Have I endangered my RS horse?

[Imp]

Oh dear, oh dear :(

After my lesson today my RI told me to stable my horse, untack him and put his run on for the night. I told her I'd never untacked before but she said 'just take it off and you'll see where it goes in the tack room'... then she left for home as did everybody else :eek: , so, I did what she said.

The saddle was easy, I've done that before and knew which side pull over. He was so patient with me getting his ear stuck under the bridle's head band so in the end I just undid all buckles and he spat the bit into my hand; good boy :) !

I put his rug on, checked the horsey next door and did his up at the front so it appeared to be the same, not too tight. I didn't realise there were straps at the back though!!!! When I left there was only one girl there finishing everything off in the tack room (I think she's a new instructor). I've just come home to check how to undo bridles properly and checked out the library here and discovered to my horror that I've left him without the back rug straps done up :( :eek: She also didn't tell me there was a bar to put across his stable, luckily a quick observation of the horse in the next stall and common sense solved that one.

The place is shut up now and I won't be able to get through to anybody, oh dear, he could stand on it and be hurt, I feel awful, I should have asked her to check before I left but didn't realise all wasn't well :( :( Do you think she will go and check all the horses are safe and well before she leaves? She knew I was not used to their procedures as I left his bridle in the wrong place and she came to fetch it and thanked me for my help... however :confused:

I have to back up there tomorrow as they were closed up and my daughter couldn't hand in her hired hat so I'll take it back and check he's ok but I'm worried sick.

Very worried Imp :(

[JaffaAndMe]

Try not to worry. He shouldn't come to much harm and hopefully they would have checked them all before leaving.

It was a bit unfair of your instructor to ask you to do all that especially as you told her you were unsure of what to do.

Were they the straps that go under the tail and cross over between the back legs or the ones that go under the belly?

[*Lizzie*]

Don't worry I'm sure he will be fine! :) Well done for doing all that and its great that you care so much about the horses welfare. In my opinion its really bad that the instructor went home especially as you wernt 100% sure what you were doing.
The other lady may have just had a final check that the horses were all ok before she went home. Don't worry the horse shouldnt come to any harm and its not really your responsibility anyway.
Sounds like you did well to figure it out yourself! :D

[Imp]

Thanks for your response, I don't know which straps may be undone, I saw on the New Rider Library that there were some at the back I should have attended to. Although I looked carefully at the rug on my horse I didn't see anything else that looked like it needed doing up, I would have asked for assistance had there been some as I'd not have known what to do.

[*Lizzie*]

Oops sorry didnt see JaffaAndMes reply! :o :)

[Imp]

No probs Lizzie, all welcome, I feel a little better now (not so riddled with guilt) :)

[Sparklie]

the straps were probably the cross surcingles which do up under the belly...indoor rugs don't often have straps at the very back.

i doubt he'll do himself any harm...his rug will probably slip but he should be ok...don't worry :)

[Little Dolphins]

Imp, you sound just like me- a real worrier! I would have felt just the same.
Think that's what's making me most anxious about horse ownership, forgetting to do something vital, or not doing something properly.

I expect there'll be a few nights where I'll just sit up all night at the yard, hidden in a bush or something, peeking out every so often to check horses (and yard) are still there in one piece!

Let us know how things turn out- :)

[Laetitia]

Don't worry.
Stable rugs don't normally have leg straps so they were probably the surcingles.
If the rug slips they're designed to snap the front fastenings if he treads on them so he shouldn't come to any harm.
I do feel you might be advised to mention to your instructer that you didn't feel very confident doing his rug as you'd never done them before. Not good practice on her part.
Well done you using your initiative by looking at the other horses. L

[cazrider]

Imp, don't worry. I'm sure any RS worth its salt would check up on the horses before they all leave for the night. It might not have been your instructor's job, but it would have been someone's I'm sure.

