HEALTH CARE / VETERINARY KNOWLEDGE - Describe how to treat minor wounds. 11If a wound bleeds quite a lot, press a pad (several gauze pad; a sanitary napkin, or a clean folded cloth) firmly against the wound. In a minor cut, the bleeding may stop on its own within a few minutes 12Hose the wound and the area around it with a gentle stream of cool water for ten minutes, letting the water float away dirt and particles that stick to the surface. This method works well for abrasions and dirty wounds. 13Next, clean the wound gently, using saline solution, sterile water, or bottled water (if available), and an antibacterial soap like Betadine or Phisohex. (If these are not available, use any gentle soap.) To clean the wound, use gauze pads (not cotton, which leaves fibers in the wound). Discard each cleaning pad as it becomes soiled; don’t dip back into the cleaning solution. Clean the area above the wound first, and work down. 14Gently blot the wound dry with a sterile gauze square, or allow it to dry without touching it. 15If the wound is small, dust it with antibiotic powder (Nitrafurazone powder, or whatever your vet recommends), or apply a small amount of antibiotic cream. Don’t use peroxide, alcohol, iodine, Vaseline, or strong antiseptics on wounds. These can damage the tissues and may interfere with healing. Some vets prefer that you not put anything at all on a wound. 16If the wound is in a place that may get dirty and can be bandaged (a leg, for example), the wound should be protected with a dressing and a bandage. Use a large, sterile, non-stick gauze dressing over the wound; then apply a stable bandage over it. 17If the area cannot be bandaged, you may apply antibiotic powder or ointment (some vets prefer that you not put anything at all on a wound), and check the wound frequently to be sure that it is not contaminated with dirt or bedding. If the wound get dirty, clean it gently with running water. Don’t scrub the wound itself, or you may damage the healing tissues. - Discuss regular working routine for own pony 18Need to know routine for pony used at rating - How and why to de-worm new horses in barn. 19Dewormer (usually a medicated paste) needs to be administered to new ponies at least 24 hours before being turned out in a pasture. The new pony should then be on the same worming schedule as the others. 20This is to keep the resident ponies from being exposed to any worms the new pony may be carrying. - Know health care schedule for own pony to include dates of inoculations (tetanus, encephalomeyelitis, etc.) deworming, shoeing, and teeth floating. 21Need to know schedule for pony used at rating (use record book) TEACHING - Under direct supervision, perform and explain reasons for a safety and tack inspection for a D Pony Club member 22Safety and tack inspections are for teaching as much as for inspection. You should show the Pony Clubber how to hold his pony safely for inspection, and explain what you are checking for and why it’s important. Be friendly, positive, and helpful; praise anything he or she has done right. If you find something wrong, show him what it was, why it must be corrected, and how to improve or correct it. Below is a checklist for safety and tack inspections: Rider ? ASTM/SEI helmet, properly fitted, with chin strap attached ? Safe footwear (see USPC D Manual) ? No gum or candy in mouth ? No rings, earrings, or jewelry that could catch on reins and cause injury. No hair pins, combs, or barrettes that could cause injury in a fall. ? No waist packs, long scarves, or loose clothing ? Clothing that is safe for weather conditions, including gloves and warm clothes in cold weather. No sleeveless shirts or tank tops. Use sunscreen when necessary. Saddle (check both sides) ? Saddle pad: Pulled up into gullet of saddle; no wrinkles; correctly attached to billets (above buckle guards) ? Proper fit: Fits pony and rider; properly balanced, with dip in center; no weight on any part of spine; two to three fingers clearance at withers ? Condition of leather and stitching, tree not broken ? Safety bars in open position ? Stirrup leathers: All stitching sound, no cracks or torn holes, enough holes to adjust leathers to proper length for rider ? Stirrups: Proper size for rider (1 inch wider than boot; shows ½ inch on each side of foot when mounted) ? Billet straps: Three on each side, stitching and leather sound, no cracks or torn holes ? Girth: Proper size (at least two holes above and at least one hole below buckles on each side when tightened); leather, elastic, stitching and buckles sound; no cracks, dirt, or roughness which could cause girth sores Bridle ? Condition and soundness of all leather and stitching, especially at stress points such as bit and rein fastenings ? Bit: Right way up, correct size and adjustment, curb chain (if used) flat and correctly fitted. Does not pinch or rub pony’s lips. ? Cheekpieces: Buckles 1 to 1½ inches above eye, with at least 1 extra hole above the buckle when bit is correctly adjusted. ? You should be able to slip a finger under the bridle at any point. Crownpiece and browband must not pinch or rub ears. Noseband ½ to 1 inch below cheekbones and adjusted snugly but not