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Chapter 8  Restraint of Animals  147



































             FIGURE 8.61  Placing a halter on a horse. Source: Sheldon, Sonsthagen, and Topel, 2006. Reproduced with permission of Elsevier.


             hypervigilant when working with horses, not only towards   Stand to the side of the horse (Figure 8.61). If it is still
             the horse but to what is happening in the environment.   facing away from the door, step toward the horse and
             It is to be hoped that you will be somewhere that people   pull the lead rope to the right making them turn around
             can’t suddenly appear, slam a door, or make a loud noise.   away from your body. If you step back and pull them
             All of these may frighten the horse to the point of fight   toward you, they could knock you down as they swing
             or flight.                                         their rear ends.
               When removing a horse from a stall first make sure   If moving a horse out of a stall, pen, or barn you “send”
             the horse hears you approaching, call out its name or   the horse through the doorway first. Point the horse’s
             knock on the stall door. Most horses will turn and look   head toward the door and give a forward tug on the lead
             at you, if they don’t step close to the back end and lay   rope. A command like “getup” or “forward” is given with
             a hand on their rump but only if they are awake and   the forward tug. Allow the coils to unwind in your hand
             aware of your presence. If they are asleep call out their   to give them enough slack to proceed through the door.
             name again.                                        This protects you from being run over if the horse should
               Move confidently toward the head and offer a pat   be startled from behind. There would be nowhere to go
             and/or a treat, many horses appreciate treats. Apple   but over you as you walk through the door. As their rear
             and carrot treats are available and having some of both   end clears give a gentle tug on the lead rope and the
             in your pocket will often win over a horse. Some will   command “whoa” to let them know they need to turn and
             have  a  preference  liking  one  over  another,  and  some   face you as you walk through the door.
             won’t like them at all. A pocket full of pellets or handful   To lead the horse, gather the lead rope coils in your
             of grain will sometimes be the ticket as a distraction.   left hand, give a gentle tug forward on the lead rope with
             After making friends, tie  the lead rope with  an over   your right and step forward. Walk along side of the
             hand knot around the neck. Shake out the halter to get   horse, parallel to the front leg. This prevents the horse
             it into position and slip it over the nose. Then reach   from stepping on you from behind.
             across the poll to grasp the neck strap and bring it over   When working with a veterinarian it is important to
             the neck. Buckle the neck strap making sure the metal   work on the same side as the veterinarian. This is to pre-
             rings are not riding on any bony parts of the face and   vent the horse from moving over the person offering the
             that the nose piece is high enough to not block the nasal   least path of resistance (Figure 8.62). As an example, if
             passages. Hook the lead rope to the center ring under   you are standing on one side, big and tall, and the vet is
             the chin. Then grasp the lead rope with your right hand   squatted down on the other side looking at a leg, the vet
             just below the halter rope clip and coil the rope in your   is the path of least resistance. If something should startle
             left hand.                                         the horse it will move away from both of you when
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