Section E Tacking Up for Cross Country and Paddock Management

Question 1

Describe the modern thinking on types of bit / noseband / breastplates for cross country

Answer 1

Most people wear breastplates for cross country as there are more ondulations. People should have at least 2 fingers space between the nose and noseband. People tend to bit more strongly for cross country.

Question 2

In what conditions would you choose to wear studs?

Answer 2

Wet, muddy, hard ground when you are having to ride on grass

Question 3

For which types of activities do you think studs might be useful?

Answer 3

Activities on grass where there might be an opportunity for the horse to slip

Question 4

How many stud holes do you like to use and on which feet?

Answer 4

I put 1 stud in each for because it allows the horses foot to pivot more

Question 5

What is a risk assessment?

Answer 5

An assessment of the risks involved with doing something and how you could prevent them

Question 6

What would you put in a risk assessment for the yard at home or where you work?

Answer 6

anything which could cause injury to a person or a horse and what to do to prevent it.

Question 7

Can you suggest how some yard risk assessments may differ?

Answer 7

Dependent on size, type of horses that stay their, age of people at the yard, whether or not the owner or manager stays on site, type of turnout

Question 8

Do you think it is important for yards to have a risk assessment, why?

Answer 8

Yes, so that people stay safe a there is less likelihood of an accident.

Question 9

Tell me how you cope with a colleague on your yard who had a nasty bite on the arm.

Answer 9

make sure there is no danger to you, apply gloves, put pressure on wound if it is bleeding, rinse under water, make sure tetnus is up to date, fill in the accident book and advise them to get medical treatment

Question 10

What would you do if someone got kicked in the stomach whilst grooming?

Answer 10

look for danger, make sure it is safe. make sure they are breathing, if not commence cpr. if they are breathing but unconscious put them in recovery position. call for an ambulance for both. if they are neither, ensure they are comfortable and call for an ambulance if nessecary, otherwise send them to seek medical attention. log in accident book

Question 11

A young horse treads on someone’s foot, they are obviously in pain, what is the sensible action to take?

Answer 11

check of danger, remove the boot or shoe, either call ambulance or send them to the hospital and log in accident book.

Question 12

What should be recorded of these incidents, and where would that record be kept?

Answer 12

date, time, people involved, cause of the incident, action taken, would be kept in an office.

Question 13

Do you think Health and Safety legislation is a good thing? Please explain why?

Answer 13

yes because it means that people have to do things to try and make things as safe as possible.

Question 14

How might Health and Safety legislation affect your yard, or a yard that you have worked in?

Answer 14

you have to health and safety risk assementmt for every physical place on the yard and for every action such as lessons. you have to put procedures in place to help make it as safe as possible

Question 15

What do the letters COSHH stand for?

Answer 15

control of substances hazardous to health

Question 16

What is the purpose of COSHH?

Answer 16

to try and reduce the risk of injury to people by substances which might cause damage to their health.

Question 17

Which substances do you have in your yard that could come under the COSHH umbrella?

Answer 17

cleaning products, hay dust, medications, disinfectants, wormers, bleach,

Question 18

What is RIDDOR?

Answer 18

reporting of incidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations.

Question 19

What must be reported under RIDDOR and who is responsible for making this report?

Answer 19

fractures (other than to fingers, thumbs, and toes)

amputation of an arm, hand, finger, thumb, leg, foot or toe

serious burns

loss of consciousness caused by head injury

resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

The death of any person
With the exception of suicides,

Question 20

How do you dispose of the muck heap in your yard?

Answer 20

private yard can be taken away and spread by farmers as fertilisers. business yard the remover would have to have a permit

Question 21

Where might you position a muck heap?

Answer 21

away from horses do the flies aren’t annoying to them, easy location, somewhere the run off isn’t going to go in a water source, 10 metres away from aa water source, within 50metres of a boar hole

Question 22

What is ‘run off,’ and what must be avoided?

Answer 22

Run off is the liquid that comes out of your muck heap. It has a lot of nutrients in it so you must ensure that you avoid water sources, rivers so that you dont ruin the natural balance of nutrients in the water.

Question 23

Please outline the pasture routine where you keep your horse?

Answer 23

It is poo picked every 2-3 days, we check the fencing daily. Look for and uproot any poisonous plants. Harrowing and rolling after winter. Rotated yearly.

Question 24

What are the good points in this routine, is there anything you would like to change?

Answer 24

Poo pick it more often

Question 25

If you must start using pasture that is horse sick, how would you begin to make improvements?

Answer 25

Remove poisonous plants, poo picking, harrowing and rolling, get some sheep to graze it down and their poo will fertilise the field

Question 26

When is using fertilizer appropriate? What might you use?

Answer 26

When the grass isn’t growing particularly well, if soil analysis says that the ground is lacking certain nutrients. Use Potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus.

Question 27

What are your thoughts on cross grazing / track systems / individual paddocks?

Answer 27

Individ. Reduces injury, manage food intake better. Better for biosecurity. Some horses like friends. They could try to jump out. May not be particularly spacious. Track system. Move more. Much more natural lifestyle. Costly to set up. Horses may bully other horses. Cross grazing. Adding another species into a paddock. Sheep help with worm control. Need to fence better, will go under electric fencing.

Question 28

How would you deal with very wet ground?

Answer 28

Install mud mats, fence off particularly muddy areas. Keep water troughs away from gateways,

Question 29

Why is it necessary to understand H & S and COSHH involvement when using fertilizers and sprays?

Answer 29

They could cause damage to people and the environment and animals.

Question 30

What precautions should you take if spraying weeds around your yard?

Answer 30

Keep animals and other people away until it has dried. Sprayer should wear full PPE. Certain pesticides need a license to use.

Question 31

Please name two precautions you may take when fertilizer is applied to your land.

Answer 31

Need to pick a time when you are not expecting rain. Don’t graze horses there straight away. Dont do it on a really windy day.

Question 32

If you store even a small amount of fertiliser, what precautions should you take?

Answer 32

Locked up, fire protection, well ventilated, secure from children and pets

Question 33

Please name a few poisonous plants that are common around your home.

Answer 33

Ragwort, foxglove, hemlock,

Question 34

Can you describe two of the plants you named?

Answer 34

Ragwort, yellow flowers on a stalk, foxglove, purple bells

Question 35

How should you deal with these plants if you find them on or around your pasture?

Answer 35

uproot them as soon as you find them and burn them

Question 36

What season is the most hazardous for poisonous plants?

Answer 36

spring/summer

Question 37

Which plants do you consider the most dangerous, how would I recognise them?

Answer 37

yew tree- spiky green needles, red berries sycamore-helicopter leaves

Question 38

If you suspected that your horse had digested a poisonous plant, what action would you take?

Answer 38

phone the vet asap

Question 39

Please outline how you diminish worm infestation, first within an individual horse, then within a group.

Answer 39

poo picking regularly, worm egg counting, strategic worming

Question 40

What are the advantages of Faecal Egg Counts?

Answer 40

tells you if you need to treat your horse

Question 41

What should all owners do to avoid resistance to wormers

Answer 41

only worm when required

Question 42

What precautions should you take for yourself when worming?

Answer 42

have someone hold the horse, gloves, try not to spill it, dispose in a doop bin

Question 43

Describe briefly what effect the ingredients of wormers can have on the environment?

Answer 43

can kill animals such as dung beetles

Question 44

What animals may be at risk due to wormer use?

Answer 44

small insects

Question 45

How should you dispose of empty worming syringes?

Answer 45

pharmaceutical doop bin