Approach and halter the horse
- Assess herd behaviour
- Let horse know you are coming
- Approach from front
- Friendly touch on shoulder/neck
- Horse stands still while being haltered
- Maintain awareness of other horses
Lead horse to arena
- Horse maintains path and gait set by handler
- Horse respects personal space
- Walks beside horse
- Awareness of environment and transition zones
- Loose lead line
- Use of pressure to control horse
Park and groom the horse
- Horse stands still
- Horse stays “Connected”
- Timely corrections as needed
Back the horse up one step at a time touch on nose and halter and driving with hand, lead line, or carrot stick
- Horse moves straight back
- Correct use of rhythm, pressure, and timing
Drive/Touch the horse to yield the hind through 90 degrees one step at a time on left and right side
- Front legs stay still
- Handler maintains correct position relative to horse
- Handler walks forward
- Appropriate pressure
Drive/Touch the horse to yield the fore one step at a time through 90 degrees on left and right side
- Back legs stay still
- Handler maintains correct position relative to horse
- Handler walks forward
- Appropriate pressure
Drive the hind to draw the head while walking
- Appropriate pressure
- Opposite side of head draws in to handlers shoulder
Draw the horse in walking backwards and transition to follow my shoulder
- Loose lead line
- Smooth transition
Follow my shoulder walking a square: (a) clockwise right and left shoulder, (b) counter-clockwise right and left shoulder.
- Loose lead line
- Handler maintains personal space
- 90 degree turns
- Drive to draw to change sides
Drive the horse in a circle (clockwise and counter-clockwise) walk, trot, walk, come in. 3 circles in each direction
- Step forward to drive horse away
- Loose lead line
- Handler controls path and gait
Handler follows safe horse handling principles
- Appropriate footwear
- Work at a safe distance from horse
- Respect danger zone
- Awareness of horse mood
- Maintain calm neutral mood
- Let the horse know what’s coming
- Awareness of environment
- Correct use of pressure on lead line