Equine Handling
Health & Safety
NOW…!
Equine Perceptions
 Equine Responses
 Possible Best Practise:

Approach
Capture
First Method Restraint
Moving
Do’s & Don’t’s!
 Advisable Health & Safety Precautions
 Safety Summary

Equine PerceptionsVision
The binocular vision area is the only area that herbivorous prey animals such as horses, cattle and sheep can see objects focused, therefore if
something is detected in the monocular vision the animal will turn its head to focus upon the object (decide if it’s a threat etc!)_
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Blind spot, approx 1.5m in front
Can not focus, therefore adjusts
head position (if approach quickly
just sees blurr)
Bifocal vision, for head down
horizon viewing
Better night vision than humans
Sees in blue and green, but most
images thought to appear greyish
colour
http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/horse-eyes.shtml
EquinePerceptionsPerceptionsEquine
auditory
Auditory
•Structurally very similar to most
mammals
•With long cup like Pinnae to funnel
sound and rotate 180° due to 10 muscles.
•The horses ears can work independently
and their hearing is binaural (hear several
sounds concurrently)
•Horses exhibit “Pryers Reflex” by
pointing their ears in the direction of the
sound detected
•Range of audible frequency is much
greater than humans both at high and low
pitch
Equine
PerceptionsEquine
Perceptionsauditory
Olfactory
•Does not necessarily appear to be overtly used by horse,
but is prominent sense well exceeding that of humans
•Like with humans smell is thought to be easily associated
and possibly allow for the triggering of memories
•The Flehmen response is often seen upon detection of a
distinct chemical stimuli often pheromones, but not
exclusively, it is thought to occur to draw back the scent
into the nasal cavity.
Equine
PerceptionsEquine
Perceptions:
auditory
Tactile
•A social sense used for greeting and bonding both with
same and other species
•Vibrissae are used to detect elements in the environment
not visible
•And the sensitive muzzle is described to act in a similar
manner to an opposable thumb!
•Receiving grooming is both beneficial and most likely
highly pleasurable.
*1
•Points of differing sensitivity.
*2
*3
*4
EquineResponsesPerceptionsEquine
auditory
Flight
•As a prey animal the major behavioural
response to any potential threat is to flee
•This can vary from a shy to full flight
The sympathetic nervous system (part of the
involuntary/autonomic nervous system) is responsible for the
flight or fight responses.
In human personality types those of higher neuroticism find
themselves easily upset or nervous from minor stressors, they
have low activation thresholds (i.e can’t tolerate much
arousal) and are unable to prevent or control emotional
reactions. On the other hand very stable (low neuroticism)
people have much more emotional control, calm and
controlled under pressure.
The same appears in horses as an element of ‘nature’.
EquineResponsesPerceptionsEquine
auditory
Fight
Fighting uses energy.
All animals typically reserve
energy where possible.
Fight responses are most likely
exhibited when flight is not an
option.
An alternative response to flight or fight is a third response,
“freeze”, this is known as tonic immobilisation. It is not typically
used in horses but may occur when a horse is trying to assess a
situation.
Flight Zones
Equine Perceptionsauditory
http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.extension.org/mediawiki/files/b/b9/Horseflightzone.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.extension.org/pages/15669/understanding-the-flight-zoneof-horses&usg=__HJ9LvFBZrAxErpa4XiBkeX4gRrA=&h=200&w=282&sz=11&hl=en&start=1&sig2=JiWqQuCWI0D55_La3mK1yA&zoom=1&tbnid=Z15wt_P7MHW8M:&tbnh=81&tbnw=114&ei=eS4fT7mtNsGKhQf9zqH0DQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dflight%2Bzone%252Bhorses%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3
Disch&um=1&itbs=1
All prey animals have a flight zone. This is
a personal space that when entered into by
a “predator” will force a flee response.
This is an innate response, but the flight
zone is easily reduced and typically
overridden by training, socialisation and
habituation from a very young age.
Moving in and out of a flight zone will
cause and stop movement.
A central axis is a point of balance,
moving either side of this within the flight
zone will cause a horse to move forward or
back away from the handler.
Equine PerceptionsAdvised Best Practise:
Approach
auditory
• Approach a horse from the side…why?
• Speak to the horse whilst approaching…why?
•Consider your own body language.
•Watch the horse’s body language…for?
•Assess the horse…by?
•Remain vigilant…for?
Equine PerceptionsMethods: Capture auditory
• With tamed horse this is most likely through use of a head-collar or bridle
• With non-tamed horse capture
should be done carefully using
knowledge of flight zone.
Having a veterinarian dart an un-tame
may be more ethical than using any other capture technique.
•Other methods involve a horse
‘joining up’ and submitting to the handler
Equine PerceptionsAdvised Best Practise:
Restraint
auditory
Definition: “To limit, restrict or keep under control”
•First Method of restraint is with a head-collar. Standard head
collar. Adjustable at nose band, (throat) and crown.
•Method:
Head
collars buckle/clip on the horses left, so
stand to this side
Place lead rope slowly over horses neck (own
arm or shoulder)
Place nose band over nose
Move long strap up cheek, over
crown and behind ears to buckle
on the left
Tying
release knot method 1
Tying aa horsehorse- quick
quick release knot method 1
Tying
release knot method 2
Tying aa horsehorse- quick
quick release knot method 1
A horse should
never be tied
directly to a firm
stationary item.
Ideally tie the
horse at
eye/wither height
Equine PerceptionsAdvised Best Practise:
Restraint
auditory
•Second Method of restraint would
be a bridle
Equine PerceptionsAdvised Best Practise:
Restraint
auditory
•Advanced restraint methods and equipment
•Twitches-
Skin
Ear
Traditional
“Humane” Twitch
•Prevention Restraint
•Stock
Equine PerceptionsAdvised Best Practise:
Moving
auditory
•On horses left…why?
•Stay back at the shoulder…why?
•Turn the horse away…why?
•Always watch the horse and environment
Do’s & Don’ts
Equine Perceptionsauditory
DO
•Continually observe horse and environment
•Have knowledge of behavioural responses
•Allow the horse to be aware of your movements
•Plan handling and related procedures
•Introduce the horse to new equipment gradually
•Expect the unexpected
•Use common sense!
Do’s & Don’ts
Equine Perceptionsauditory
DON’T
•Put yourself in a vulnerable place
•Rush handling or procedures
•Expect specific behavioural responses
•Be too relaxed
•Ever think that a horse a ‘bombproof’!
Equine PerceptionsAdvisable Health & Safety
Precautions
auditory
•Wear Safety Clothing: Helmet
Steel toe capped boots
Wear high visability clothing when on
roads
Gloves
•Have Tetanus Vaccination
•Wash hands before and after handling
•Be familiar with safe manual handling and lifting methods
Safety Summary
•Prepare
•Plan
•Prevent
•Assess
•Monitor
•Respond
Equine Perceptionsauditory