Rules you never break?

I never leave an unattended horse tied up.

I don't lie to or try to trick my horses. For example that means being honest about my intention to catch a reluctant horse, no distracting them with food or grabbing them suddenly.

Don't use a piece of tack unless I know what I hope its going to achieve and review after a trial.

Never disturb a horse while its eating a bucket feed.

Always check the bridle and saddle if I haven't tacked the horse up.

Never rush around the horses if I'm in a hurry.
 
I think I've broken most of my childhood rules by now :lol:

but two things that I always do

- quick check bridle & saddle before getting on, irrespective of who has tacked up
- wash bit when untacking. If not water available I get very fidgety and usually end up wiping it off on my trousers or something haha
 
As with others for health/safety reasons; hoofpick, hat, gloves, leadropes, bit-wash, never on yard/paddocks in flip-flops etc.

Also: Never leave the yard without levelling muckheap (or usually squaring off properly) & sweeping yard, hosepipe neatly coiled by yard tap, haynets either filled or neatly folded & rope wound round them, rugs neatly hanging, grooming kit away in boxes, feed buckets washed & left to dry, or refilled for next one.........
err....... reading that back I think I have an OCD in tidiness:redface3:

However, I DO tie to tie-rings as cannot abide baler twine.......
 
Probably too many to list lol!

I would NEVER wrap a lead rope round my hand, like others have said it makes me twitchy.
I always rinse my bit as soon as the bridle comes off.
Rubbing the horse's legs after removing boots or bandages to make sure the circulation gets going (not that I boot/bandage so tightly I cut it off!)
I always wear gloves and a hat for lunging and I get nervous if I see someone lunging without.
I always keep one hand on the horse if I have to walk behind it for any reason so it knows I'm there.
Bad manners should not be tolerated - horse are too big to be allowed to be ignorant!
I'm completely and utterly anal about a shavings bed. It has to be spotlessly clean and levelled off, with big fluffy bankings.

I'm sure there are many many more that are so ingrained I'm not even aware of them ...
 
I'd also like to thank everyone for their suggestions. :) I'm very new to all this and I believe that while you can learn the "good" things at your own pace it's important to learn the cardinal sins right away!
 
I will never go galloping in a stubble field unless I have walked round first to check for rabbit holes etc (obviously never go in a stubble field at all unless I have the farmer's permission first). And not safety related so much but in a lap of honour at a show never overtake a horse who has been placed higher than yours. I was always taught that it is bad etiquette and it really irritates me when someone does it :/
 
When I hang up the headcollar and lead rope I always wind up and secure the lead rope like they are when you buy them. We had to do this at my first yard and i have never got out of the habit.
 
Shut every gate behind you - I hate to see gates propped open on yards even if it's 'just for a minute' cos it's never just a minute is it?
 
Mine is a little strange....when I ride I have to have...absolute must....the rein excess hanging on the right so the buckle and the extra rein hangs on the right side of the horse if this makes sense. It creeps me out to see someone riding with their reins on the left. Its just a little niggle from childhood.
Also using the loop of a whip around your wrist and someone putting a whip in their boots whilst riding creeps me out a little too.
 
- Always close gates behind you
- Always walk the last half mile home
- Never tie to a solid object
- Never wrap the lead rope round your hand (ugh!)
- Never leave the saddle unattended near the horse
- Never ride with bare shoulders
- Never approach a horse from straight ahead
 
-Always walk the last part of a hack
-Rein buckle must be on the right hand side
-Only tie to twine
-Rolled ropes when stored
-Carefully put all recently bought items back in packaging / with original cover on after use, until about a month of ownership when they are chucked in a pile somewhere covered in mud/ sand :D
 
Undo headcollar by the buckle, not the clip - for some reason if I find one that's been hung up with the clip open it really irritates me!
Always wear gloves for handling horses
Always loop reins and martingale through throatlash before hanging up.
Pick feet out BEFORE grooming
Pick feet out every day regardless if riding or not
Poo pick daily- rain, wind, sleet, hail etc.
 
