Need to Know
How to approach a horse
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Every time you handle a
horse, you train it.
Horses are perceptive to the sights, sounds, smells
and movements in their environment and use
their natural instincts and senses to recognize and
respond to unfamiliar sights or smells, sudden
sounds or unexpected movements. This innate
response to perceived threats can have both
advantages and disadvantages for handling. Horses
are responsive and so can be trained to develop a
wide range of behaviours. However, they can also
react unexpectedly.
Things you need
to know about
handling a horse.
DO YOU KNOW
enough about horse anatomy to understand
the terms in this card? If you think you need to know
more about anatomy and body parts, go to Horses’
body characteristics & functions in the inquiry
topic, Know your horse’s anatomy & conformation
at www.ctsanimals.ca/va2070/anatomy.html.
DO YOU KNOW
enough about horse handling and training
to safely demonstrate how to approach a horse? If
you are new to horses or inexperienced, work with
a professional trainer or experienced adult to learn
this horse handling skill. Always wear a helmet when
riding a horse.
KNOW ABOUT SAFETY WHEN APPROACHING A
HORSE
Standing directly in front of a horse can be unsafe
for three reasons:
1.A horse has blind spots directly below the head, in the front and directly behind, so activity around these areas may frighten it.
2.A horse will often flee by moving forward when something alerts it from the side or back. If positioned in the path of escape, handlers can quickly be run over.
3.If a horse becomes aggressive, a common response is to strike forward with the front feet.
It is not safe to stand behind a horse because of the
horse’s restricted vision. Horses may kick behind
the body or along the side of the hindquarter. The
best position to stand is along the side, in line with
the horse’s head, throatlatch and upper neck and
out in front of the point of shoulder.
What do the shaded zones in this illustration tell you
about handling safety?
Need To Know: How to approach a horse
©Alberta SPCA 2013 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use
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An understanding of a
horse’s responses and
behaviours is essential
for safe handling. Your
responsibility is to control
the horse’s movement
and provide a safe
environment for the horse,
yourself and anyone
around you.
There are two safe methods to move around the
rear of the horse:
• Far enough away to avoid the potential of contact with an extended leg during a kick
• In tight, immediately along the horse’s body.
The safest method is to move far away from the
horse’s body. However, a common mistake involves
misjudging the distance a horse can reach with its
hind legs when kicking. A minimum distance of one
and one half times the hip height of the horse is
recommended. Closer distances allow the horse to
quickly move into you or reach you when kicking.
When working around horses, it is more convenient
to move closer to the horse. The horse must first
recognize the position of the person, so start
close to the body along the shoulder. Movement
from one side to the other should be made with
the inside forearm on the horse’s hip. Close body
position should be maintained by keeping the
inside hand on the horse’s hip the entire time.
Horses watch both sides of their body at the same
time. Therefore, if the horse sees movement or
objects on the side opposite from its handler, it
may react quickly by trying to escape toward the
handler.
With this in mind, when stationary, you should
stand at a three-quarter angle to the horse with
your feet pointing toward the horse’s neck or
shoulder. This helps to maintain eye contact with
the horse and see the off side. Facing away from a
horse is unsafe because the horse can react before
you are aware of any movement.
Close body position will decrease the chance of a
horse being frightened by the person’s movement.
Also, if the horse does begin to kick, the leg
cannot fully extend so the force of impact will be
less. Additionally, movement of the horse can be
detected before it actually kicks, and the inside arm
can be used to push away from the horse.
The horse has a blind spot behind its body, so
standing directly behind its body may cause a horse
People can also move from side to side by moving
to react. Similarly, caution must be taken when
in front of a horse if the horse is not tied. The path
moving behind a horse, even those that appear to
should be far enough away from the handler so not
be accepting of people.
to interfere with the handling of the horse. One
should never move under the lead rope of a tied
LINK
horse. Movement under the lead rope can cause
Watch How-To videos on the discoverhorses.
a horse to bolt backward and forward causing the
com website at www.discoverhorses.com/all-aboutperson to be crushed or stepped on.
horses/how-to-videos/. Find handling videos and
other weblinks on the Virtual Apprentice 2070 site
at www.ctsanimals.ca/va2070/handling.html. How
does the setting in which a horse is approached make
a difference to how it should be approached?
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Adapted with permission from Techniques for Safely Handling Horses:
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service: Division of Agricultural Sciences
and Natural Resources: Oklahoma State University. http://pods.dasnr.
okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2755/E-960.pdf
Need To Know: How to approach a horse
©Alberta SPCA 2013 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use
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What does the Code of
Practice for the Care and
Handling of Equines say
about handling a horse?
“
The following requirements are identified in the
Code of Practice.
Handlers must be familiar with equine
behaviour and competent in humane
handling techniques either through training,
experience or mentorship.
With proper handling, animals experience less
stress and fear, and the risk of injury to the handler Horses must not be handled in a manner that
and the animals is greatly reduced. Handling should does not subject them to avoidable pain or
accommodate the animal’s behaviour and should
avoidable injury.
be done in a calm manner.
These recommended practices are also identified
Horses evolved as prey species and have a strong
in the Code of Practice.
fight-or-flight response. When frightened, horses
a.Understand and apply the concepts of field of will generally flee. If horses feel they cannot
vision, flight zone and point of balance.
flee, they may become aggressive. Compared to
b.Avoid sudden actions or noises that may startle horses, donkeys and mules are less likely to flee
or frighten horses. Horses have sensitive hearing
when frightened. Instead, they are more likely to
study the situation before reacting. This is often
c.Provide adequate lighting so that horses do not incorrectly interpreted as stubbornness.
baulk at shadows or poorly lit areas.
Horse welfare and handler safety is improved when
handlers respond promptly to signs of fear and
agitation in horses. Some examples include:
• Tail swishing/wringing, in the absence of flies
d.Approach an unfamiliar horse carefully and at the shoulder (not the rear). Generally, horses are accustomed to riders/handlers approaching, mounting and leading on the left side of the horse.
• The whites of the eyes are more visible
• Sweating with minimal physical exertion
• Flared nostrils or wrinkling at the mouth or nose
• Both ears laid flat back
• Pawing or striking
Excerpts from the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of
Equines (©2013) have been used with permission, Equine Canada and
the National Farm Animal Care Council. www.nfacc.ca/pdfs/codes/
equine_code_of_practice.pdf
The process for the development of Codes can be accessed through
the National Farm Animal Care Council at www.nfacc.ca/codes-ofpractice.
• Running away from or charging at the handler
• Vocalizations (e.g., snorting, squealing, calling)
• Head held very high
• Kicking or turning the hindquarters towards the handler.
”
Need To Know: How to approach a horse
©Alberta SPCA 2013 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use
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