Equine Working Notebooks

Equine Working Notebooks

for The Pony Club tests and NVQ Horsecare Mandatory Units

Examples Taken From each of the Pony Club notebooks:

'D' Test | 'D+' Test | 'C' Test
'C+' Test | 'B' Test | AH Horse and Pony Care | 'A' Care Test

Chapter 22

PREPARING A HORSE FROM TRAVELLING

REASONS FOR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

  1. Protect him from injury when loading and unloading.
  2. Protect him from knocks whilst travelling.
  3. Support the legs, protect then from jarring.
  4. Provide warmth and protection from draughts.

Travel clothing includes:

  1. Headcollar. Put a bridle over the top of the headcollar if the pony is strong, or naughty.
  2. Poll guard. Prevents damage to poll if the horse throws head up when entering vehicle. Protects poll if roof is low.
  3. Rugs. Protects skin and keeps pony warm.
  4. Roller and breast girth stop roller sliding back.
  5. Bandages and padding, and/or travel boots protect legs from injury when loading and unloading. Bandages give more support than travel boots on the journey.
  6. Knee boots protect the knee from injury.
  7. Hock boots protect the hock from injury.
  8. Over reach boots extra protection to heels. Avoids shoes being pulled off on the journey.
  9. Tail bandage protects tail from being rubbed. Helps tail stay clean.
  10. Tail guard keeps tail bandage in place. Better for circulation on the long journey.


Figure 22.1 Pony dressed for travel

ITQ 22.2 Why might a tail guard without a bandage underneath be used on a long journey?