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YourSafety Horse Checklist in Preparation for Safety Riding & Teaching
Horse Safety – The Gear Check
Checking the saddlery and equipment (a.k.a gear check) for horsesafety and comfort as well as preparation for the rider for comfort and safetyriding. This means physically checking the student (and horse if it is amounted lesson) to ensure it is safe and appropriate for the lesson and of thecorrect fit and comfortable.
It is essential that you are thorough in performing the gearcheck as a failure to recognise unsuitable or incorrect gear may result in youbeing liable should an incident occur as a result of unsuitable or incorrectgear being used.
If you have saddled the horse then you should be checking theseitems as you put them on the horse and you should re-check the girth prior tomounting a rider. If you are unfamiliar with the horse you need to ask therider if it is safe to approach the horse before you do so:-
“Is it safe to approach your horse?” If it is OK thenyou can proceed with the gear check, if it is not safe to approach then youshould get the rider to dismount before proceeding.
Gear that is frayed, torn or damaged poses the risk of breakingwhile it is being used and should be replaced. Your safety is also important sotake care when checking the bridle and the girth of horses you are unfamilarwith. When checking the girth you again need to ask the rider if it is safe todo so (this is only for unfamiliar horses as it would be pointless to ask thenovice rider if it was safe to check the girth of a school horse as it would beunlikely they would know. For information into the habits of school horses youshould check with horse records):
“Is it safe to check your girth?”
If it is safe then proceed to check the girth. Position yourselfwhere you can keep an eye on the horses’ head and the closest hind leg.
There should be two centimetres or one inch of clearance betweenthe riders foot and the stirrup. Check where the stirrup rests on the end ofthe leather as this spot often becomes worn thin. If the saddle is positionedincorrectly the rider will need to dismount, unbuckle the girth and correct it.To check the fit of the saddle you should be able to fit three fingers(vertical) between the wither of the horse and the pommel of the saddle. Youneed to do a gear check on both sides of the horse. Never walk around behindthe horse during a gear check.
If the rider has their own helmet you need to ask them if thehelmet is of the current standard (Check your own country for theirregulations) and if it is under five years old. If they are unsure they mustdismountto check. Sunglasses should be shatter-proofso that if the rider falls off they will not break and injure the wearers eye.
The following items will need to be checked for safety andcomfort before your student safely mounts their horse:-
fit and positioning ofthe bit
fit of the noseband,throatlatch and browband
stitching on thebridle including the reins, noseband and cheek pieces
check the reins forfraying, tears and damage
the position of thesaddle on the horse i.e., too far back, too far forward etc
the fit of the saddleon the horse
the fit of the saddlefor the rider
the positioning of thesaddle over the saddle cloth
the stitching on thegirth points
the condition of thegirth i.e., wear, damage, cleanliness
the stitching on thestirrup leathers
the stirrup leathersfor wear, tear or damage
the width of thestirrup in comparison to the riders foot
the fit and standardof the riders helmet
the rider/studentattire
if the rider iswearing sunglasses they need to be shatter-proof
By the time you are aninstructor, you should be aware of rider and horse safety at all times. Goingthrough this checklist is a great place to start at the beginning of the lessonfor safety riding. Remember that when you are considering riding safety, horseand rider are both high priorities but the rider safety must come first.