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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