- Handling a horse means how you deal with the horse while you are not riding him. These activities include: leading him, walking around with him or trotting him. It is important to learn how to handle your horse, for your safety. Horses are unpredictable. Even if you have had the horse five years, they can still hurt you without the proper training.
- Something that may seem minor to you can spook the horse. Use gentle, slow motions and a soft voice to calm the horse. Horses will run if they are spooked, so if he runs all of a sudden, do not chase the horse. Running is their No. 1 defense.
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Be aware of everything around you while you are with the horse. There are specific behaviors you should watch for in your horse. Approach your horse with good posture. Also watch his body language; it will tell you how it is feeling so you can react. Horses like to run together and feed off of each other. If one horse starts acting nervously, the others will follow suit.
If the horse has its ears pinned back, that means it is angry or threatened, and if it lifts a leg, this means he is about to kick. Swishing its tail back and forth means it is irritated, but if it lifts its ears forward with head stretched toward you it is interested in you.
