Hacking is a great way to get your horse fit and also enjoy the countryside! However in order to enjoy hacking out to the full it is essential that we are up to speed with our riding and road safety knowledge in order to ensure we are safe and our confidence on the roads is up to scratch!
Utilising basic safety measures are vital to help you to keep you and your equine safe on the roads. As a flight animal your equine will be inclined to run away from something they are afraid of. It’s your job, through your riding, to convince him that there is nothing to be afraid of and it’s safe to the best of your ability.
Five Top Tips for Road Safety from Scientific Nutritional Products
1.) Reassure your horse or pony with your voice if your equine is nervous out hacking. This simple, yet useful tool offers a powerful way to give your horse confidence and also to help calm your own nerves too!
2.) Always take a mobile phone with you, wear reflective clothing alongside a well fitted riding hat. Some riders also feel more confident wearing a body protector and/or air jacket. Tell a friend or family member at the yard where you are going if you are hacking out on the road so if you don't return home when expected they can raise the alarm.
3.) Sometimes when hacking we have to ride past road works or someone operating machinery. Try to catch the operator’s attention and if possible ask them to turn off loud machines whilst you ride past. If your horse won’t go forward and you are in company, ask for a lead from another horse. If you are by yourself and your horse is really objecting to the hazard, it is sometimes simply safer to admit defeat and adopt an alternative route where possible.
4.) Treat any obstruction in the road as a stationary vehicle. Keep to the left, look behind in good time and check for oncoming traffic when moving your horse past an obstacle. Remember if safe, signal right and retake the reins before passing the hazard. Give a ‘life-saver’ look behind before moving out around the obstacle – allowing sufficient clearance.
5.) If your horse suffers from nerves and anxiety, they may benefit from a calming supplement in the diet, Magnesium for Horses. Feeding a Horse Calmer, Calmer Equine from Scientific Nutritional Products can also help to calm and promote relaxation for nervous horses, especially on the Road. Calmer Equine Plus from Scientific Nutritional Products contains premium chelated Horse Magnesium an ‘anti stress mineral’ and B group vitamins which help relax muscles and the nervous system. Calmer Equine Plus also contains a unique blend of a Prebiotic and Probiotic live yeast culture which help stabilise and calm the digestive system.
The British Horse Society campaign for road safety for the horse and rider. The BHS collect data at www.horseaccidents.org.uk and say that this information proves that there is more work to do to keep our horses and riders safe on the roads. If you have been involved in an accident on the roads ensure you log the details on the BHS website ensuring you are helping to contribute to beneficial changes being made.
To keep up with our weekly blog check out our website www.horsesupplementsdirect.co.uk where you can purchase Calmer Equine Plus and look at our wide range of Horse Supplements and Dog Joint Supplements including Glucosamine for Dogs.