uncomfortably tight. A fist should fit between throatlash and pony’s cheek. All strap ends properly buckled, in keepers and runners ? Reins: Check bit fastenings for wear. Reins must be proper length (often too long on small ponies, leaving a loop that could catch on a rider’s foot). Shorten reins by tying a knot in the end (but without creating a dangerous loop in the end), or replace them with a shorter pair if available. Pony ? Feet and shoes: Cleaned out, shoes tight: no long toes, loose shoes or risen clinches. Notice any cuts, overreaches or interference marks. ? Head: Brushed clean, eyes and lips sponged. Check for rubs or sores on lips or chin. Mane and forelock smooth under crownpiece. ? Saddle area, girth, elbows and between front legs: Brushed clean and smooth; no sores, rubs or dirt ? Legs: No swelling or obvious injuries (check further if you notice any) ? Pony must be sound enough and in condition for activity. (If a pony is obviously overweight, thin, or out of condition, ask the Examiner or instructor to check him). Other Equipment ? Martingale: Correctly adjusted, fitted with rubber ring at chest. Rein stops must be used with running martingales ? Breastplate, or breast collar: Correctly adjusted (a fist should fit between breastplate and chest). Strap ends in keepers ? Any other equipment: In safe condition and properly adjusted. LAND CONSERVATION - Name three different uses of land on which you, or others, ride. (i.e,, crops, farmland, fair grounds, etc). - If your region conducts an Eventing Rally, determine who owns the land where the rally is held & the total amount of acres owned. 23Check the Virginia Region website or calendar for this (held at Deep Run Hunt Club) - Identify one place in your area previously used for equestrian activities that is no longer available. (Member needs to come up with answers for these). LONGEING - Discuss reasons for longeing, necessary equipment and safety procedures 24Reasons for longeing: ? To exercise a horse when he cannot be ridden ? To settle down a horse that is full of energy, before riding him ? To train the horse to pay attention to voice commands and the trainer’s body language ? To develop the horse’s rhythm, balance, suppleness, and way of moving ? Longeing a rider on a trained horse is a way to improve the rider’s seat and position. 25Necessary equipment: ? Longe line Made of flat cotton webbing 1 to 1½ inches wide, or ½-inch-round spun nylon or Dacron line, with a swivel snap or buckle on one end, not a chain. ? Longe whip Has a long handle (about 5 feet long) and a long, light lash used to signal the pony. The whip should be light and well balanced so that you can handle it easily. ? Longe cavesson Special headstall made of leather or nylon, with a padded metal noseband and rings to attach to the longe line. This is the best headgear for longeing, because it gives you good control without danger of hurting the horse’s mouth. You may use a longe cavesson alone or with a snaffle bridle. ? Snaffle bridle A pony may be longed in a snaffle bridle, without a longe cavesson. To avoid injury to the pony’s mouth, this must only be done by persons experienced in longeing, and only with ponies that are well-trained to longe. The reins can be removed from the bridle or twisted several times under the throat and the throatlash buckled through them, to keep them from hanging down too low. Run the longe line through the inside snaffle bit ring, over the pony’s poll, and fasten it to the bit ring on the other side. This arrangement is quite severe, so handle the longe carefully. It has the same effect as a gag snaffle. When changing direction, you must change the longe line over to the other side. Never attach the longe line to one side of the bit or run it under the pony’s chin, as this can hurt his mouth. Never attach a chain-end longe line to the bit. ? Protective boots or bandages Should be used on all four legs when longeing, as a horse is more likely to interfere when working on a circle, especially if he is green or excitable. ? Saddle A horse may be longed while wearing his saddle, but the stirrups must be fastened up so that they will not come down and bang against him. ? Surcingle A band with rings attached, which is buckled around the pony and used instead of a saddle, to attach side reins. ? Side reins Used on more advanced horses, to encourage correct head carriage and balance. These reins are attached either to the girth or billet straps of the saddle or to a surcingle, and snapped to the rings of a snaffle bit. Side reins must be adjusted correctly or they can cause great harm. 26Safety ? Longe in a safe, level area (preferably an enclosed ring) with good footing ? Use the right equipment (above), including proper dress for the handler and protective boots for the horse – make sure everything is properly adjusted before beginning ? Learn to longe correctly using a trained, quiet horse. Before trying to longe on your own or longeing an inexperienced horse, get help from your instructor. ? Hold the end of the longe line in folds, not loops. Never coil the end of the longe line or wrap it around your hand. Keep the longe line and any extra folds from dragging on the ground. ? Be careful when starting a horse out on the longeing circle, especially if he is fresh. Stay out of kicking range. ? Do not longe a horse in small circles. This puts great strain on his legs and muscles and can cause injury. ? Handle the whip quietly, and use the lash in an upward direction, toward the horse’s shoulder, belly or hocks. Don’t waive the whip around. FOOT & SHOEING - Discuss five steps in shoeing. 