Horse Grooming Manual E-Book

Alison Pocklington

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Grooming is of vital importance to a horse's health and welfare. This highly illustrated book provides practical advice for establishing good grooming practice. Topics covered include: handling of the horse for grooming; routine cleaning and grooming; clipping and trimming; grooming for showing, eventing, dressage, racing and hunting; healthcare associated with the skin and grooming, and how to spot problems. Includes over 300 step-by-step colour photographs to illustrate techniques. This practical guide will be an essential resource for all horse owners and professionals.

Leseprobe

The Horse

Grooming Manual

ALISON POCKLINGTON

THE CROWOOD PRESS

First published in 2015 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2015

© Alison Pocklington 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 081 2

Disclaimer

The author and publisher do not accept any responsibility in any manner whatsoever for any error or omission, or any loss, damage, injury, adverse outcome, or liability of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any of the information contained in this book, or reliance upon it.

Frontispiece: Crispin Mould

All photographs are by Matthew Roberts Photographer unless stated otherwise.

Contents

Introduction

1QUALITIES OF A GOOD HORSE OWNER AND PROFESSIONAL GROOM

2HANDLING

3THE GROOMING KIT

4ROUTINE GROOMING

5ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF GROOMING

6TRIMMING

7CLIPPING

8PLAITING

9COMPETITION PREPARATION

10EVENTING, DRESSAGE AND SHOWJUMPING

11SHOWING

12HUNTING AND RACING

13HORSE HEALTH

14TRADITIONAL VERSUS MODERN GROOMING

Index

Introduction

My love of horses started at a very early age. I was a typical pony-mad little girl who wanted to spend every possible moment at the stables. My fondest memories are not of riding and competing but of the time I spent caring for my pony. The hours of grooming, washing, trimming and plaiting to prepare for competitions gave me pleasure and satisfaction. It also built very special relationships with my ponies. The enjoyment I derived from this remains with me and I am fortunate enough to have made a career out of what I love doing – grooming and caring for horses.

Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to share my knowledge and practical experiences with others, some of whom have gone on to be professional grooms. I take great pride in the fact that I have assisted others in achieving their goals.

(Photo: Shannon Daly)

There are many aspects of grooming other than the obvious reason of improving the appearance of the horse. This book explores other areas which relate to grooming, such as horse health, horse psychology and basic handling, as well as turning out for competition.

It is a book that all horse owners should be able to relate to, from the pony-mad child to those who ride for pleasure, and will be useful for those who want to learn more about the professional care required to produce healthy horses looking their best for competition and the show ring.

1 Qualities of a Good Horse Owner and Professional Groom

There is nothing more rewarding than forming a great partnership with a horse. This could be a person who rides as a hobby and regards his horse as a friend or a top competition rider or groom working with the horse as a professional. At any level, as a horse owner it is important to understand what is required if the partnership is to become successful. Those who want to take this a step further and make horses their career must be prepared for hard work and long hours. Working with or owning any animal is not a nine-to-five job but often a 24-hour a day commitment.

The Pony Club gives children a great start. (Photo: Shannon Daly)

Below is a summary of what is required of a good horse owner.

There are many aspects of stable management to be considered before buying a horse. The basics include feeding, mucking out, grooming, horse health, farriery, tack, equipment and exercise. It is necessary to have some knowledge on all these subjects. Information can be obtained from reading books, watching DVDs or attending stable management courses. Anyone intending to make a career with horses is advised to look into what exams are available to take, either through the British Horse Society or by attending college full-time. Courses range from basic all the way up to degree level.

Working pupils often learn ‘on the job’.

Children who attend the Pony Club are given a fantastic introduction to stable management. The Pony Club exams concentrate on horse care as much as on riding. Those who achieve the higher levels are extremely competent.

More important than theoretical knowledge is practical experience. Reading about a subject gives an idea of what is expected in caring for a horse but until this is actually practised competence is not achieved. It is a mistake to consider buying a horse if your only previous experience involved turning up for a riding lesson where the horse was tacked up, ready and waiting. If this is the case, try to spend more time on the yard before and after lessons to observe and help with stable duties. The other option is to find a local person with horses and, if possible, help out and gain experience.

A young person wanting to make a career with horses may choose to become a working pupil rather than go through college. This involves going to work on a yard. The responsibilities should be minimal to begin with, and the working pupil will work with more experienced staff to learn ‘on the job’. Formal training will also be received. This often proves to be a more successful route for competition grooms as it opens doors to further employment in the industry.

Anyone considering owning or working with horses must be prepared for hard work. Unless lucky enough to have a horse on full livery, an owner must be prepared to care for the horse before and after work and at weekends. A career with horses entails long hours and physical effort. This is especially true in the competition and hunting industry.

Working with a horse requires a person to gain his respect by acting in a calm, firm manner. Horses are big strong animals that can become dangerous if this is not practised. Patience is also required. There is a great saying: ‘Always have more time than your horse.’ He must learn to trust your leadership without overstepping the line or being afraid of you. This is discussed in more depth in the handling chapter.

A professional groom.

Safety is essential. Even the quietest horses can have a scare and revert back to their natural instincts. This book discusses how to work around the horse safely to avoid accidents. This is often forgotten when people become complacent about a horse because they think they know him well.

Horses thrive on routine and will benefit physically and mentally from it. Therefore it is important to be organized, to plan ahead and have excellent time management skills. This is essential when working with a number of horses and preparing for competition.

Stress – of the horse or rider – is not conducive to producing good results. A groom’s role is to minimize stress at all times. When things do not go to plan it is important not to panic but to remain calm and work through the problem.

When turning out for competition, it is essential to pay attention to detail and take pride in the work. For a groom or horse owner, seeing the horse in peak condition, and turned out immaculately, is rewarding and what the hard work is all about.

2 Handling

Grooming should be a pleasurable experience for both horse and groom. Done well, grooming aids bonding, helping to build trust and confidence, which will, it is hoped, contribute to a great partnership. This is especially important for competition horses that will often be stabled away from home in a strange environment and yet still be expected to perform to a high standard. Taking a horse away from everything he is familiar with can often cause stress and anxiety. This can be minimized if he knows and trusts his groom and rider.

A good partnership is equally important for those who ride for pleasure. In the end, someone who buys a horse for a hobby is also expecting to enjoy the time spent with him.

When dealing with an older, more experienced horse, his basic manners are often taken for granted. It is easy to forget that the horse was not born knowing how to react to the everyday things that are part of his daily routine. At some point he had to be introduced to a halter, trained to lead and tie up, have strange equipment used over his body, legs and head. He had to learn to balance on three legs while people did things to his other foot. He had to accept a hosepipe, buckets and sponges being used to wash him. Knowledgeable handling ensures that his good manners remain consistent.