Hope you slept OK.;)

[Belle1]

If it makes you feel any better there is a very experienced horse owner at our yard who really should know better but she is a bit scatty. I often notice her horse stood in the stable with the cross surcingles and leg straps on her rug undone when the owner has finished for the night and gone home, so I am forever doing them up for her!! :)

[NoviceNic]

I think I am right in assuming that you were having a lesson and they all left you to untack and rug up unsupervised. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Absolutely shocking behavour if this is right. You should never of been left alone. The list of What If's are endless. I think it is brilliant that you get the chance to experience these things but unsupervised is absolutely appauling. :mad: . Good for you and using your common sense to check the horse next door to compare. Well Done..:)

[dcp]

Well done you for being so observent and checking the other horse! Did you only buckle up at the front of the rug? Did you reach down at the side of the horses belly and buckle up the straps that run underneath him? Honestly don't worry!

[*Sez*]

If you couldn't see the surcingles, they're probably tucked under the rug and may not even drop down. The light cooler/stable rug I use on mine didn't have anything other than the front strap and a cord at the back to run under the tail, and never slipped at night. When I bought a heavier weight stable rug for winter, I forgot that it had surcingles, tucked them up between the horse's back and the rug when I threw it on, and left the poor thing like that all night :o . Fortunately, it didn't slip off, and they didn't dangle out from under the rug all night. I was very embarassed when I realised in the morning what I'd done!

Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine. It was not good practice for the RI to leave you to untack by yourself. I have worked at many yards, and I would have been sacked if I'd left pupils to deal with the horses alone. Had they had an accident when untacking, etc, the school could have been sued. I always made sure I showed any pupils who wanted to help how to untack and rug up (even if they had helped me before), and then walked up and down the barn to make sure everyone was okay. Once they were finished, if anyone wasn't sure, I'd check it out and when they'd all gone, the ponies got a final check over (because some of them may have been a bit touchy if they thought I didn't trust them to do it properly :D ).

[KarinUS]

Hm. I am sorry your RI put you in this position. Surely she could have stuck around 20 minutes to make sure you are okay! :mad:

[nicolaj]

Don't worry I'm sure the person left would have checked the horses before they left.

Really it isn't very good practice to just leave somebody to untack who hasn't done it before and just go home! THey should have been around to supervise just to make sure you were okay. Riding schools moan about the cost of liability insurance, but I'm not surprised the premiums are going up with such practices! What if something had of happend to you or your daughter?!

Well done though for coping so well!:)

[Tootsie4U]

As an instructor, I would have been fired if I left a student alone (ie. went home prematurely) with a horse. My boss was very 'liability' conscious!

Even with all straps done up propperly, some horses can still manage to get their blankets all twisted around, so don't loose any sleep over it! ;)

[ajhainey]

They'll have checked - my stables leaves students to do their own untacking etc (not if someone says they've never done it before mind, but that you'll ahve to take up with your RI) and even if they say all is ok and done we always check as some of the mistakes are awe inspiring. One guy told me 'yep it was all ok, quite easy really' and sauntered off happy as larry. When I went in to check the rug was on backwards and nothing was actually done up with the buckles it was tied in knots....

If you want them to 'teach' you and they won't try undoing absolutely everything whenever you return tack to the room (girth both sides, all buckles on bridle, detach martingale etc etc) - you should soon find whoever is responsible for putting back together and finds you and offers to show you what to do :-)

aj xx

[wanabe]

BTW, your post made it sound as if you may have taken the saddle off before the bridle. I was taught that the bridle was the last thing on and the first thing off. :)

[kyanya]

Wanabe, I think if the horse is secure within the stable, the order of untacking the bridle/saddle etc doesn't really matter. I'm sure the horse doesn't mind if the saddle or bridle comes off first!

[wanabe]

I guess it's different, different places. But what do you mean by secure within the stable? When I tack up and untack, the horse is in cross-ties and I was strongly warned against attaching cross-ties to the bridle.

