Safety first

Handling Thoroughbreds can be an inherently dangerous business, but mishaps can often be avoided if a few basics of horsemanship are employedHorse farm safety is a broad term that applies to horses, the people who handle them, and any other employees-mowers, stall muckers, etc.-who work on a farm. It is a highly important but often overlooked subject that, if attended to, can result in considerable savings over a period of time. Properly executed, horse farm safety can lead to decreases in veterinary bills, insurance expenses, and lost man-hours.
In this article, we will go over horse farm safety only as it relates to the actual handling of the horses themselves (and we will not even be able to cover all of that). On this point, there are three rules which should be etched in stone somewhere:

1. Accidents happen fast.
   
2. Most accidents are avoidable.
   
3. Most accidents occur when people are in a hurry and/or inattentive.
   

Some of what we will say here is pretty basic, but I am constantly amazed at how many veteran horsemen either do not know or choose to ignore the basics.

Flight or fight
Horses are grazing animals with highly developed "flight or fight" mechanisms. Any horse is likely to respond to a threat-either real or imagined-by "flight;" i.e., attempting to run. If the horse is prevented from running, such as when it is cornered or in a stall, it may "fight." I recently spent two months of forced idleness as the result of a frightened horse in a stall.
It is very important to remember that a horse's vision differs from ours; a horse has a wider field of vision but sees with less acuity. While it is necessary for a horse to move its head to focus its vision, it is keenly aware of any movement within its field of vision.
The moment just before you lay your hands on a horse's halter is a dangerous moment. You have no control of the animal but you are within range of its hooves. The safest way to catch a horse is to approach from its left side, speaking softly and moving slowly. Reassure the horse by first touching it gently yet firmly on the shoulder.
Next, approach the halter with your left hand holding the shank with the snap open. It is best to attach the shank directly to the halter ring, but if you must hold onto the halter itself, loosely grasp the strap under the chin. Be prepared to let go if the horse jerks back or rears; the animal is stronger than you are and there is great risk of injury to your shoulder, elbow, or back if you try to overpower it.

Outwitting your nemesis
These same techniques apply to catching a horse in a field, but if it plays hard to get there are several strategies to use.
The simplest is to pretend indifference or to simply squat down. Horses are curious and will often approach to see what is going on.
The use of feed in a bucket will frequently attract a horse's attention and cause it to approach-but be careful. Other horses in the field will also recognize the bucket and injury to the horses (or to you) can result if the boss of the field tries to hog the feed.
The last resort is cornering the horse. In this, use as many people as possible and have each one carry a shank. Herd the horse into a corner slowly. Do not run or shout-the horse can outrun and outmaneuver an army if it gets excited (unless I have bet on it, then it cannot outrun molasses). Tighten the line of people around it and speak soothingly. The nearest person should then approach the horse and attach the shank, then walk right off without fuss or bother. This procedure may take several minutes or even the better part of an hour, and the temptation is great to jerk the shank and loudly discuss the horse's ancestry with it, but do not. It will just take longer next time.
Okay, now you have caught him. Next you have to release him. When taking a horse out to a paddock, insist he walk in a calm and collected manner. As you walk through the gate, keep the horse close to your right side, then proceed about 20 feet into the field and turn him to face you. Step to his left side, hold the halter loosely by the chin strap with your left hand, and remove the shank with your right hand. Then stroke the horse's neck and stand back. It is imperative that he not be allowed to bolt at the gate or in the paddock.

Pecking order
Before turning several horses out in a field you should determine the pecking order. Always turn out the most submissive horse first and work up to the most dominant. If the "alpha" animal is turned out before others, it may well try to kick at subsequent animals (or handlers) as they enter the field. Conversely, in bringing horses in, attempt to bring the boss in first and work down the pecking order.
When turning a horse loose in a stall, there are a few things to remember as well. First, be sure all door latches are retracted. I have sutured many lacerations resulting from latch bolts being run into, and a horse will remember things that cause it pain. (However, in this instance the horse is less likely to associate pain with the door latch than with the stall door it had to walk through.)
Head directly into the stall-do not angle in. The space appears larger to the horse head-on and there is less chance that it will run into the side of the doorway. Pass through with the horse at your side. Do not let it bolt, do not go in ahead of it because some horses will leap through doorways, and do not let it go in first because then you have absolutely no control over it and you are in a good position to be kicked.
Once in the stall, pull the door partially closed; some horses will attempt to leave, especially if excited. Release the horse as you would in a paddock.

Lessons in restraint
There is a lot more to consider when leading and handling horses, but we will leave the subject at this point and go on to restraint.
The main form of restraint, of course, is the twitch. What follows here should not require discussion, but if I had a quarter for each time I have seen someone stand directly in front of a horse while twitching it I would not need the income these words bring me:
Always stand on the left side of a horse when applying a twitch!
Hold the twitch rope in your left hand with the loop between the thumb and index finger and between the ring and little fingers. Hold the twitch handle in your right hand or have someone else-standing behind the horse's left shoulder-hold it. Reach to the horse's nose with your left hand, slip your thumb through the loop, and grasp the nose, slipping the loop over it. Quickly tighten the loop (or have the other person do it), staying close to the horse's left side (the other person is still just behind its left shoulder).
As the twitch is tightened, the horse may strike or rear, hence the need to be on its left side and not in front of it. If the twitch is pulled from your hands by a rearing horse, watch out for the swinging handle! It can break noses, knock out teeth, or just knock you silly.
Deeply ingrained in the minds of many people is the fact that you are supposed to hold a horse from its left side-but in holding a horse for a veterinarian or farrier, always position yourself on the same side of the animal as the person is working. If the horse tries to kick or otherwise act up, pull its head toward you. This will take the horse's body (and hind legs) away from the person working on it, thereby decreasing the chance of injury. The veterinarian or farrier will thank you.
Space is up and this discussion only touches lightly on horse farm safety. A book could (and should) be written on it. The Occupational Medicine department of Cardinal Hill Hospital in Lexington has a complete presentation on the subject, including a physical therapist who will come to your farm and instruct employees in all phases of horse farm safety-from leading foals to moving feed sacks.

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Brent Kelley, DVM, is a practicing veterinarian living in Paris, Kentucky.