27Preparation The excess growth of the hoof is removed, and the foot is leveled, balanced, and prepared for the fitting of new or reset shoes. The excess wall is cut away with hoof trimmers, and excess sole may be cut back with a hoof knife. Ragged parts of the frog may be trimmed away. 28Forging Making a new shoe, or modifying a ready-made shoe. The farrier heats the shoe in the forge and hammers it into shape on the anvil. He may draw toe clips or side clips, or modify the heels of the shoe (in cold shoeing, the shoer measures the shoe and bends it to fit, but does not heat it). 29Fitting Checking the fit of the shoe. The hot shoe is held against the bottom surface of the hoof for several seconds. The hot shoe leaves a mark on the hoof (which is painless), which tells the farrier how well the shoe fits and whether the hoof is level. (In cold shoeing, the fit is checked without the shoe being heated.) He makes any necessary adjustments, then check the fit again until the shoe fits perfectly. 30Nailing on A hot shoe is cooled in water, then nailed on. The nails must be driven carefully into the white line; they curve slightly so that they come out through the wall, away from the sensitive part of the foot. The farrier can tell by the sound and the feel if the nail is being driven properly. As each nail comes out through the wall, the farrier bends it by driving it against a nail block and cuts off the sharp end. The bent-over end of the nail forms a “clinch”, which holds the shoe on tightly. 31Finishing The clinches are flattened down with a clincher and made smooth with a rasp. Any toe or quarter clips are tapped into place. The edge of the hoof is smoothed with the rasp to reduce the risk of cracking. The hoof wall should not be rasped any more than necessary, as this removes the periople (the natural covering of the hoof). 32 - Recognize farrier tools and use. 33Rasp A sharp, heavy file used to rasp and smooth feet and remove clinches 34Pincers, or shoe pullers Specially shaped pliers that grip the shoe and pry it off; also used to remove nails 35Hoof trimmers or nippers Shaped like shoe pullers, but with sharpened edges that nip off excess hoof wall. 36Hoof knife, or drawing knife Sharp, hook-shaped knife used to pare away excess sole or trim the frog 37Clinch cutter or buffer Used to raise and cut the clinches when removing shoes 38Pritchel Metal spike used to hold a hot shoe 39Clincher Special tool that bends and flattens clinches into the hoof wall 40Farrier’s hammer Specially shaped hammer for driving nails 41Farrier’s apron Heavy leather apron that protects the farrier’s legs while forging and shoeing BANDAGING - Apply a shipping bandage (with assistance of examiner, if needed). 42Necessary equipment: ? Four bandages knitted stockinette “track”, polyester or flannel bandages, 12 to 16 feet long ? Four leg pads (sheet cottons preferred) long enough to cover the leg from the knee or the hock to the ground. NEVER put on bandages without leg pads! ? Fasteners two bandage pins for each leg; masking tape 43Steps to apply a shipping bandage: ? With padding touching the ground, wrap it smoothly around the leg. Start the edge of the leg pad next to the cannon bone on the outside of the leg. Wrap from front to back and outside to inside. ? Start the bandage on the outside, near the middle of the cannon bone. Tuck the end under the edge of the pad, and wrap once around the leg to anchor the bandage. Always wrap the bandage in the same direction as the leg pad. This makes the inside of the bandage smoother and avoids creating a ridge that can press against the tendon. ? Wrap downward, overlapping each wrap about one-third to one-half the width of the bandage, keeping the wraps parallel to the ground. Pull the bandage snug by pulling backward against the cannon bone rather than pulling forward against the tendons. Make the bandage firm enough to compress the padding evenly, but not so tight that you cannot get a finger underneath ? Make several turns around the bulbs of the heel and coronary band. At least half the width of the bandage must go under the heel to keep the bandage from sliding up. At least ½ inch of padding should extend below the bottom edge of the bandage, to keep it from binding. ? Bandage back up the leg to just below the knee or hock. Leave at least ½ inch of padding above the bandage, and be sure that is does not bind at the knee or hock. Continue bandaging back down the leg. ? Finish the bandage on the outside of the leg in the cannon area, not over a tendon or joint. (You can fold the end of the bandage underneath itself for a few inches if necessary.) Fasten with crossed bandage pins on the outside of the leg. Apply strips of masking tape in a spiral, not a circle, around the leg.