[Imp]

Yep, saddle off first, I'd stood there for 5 minutes looking at him, looking around for somebody to ask and then decided 'well, it's got to all come off and the bridle looks tricky, so I'll just start with the saddle' - I didn't realise there was a bar to put across the stall to keep him in either until I was about to leave :eek: I'm going to speak to RI after my next lesson on Friday and say I want to help, more than happy, but don't ever want to be put in a potentially dangerous position for the horse or me through my ignorance.

At risk of sounding every so much more ignorant... I assume cross ties are to secure the horse when you're working why use them when untacking?

Roll on my RS starting the BHS Horse Ownership course (I'm on the list of potential students)

[sweuzo]

i would say that it is the instructors fault if you did do anything worng and it did happen to cause an accident or anything, how irresponsible to leave somebody to do that on their own if they have never done it!!

at my yard they let us rug untack etc, but they check them before anyone leaves... also the yard owner and her family lives right there on the yard so there people there all the time.

i dont think it would cause any accident, but if it did, how bad of her to just leave you and go home!

we were taught to put the headcollar over the bridle and tie them up, then take the saddle off, then put the rug on and finally take the headcollar and bridle off, but before that in the summer (when they don't have hay to try to barge over to) take of the bridle first and just tie them up normally, before untaking the saddle.

as for rugs, the ones ours have a re turnout rugs i'm sure, but they wear them in a stable in winter, they have a clip at the front, cross over straps under the belly and cross over clips through the back legs, some have theiunder tail clip thing instead though.

[virtuallyhorses]

Don't worry, horses are quite capable of getting out of their rugs even with both surcingles and back leg straps done up correctly! ;) Riding School horses also tend to be incredibly sensible if your horse has a roll and a lie down and the rug gets tangled he'll probably just work out how to pull it over his head, at worst it'll get ripped or he'll have a large attractive scarf for part of the night.

The instructor shouldn't have left you to do this on your own. When you are used to doing these tasks it is a few seconds and seems like second nature but we should all remember how odd all those buckles and things seemed at first.

[wanabe]

At risk of sounding every so much more ignorant... I assume cross ties are to secure the horse when you're working why use them when untacking?

The cross-ties are in the main walk-through part of the stable (don't know the name for it). There are usually several sets. They attach to each side of the halter. You place the horse in them for tacking up AND untacking. I was taught never to leave a horse free, if even only in a token way such as an arm through the reins when adjusting the stirrups. So, the procedure we were taught regarding the bridle was to remove one cross-tie from the halter and then remove the halter and then reattach it around the neck while putting on the bridle -- and the reverse for untacking.

I was very pleased with my training, which consisted of watching, then doing under full supervision, then limited supervision, to finally on my on -- this whole process took about 15 lessons. I certainly don't think it was good the way you were thrown on your own like that. You probably handled it better than I would have.

[Imp]

:o :eek: Thanks for all of the supportive comments; I must say that at the time my heart was thumping and I felt sick and I didn't sleep well afterwards!! She didn't seem to acknowledge my protests about my ignorance :(

The wonder of hindsight tells me I should have stood in the middle of the yard and yelled for somebody to come to help, even a more experienced student rider.

I went up to the school today to return the riding hat my daughter had to bring home for the night (as they closed up and she couldn't get into the reception where they're kept)... horsey was fine and in full flight in a group lesson... phew!!

[ajhainey]

cross ties are an american thing btw - so don't go looking for them in your yard ;) Offcially saddle first, rug on, then bridle off but it's only really important with a horse that is bolshy in the stable - gives you a bit more control! I usually do saddle off, bridle off, rug on. You'll find headcollars used for untacking if they are turned out in a field after riding, stabled horses are usually left completely untacked in between rides so no headcollar used. If a headcollar is going on, it usually is done first and the horse then tied to something, the bridle can be taken off 'round' a headcollar.

TBH, you're bound to get it wrong now and again anyway as everywhere has their own style!

aj xx

[wanabe]

Really! No cross-ties over there?!? I think they're so useful -- I'd hate to be without them.

