Saturday, August 1, 2009

Equestrian Safety: Protect You And Your Horse

By Riche Goldmann

Horseback riding can be a fun and pleasurable experience, but it is extremely important to take the proper safety precautions to protect both you and your horse from unnecessary injury. One of the easiest, yet so important, things that you should do when riding a horse is wear a safety helmet. You helmet needs to fit your head properly so that is will stay on your head in the event you fall. There are equestrian helmets on the market and meet very important safety standards. Any helmet you buy should meet ASTM/SEI certifications.

What you wear on your feet can be just as important as what you wear on your head. You need to wear a good sturdy shoe or boot with a good heel. This will keep your feet from sliding while in the stirrups and will help you to be better able to maneuver your foot in the event of an accident. It is imperative that you never wear tennis shoes, sandals, or go shoeless when horseback riding.

Saddling your horse needs to be done as gently as possible so you and your horse both stay protected and safe. To protect your horses back, you need to put a saddle pad on first. Then, put the saddle in the middle of the pad so its directly over your horses spine. Your horse should feel comfortable. Putting a saddle on your horse roughly can cause him to suddenly run and injure you. Be careful not to let the buckles hit your horses legs. The girth or cinch needs to be secured once the saddle is situated correctly. Do this on the off-side first and be very careful the girth doesnt hit the legs of your horse. Watch that your horse doesnt kick you while youre adjusting his saddle.

Lots of accidents happen at the mounting and dismounting of a horse. Therefore, it is important that you are very careful when getting on and off of your horse. Using a mounting block can help you a lot. It can help you to get your balance and decreases the distance between the ground and the top of the horse, making it easier for you to get on. It also puts less pressure on the horse's back, making the mounting process much easier for him as well.

Have fun and ride safe. Follow these tips for riding your horse, and you will definitley decrease your chances of a horse riding accident.

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