any tension associated with his tail so you can ride comfortably and safely!
The connection between horse and human can be very deep and strong. Horses must learn to cooperate and work with humans for their own good. The more you practice touching these areas, the stronger the bond you’ll build and the closer you will grow with your horse. Making your horse more comfortable will help make you more comfortable on and off the trail, which sounds like a win-win to us!