Keep Calm and Stop the Bleeding First

Horsemanship Level 3: Wound Treatment Last week we looked at when to call the vet and what to do until she arrives.  In the case of wounds, some warrant a vet call and some don't; some need treatment and others don't.  How do you tell, and how do you treat the wound before and after…

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Healthy as a Horse part II

Horsemanship Level 3: Maintaining Good Health This is a continuation of last week's post on 9. Signs of good health, TPR, maintenance of health, signs of colic. Last week we looked at signs of health, including vital signs (temperature, respiration and pulse).  This week's post focusses on keeping your horse healthy, which falls into two…

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Healthy as a Horse

Horsemanship Level 3: Signs of Good Health Item 9 on the Horsemanship Level 3 checklist is: 9. Signs of good health, TPR, maintenance of health, signs of colic. This is a fairly large topic, so I'm breaking it into two posts.  Today, we'll look at signs of health.  There are many, but you'll only have…

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Cool Down

Horsemanship Level 3: Coolout Procedures Just like you, your horse needs to cool down gradually after strenuous exercise to avoid stiffness.  Unlike you, your horse, with his larger mass to surface area ratio, is especially prone to overheating.  A very hot horse that isn't allowed to cool down properly could go into shock, colic, or…

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Bits and (Mouth)pieces

Horsemanship Level 3: Bits As well as knowing your own horse's tack, at level 3 you will need to: 5.   Identify common bits and their uses You only need to know common English bits including snaffles, curbs and pelhams.  However, it's good to recognize some Western bits as well, simply for familiarity. Snaffles Our school…

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Hauling your ... horse

Unless you plan to do all your equine activities within a few miles of your stable, you will eventually have to deal with trailering horses. For level 3 we don't expect you to demonstrate hauling, but we do want you to: Describe how to lead in and out of a trailer There are many videos…

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Horsemanship Level 3

We’re about halfway in our walk through the Blue Spur curriculum, and now it’s time to turn our attention back to Horsemanship. For the next couple of months the blog will look at the requirements for Horsemanship Level 3. Whereas Level 2 was simply a more in-depth version of the Level 1 topics, in Level…

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