Lots of very sensible welfare based 'must do's' which I agree with (even if guilty of not doing them some times) but what about getting on from the near side - I can't see that there is a welfare reason for this but we all do it 99% of the time.

Tomorrow have a go at getting on from the wrong side it feels very odd and is quite tricky to do somehow!
 
I CRINGE when I see people undoing the noseband of the headcollar while the horse is tied up. I always pull the quick release knot, then undo noseband. Im pretty slack usually, but this is one of the things that was drummed into me from birth.
 
Most of mine have already been mentioned. My biggest one is making sure that if I've had a horse tied up, and then gone off to ride etc, that I do the headcollar up round the twine so it's not dragging on the floor. Seeing leadropes tied and then the headcollar dragging on the floor makes me cringe!
 
Never feed titbits from hand(rule of over 26years). never cut corners with safety such as a rope round neck to take to field instead of that extra min to put head collar on.
 
Actually reading others post thetes so many that i dont see as rules just normal ie always closing gates tiying to twine etc. so much in grained over years(can i borrow someones fingers to count how many lol) its just the norm not a rule lol.
 
babymare said:
Never feed titbits from hand(rule of over 26years). never cut corners with safety such as a rope round neck to take to field instead of that extra min to put head collar on.
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Absolutely! I ALWAYS turn out in a bridle personally...

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Never get on a horse without my hat on, never lead my horse on roads without bridle on, always wear high viz no matter what time of year and always tell my horse how wonderful he is to have in my life...!
 
I don't really have many tbh.

I never tie a horse to something that will break.

I always double check my trailer is attached to my truck properly and that all gates/doors on it are latched properly; even if it's me who hitched the trailer up to my truck.

I never loop the lead rope round my hand if I'm dealing with youngsters.

I never leave broodmares without headcollars on.

I never leave broodmares in rugs with leg straps; I always replace them with filet straps.
 
Polos Mum said:
Lots of very sensible welfare based 'must do's' which I agree with (even if guilty of not doing them some times) but what about getting on from the near side - I can't see that there is a welfare reason for this but we all do it 99% of the time.

Tomorrow have a go at getting on from the wrong side it feels very odd and is quite tricky to do somehow!
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This comes from when men rode with swords - getting on from the left was easier with the sword down the leg (I believe at any rate)

Spring Feather said:
I don't really have many tbh.

I never tie a horse to something that will break.

I always double check my trailer is attached to my truck properly and that all gates/doors on it are latched properly; even if it's me who hitched the trailer up to my truck.

I never loop the lead rope round my hand if I'm dealing with youngsters.

I never leave broodmares without headcollars on.

I never leave broodmares in rugs with leg straps; I always replace them with filet straps.
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This made me smile - definately a cultural difference as I've always been taught not to tie to something that won't break (obviously not flimsy things) but always to a break tie point eg string, equiping etc
 
mynutmeg said:
This made me smile - definately a cultural difference as I've always been taught not to tie to something that won't break (obviously not flimsy things) but always to a break tie point eg string, equiping etc
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I don't think its a cultural difference - tying to twine is a fairly new fangled idea. The whole point of a quick release knot is that it can be undone with a quick tug, and if you tie direct to a ring, the rope will free instantly, where as to twine,and the horse pulls back, ore often than not, the rope gets welded to the twine before the twine breaks. I tie to twine if I don't have a decent, well attached ring to tie to, but given the choice, always tie direct to a ring. Im also loathe to let a horse learn that it can pull back an free itself, so unless its really panicking, I tend to let it pull, and learn that lifes' easier if you stand still tied up
 
Tronk said:
Undo headcollar by the buckle, not the clip - for some reason if I find one that's been hung up with the clip open it really irritates me!
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ooh dear! don't think you could undo mine from the buckle if you tried!

reins always 'flopped' to the right

beds always squared off and banks propped if the stable is empty

Tail ALWAYS brushed, trimmed

lead ropes always rolled

NEVER EVER EVER get on a horse i haven't tacked up/checked! WFP could tack up a horse and bring it out for me to ride and i would still undo the girth and re-adjust! just one of those things!
 
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