Galop 1Caring for the horse
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02Respecting the horseKnowledge
- 03Club, licence and FFEKnowledge
- 04SafetyKnowledge
- 05Understanding the horseKnowledge
- 06Approaching your ponyCaring for the horse
- 07Headcollar and knotCaring for the horse
- 08Brushing your ponyCaring for the horse
- 09Leading in handOn foot
- 10Parts of the horseKnowledge
- 11Basic coat coloursKnowledge
- 12The three gaitsKnowledge
- 13Mounting and dismountingIn the saddle
- 14The reins and the aidsIn the saddle
- 15Walk, rising trot, canterIn the saddle
- 16Saddle, bridle, tack roomCaring for the horse
- 17VocabularyKnowledge
- 18Revision and examRevision
Brushing your pony, before and after riding
Brushing cleans the pony, massages him and lets you check that he is well before you ride. At Galop 1, two tools are enough: the curry comb and a brush.
In the exam programme
- Use a brush all over its body, and a curry comb.Common module A
- Look after the horse before and after riding or driving it.Common module A
Brush your pony while he is tied up, in the grooming area or in his stable. It is the first stage of grooming, cleaning the horse from ears to hooves: in Galop 2, you will meet the other brushes and learn to pick out the feet.
Tool 1
The curry comb
A rubber or plastic pad covered in little teeth. Worked in circular movements, it loosens mud, dust and dead hair, and massages the pony. Use it only on the fleshy parts, where there is muscle under the skin.
Tool 2
The brush
It sweeps away what the curry comb has loosened. Use it the way the hair lies, with firm strokes, all over the body and legs. The head is brushed only gently, and only as your instructor has shown you.
Rubber curry comb
Dandy brush
- Fleshy parts: the curry comb, in small circles
- Lie of the coat: the brush, front to back
- Down the legs: the brush alone, top to bottom
- Start on the leftStand on the left side, near the shoulder, and let the pony know you are there with a hand on his neck.
- CurryWork the curry comb in small circles over the neck, shoulder, back, ribs and croup. Never on the head, the lower legs or bony points such as the hips: it would hurt him.
- BrushGo over the same areas with the brush, the way the hair lies, from front to back and from top to bottom, then brush the legs.
- Clean your toolsEvery few strokes, draw the brush across the curry comb, then knock the curry comb against the floor or a wall to empty it.
- Go round to the other sideChange sides safely, warning him first, and start again on the right.
Remember
Before riding
Where the saddle and girth will go — the back, the withers and the girth area, just behind the forelegs — the coat must be spotless: one crust of mud under the saddle is enough to make a back sore. If you see a wound, a lump or a spot that seems to hurt him, tell the instructor before he is tacked up.
After riding
- Once your pony is unsaddled, brush off the saddle and sweat marks when they are dry; if he is still wet, ask the instructor how to dry him.
- Look him over again: his back, his legs and the places where the bridle and girth sat. No rubs, no injuries?
- Take him back to his stable or field calmly, take off his headcollar if that is how your club does it, and shut the door properly.
- Thank him with a stroke, then put the brushes back where they belong.
Common mistake
Using the curry comb on the legs or the head, where the bone lies just under the skin: it hurts, and a pony in pain defends himself. The curry comb is for muscle, the brush for everything else.