[neen]

I really felt for you when I read this post, Imp. My RI has shown me how to untack a couple of times, and last week sent me off to do it myself, as she had another lesson immediately after mine. I grabbed another instructor as I went through the yard and asked her to stand by, went boldly on into the stable... then the the horse said "Cool, new haynet!" and parked herself, munching, and I was at a complete loss! Difference was there was someone nearby to call upon.

This week I marched boldly off myself again, took off saddle and bridle, but was completely befuddled by the rug (this is someone who struggles changing a duvet cover, so you can imagine...) I ended up calling in my instructor for assistance, and I *still* couldn't do up the straps! :o

This stuff isn't easy! I think there's a lot to be said for being left to find your feet (and the buckles!) but there should always be someone to call upon if you get stuck. My instructor also has a habit of quizzing me on tack at the beginning and end of each lesson, which I find really helpful.

[Peace]

Really! No cross-ties over there?!? I think they're so useful -- I'd hate to be without them.

Amazing, I know, but true;) - they don't use cross-ties over the pond. (I only know this because it comes up every so often on NR.) I think it's because they don't usually have center-aisle barns - they call those "american style barns" - most horses seem to be housed in what we'd call a shedrow barn. So there's nothing to hook cross-ties to!:D

Imp - I'm glad everything turned out ok, but your post made me smile.:) I used to be just the same, worrying that I'd killed my lesson horse at least once a week. Although it really wasn't very nice of the staff to run off and leave you to figure things out on your own, it sounds like you did just fine.:cool:

[virtuallyhorses]

Amazing, I know, but true;) - they don't use cross-ties over the pond. ...I think it's because they don't usually have center-aisle barns - they call those "american style barns" - most horses seem to be housed in what we'd call a shedrow barn. .. or over this pond either ... We do have centre-aisle barns sometimes but it seems really silly to then park a horse in the aisle and block the only accessway to us :D so you do see cross-ties in use in the front of an open stall (the horse is in the stall and the head is tied at the front using cross-ties at the entrance of the stall) - usually at racing stables, but never in the way that are described in the US.

[ajhainey]

Really! No cross-ties over there?!? I think they're so useful -- I'd hate to be without them.

I'd hate to tack up a horse I had to tie up to trust to stand still! :p :D Just one of those US/UK things I guess..

Out of interest what do you do if you want to tack up in the field/yard/open barn/stall etc? No cross ties there...

aj xx

[Coiffure]

(AJ, I want to thank you so much for your reply with the taking apart of the tack. I have had a real downer of a day and your post made me laugh so hard and loud that my husband came in to see what was going on.)
That is the best way of teaching an instructor of such caliber a lesson of her own.
I agree this instructor should have done her job or have had someone else to help you to these chores so you learn the right way. I am sure all was well and I applaud you taking the tasks at hand as well as you did! Be proud of that accomplishment.

[L34NN3]

Sounds like you did brilliantly - well done again. It's amazing what RI's expect you to just "know". I was asked to put a rug one once and put the horse out (when I had no experience at all). I put the rug on just fine, went oooh and aahhh when the horse rolled in the field, then got told I'd put his new stable rug on...oopsy! New stable rug was very very muddy!

I'd be at a loss too if I had a horse that I couldn't trust to stand still. I've never tied a horse up while tacking or untacking - they are expected to stand still, and do. I've been known to untack a horse in the field if that's where i've been schooling (but not if it's sweaty...)

[wanabe]

I'd hate to tack up a horse I had to tie up to trust to stand still! :p :D Just one of those US/UK things I guess..

Out of interest what do you do if you want to tack up in the field/yard/open barn/stall etc? No cross ties there...

aj xx

I've never had to do it. I think it would be darned hard. In the stables, my horses usually try to walk forward to get their noses into a bag of feed or something before I get the cross-ties on them. The most I've had to do was put a saddle on a horse that already had its bridle on. It was annoying because he kept stepping forward to graze (this was in the grassy area outside our arena).

