Start here
Know Your Horse
Build a written baseline of this horse's normal habits and behavior, so a change stands out the day it happens.
See what's insideA module in The Old-School Horseman
Assess the Horse in Front of You
Derek's nose-to-tail walk-through, from the Facebook Live we did with Moose. What he looks at before a horse goes to work, and how knowing that horse's normal gives you something to compare against.
Most of what Derek checks takes a few minutes and no special equipment. What makes it work is doing it the same way every time, and knowing what you're comparing it to.
What you'll learn
- A nose-to-tail routine you can repeat before every ride or workout
- What to look at and feel on the legs and feet
- Body, coat and condition: what's new since yesterday
- Behavior and reactions as part of the assessment, not separate from it
- How to compare today's horse against his own normal instead of a textbook
What's inside
- Nose-to-tail assessment sheetThe full walk-through in order, with room to note what you find.
- Pre-work checkA short version for every day before the horse goes to work.
- Comparison trackerToday next to his normal, so a difference jumps off the page.
To add: confirm the final list of worksheets and trackers in this download.
Why assess before work
Finding heat in a leg or a new reaction before a workout is a lot better than finding it after. A consistent routine also means you're not just looking at the horse, you're comparing him: to yesterday, to last week, and to the baseline you built in Know Your Horse.
If you find something new, hot or swollen, or the horse is short or sore, don't work him. Call your vet.
Where it came from
This module came out of a Facebook Live where Derek assessed Moose from start to finish.
To add: the Facebook link to this video (videos.moose_live in site.config.json).
Who it's for
Anyone who gets a horse ready for work: owners, riders, grooms, exercise riders and trainers.
From Derek's barn
The gear that goes with this lesson, each with Derek's reason. See the whole Tack Room.
Grooming box
To add: What he keeps on hand for nicks, rubs and scrapes
Legs and feet
To add: The standing wraps or leg care he trusts
Legs and feet
To add: His hoof pick and hoof care routine
More from The Old-School Horseman
What a rider feels from the saddle: hands, reins, movement and reactions, and why every horse rides like an individual.
See what's insideUnderstand why everything in the feed bucket is there, write the program down, and build it around this horse instead of copying someone else's.
See what's inside