The ability to ride a horse well implies not only the skill of proper riding, but also the competent handling and care of the animal. But all these skills are acquired gradually, and first you need to know how to approach the animal correctly.
Left side rule
It so happened historically that it is customary to approach the horse from the left side. The roots of this rule go back to history.
The right to ride a horse at one time belonged exclusively to the nobility and warriors, that is, people carrying weapons - swords and swords. The weapon was attached to the left side, which made it very difficult to board the horse on the right side. When horse-drawn carriages appeared, boarding was also carried out on the left side of the sidewalk. This is how left-hand traffic appeared for the first time. The British are distinguished by conservatism, and therefore, when the first cars appeared, they continued to sit in them in the same way as in carriages, that is, on the left side.
There is one more nuance associated with the biological characteristics of the animal itself. Horses have a peculiar vision. They see less detail, but they have a wider field of view. Also, their eyes are very sensitive to movement, but at the same time they poorly distinguish the distance to a moving object. In addition, horses have blind spots, namely directly in front of the muzzle and just behind the croup. The first blind spot has a length of up to one and a half meters, it is rather difficult to determine the size of the second. But it is the blind spot behind the croup that is most dangerous. When approaching the horse from behind, there is a serious risk that at the slightest noise, the animal will start kicking from fright. Such fearfulness is quite understandable if we remember that in the wild, horses have a large number of natural enemies.
That is why, that is, for the sake of your own safety, it is necessary to approach the horse only from the side of the shoulder. So the animal manages to notice the walker in time and is not afraid of him. Thus, the combination of historical habits and biological nuances of the animal gives rise to the left-side rule.
General rules for communicating with a horse
The most important rule mentioned above is to approach the horse only from the side. At the same time, it is advisable to talk to her and not make sudden movements. Bridging, saddling the horse, getting on and dismounting, as well as cleaning the animal are also carried out only on the left side. Horses are initially taught that the person is on the left when working with them.
In addition, you should always wear safe clothing and only use safe equipment. It must include a helmet, boots or boots with hard toes. You can even get injured by simply working with a horse without sitting on it. Therefore, a helmet and special shoes must be worn even if a horse ride is not planned.
It is also strictly forbidden to wrap any equipment on the arm that is connected to the horse. This applies to the leash, reins, line and everything else.