[Peace]

I'd hate to tack up a horse I had to tie up to trust to stand still! :p :D Just one of those US/UK things I guess..

Out of interest what do you do if you want to tack up in the field/yard/open barn/stall etc? No cross ties there...

aj xx

I never thought about it, but it may be one of those cultural things - my trainer is the only person I've ever known who expects, and therefore teaches, her horses to stand still at liberty to be tacked up.:) Quanah, her pupil, stands perfectly still wherever he happens to be when you show up with the saddle.:) But people around the barn think Leslie is extremely strict to require this.;)

Bram, who is the most mannerly of equines;) , would never think of standing still to be tacked. I don't cross-tie him, but I do tie him with a leadrope to the bars of his stall when I tack him up. Like Viv, it's never made much sense to me to immobilize my horse in the middle of the barn aisle - especially when there are children about who tend to let their attention, and sometimes their mounts, go wandering.:rolleyes:

[LouHarvey]

Mm, some places do have cross-ties over here but it's usually in an American barn, and then they are in the wash bay or in a specifically allocated space. Cross-tying a horse in the aisle sounds a bit daft - how are people expected to get past with their own horses/tack/wheelbarrows etc?
Personally I don't see why it's so hard to tack up with a single rope, but then what would we English know about it, we've only been riding horses for thousands of years longer than the Americans, managing by tying the horse at only one point - we can always trust the Americans to do things better than us! :rolleyes:
Anyway, well done Imp, don't worry about how you untacked or anything, the most important thing is that you got the tack off the horse and the rug onto it so it is nice and warm! Your riding instructor sounds a little bit naughty to do that to you, be sure to mention your concern to her, if she is a good RI she will take it on board and it shouldn't happen again to you or anyone in your position!

[crazystevie]

dont worry at all! EVen if they were done up, they come undone all the time, especially in the field, and horses are fine - and i'm sure if he does stand on it, he'll move off it soon anough.

[Ginger Thing]

What a worry for you! Not very nice of them to just abandon you like that, but no harm done, eh?

I always tack up and untack with horses loose in the stable, not tied up. I take my horse's saddle off first, as if he's sweaty he will try to rub up the wall and scratches it, but I sometimes take bridle off OH's horse first, as he just stands there like a good boy! I don't really have a system, just do it how the mood takes me!

As for stable rugs, yes they do often have leg straps, mine do. So there's chest straps, cross surcingles under the belly, and leg straps, but some have no leg straps, just a fillet string under the tail.

And yes, horses can get out of perfectly done-up rugs, so don't worry about it!

[wanabe]

Cross-tying a horse in the aisle sounds a bit daft - how are people expected to get past with their own horses/tack/wheelbarrows etc?

Well, I paced off the center-aisle in my lesson barn and it appeared to be 15 feet wide. Plenty wide for horses or wheelbarrows to get by on each side. You just lift the cross-ties up slightly, if necessary.

I asked this in another thread and never got an answer. What's a "shed-row" stable like?

[KarinUS]

I asked this in another thread and never got an answer. What's a "shed-row" stable like?

Try this link to see several different barn designs, (http://www.portastall.com/barns.htm) including Shed Row and RaceTrack (which si kind of a back to back Shed Row)

[Peace]

I asked this in another thread and never got an answer. What's a "shed-row" stable like?

Imagine dividing a center aisle barn in half lengthwise.:)

[wanabe]

Thanks Karin. :) Not to start trouble, but I think the center-aisle barn is a more fun place. All the horse are turned inward where they can see each other and what is going on and all the students and employees are working in a communal area.

[KarinUS]

We chose center aisle for our design and have found it very versatile and convenient (although ours is really short). Since we are in Texas where it's hot I can leave the center aisle open and it makes a nice breezeway or I can close the big door on the northside to make it more sheltered now that it's winter.

But I guess whatever works! :)