Part 1: 9 Best Practices for Equine Facility Safety: A Comprehensive Guide
Updated: 6 days ago
Despite the joys of running a horse farm, safety hazards can turn everyday tasks into potential risks for people and animals. The Third Week of September is National Farm Safety & Health Week. I believe so strongly in the importance of safety, I've broken this into a fun three-part series addressing 9 best practices to consider when it comes to your program.
In Part 1, we’ll cover proper attire, horsemanship skills, and physical safety for your horses. Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Rider Safety Essentials
Riding boots with a heel (not steel toed - not sure about you but the idea of a horse stepping on and crushing a steel toed boot sounds awful)
Comfortable Pants/Jeans
Outerwear, as necessary
Helmets for minors (replace after a fall or every 5 years)
Gloves/Hats optional
Are you a beginner instructor? Consider keeping loaner helmets and gloves on hand to ensure kids' comfort during lessons. I sprayed my helmets with helmet spray after each use. One year I even gave my students inexpensive fleece kids riding gloves from Amazon for the holidays.
Building Foundational Skills Before Riding
Before your riders ever get on, or your new staff handles a horse, check their horsemanship skills. Things like:
Awareness around, and of, horses
Proper leading and how to put on a halter & lead rope (and making sure nothing is looped around body parts with a horse attached)
Close the gate!
General horse handling
Understanding how energy affects horses
Nonverbal communication cues from horses
Creating a Safe Environment for Horses
Remove items in pasture or turnout that may hurt them (manure spreaders, harrows, loose rock and other tripping hazards, loops or ties to get caught on, for example)
Keep fences and gates in good shape
Check for sharp or protruding objects and remove or eliminate them
Consider products with safety features, like breakaway halters
Noxious/Poisonous Plants and Weeds
Secure Hay and Feed, as well as other supplements and supplies
I don't even like having loose buckets in a horse area or tail bags on in pasture. Horses can catch themselves on the bucket handles or catch their tail bags on posts, nails, etc causing damage to their tail or dock. We use rubber pails or secure buckets to fences or stall walls.
What’s your go-to safety tip for horse farms? Share in the comments!
Happy Riding!
More from this Series:
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Blog posts from Equestripreneur are not meant to replace individual professional advice, which will best inform personal circumstances.
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