1-2 weeks before Lab

• Make Sign-in Sheets
• Check all Supply List

1 hour before Lab

Sign-in Set-up

• White Folding Table
  • find it next to desk where horse log books are kept
  • Set-up near the Shavings Pallet in barn
• Sign-in Clipboard
  • Storage Location: Dark Grey Cabinet (by the people door)
  • Lab Set-up: place on white folding table
  • Changes:
    • Switched: Student crosses off person they switched with and write their name/initial on sheet
    • Wrong Lab: just add name to bottom and join group
    • Note: if you get too many of wrong day students send them away as we don’t want more than 6 out with Max and horses (6 horses per pasture) – PRIORITY to Correct Day Students

Pull Instruction Sheets: Dark Grey Cabinet (by the people door)

Place a Blue Lead Rope On Each Stall

• Clip to the Stall Door Handles or something similar
• This simulates it being clipped to a horse (cute mini horse)
• Put the rope around one of the vertical Stall pipes

Hang Quick Release Knot Sheet on Each Stall with a Blue Lead Ropes

• • Storage Location: Dark Grey Cabinet (by the people door)
  • Lab Set-up: Snap around a vertical stall pipe near the lead rope

Place other Sheets on the Sign-in Table

• Horse Behavior
• Haltering a Horse
• How to Tie a Rope Halter
• Pick Up and Out a Hoof

Hand Sanitizer: place on sign-in table

Ask Max which Horses/Paddock he wants to use – he knows them best & how they are that day

Start of Lab

Sign-in Sheet:

• Students sign in upon arrival
• Melissa Scans sheet later in week, uploads to drive, emails link to Dr. Kuhle

Introductions of Staff:

• Max introduced himself and background w/ University and Skills
• Melissa Introduces herself
  • At University approx 10yrs
  • Worked in LA Hospital (float tech on every shift & last few years on Sx team)
  • Also worked in animal research setting prior to University
  • Have my own Horse past 15yrs, 25yr old Morgan Gelding
  • I’m here to help in any way I can – feel free to email or contact me
  • No Stupid questions – I understand this is new to everyone
  • Person to Horse Corrections:
    • Make students aware that there is nothing we can physically do to a horse without sharp objects or electricity that another horse can’t do worse to another horses
    • Communicate that they may see corrections that seem over the top, but they are appropriate for the 1,000# animals we are working with
    • There are often quick subtle communications that until you have a trained eye you don’t see – these explain the reaction/correction
    • If you don’t understand – ASK QUESTIONS – I don’t want anyone leaving feeling like we mistreat the horses – it is an opportunity to learn

Opportunities in Hospital:

• Student Tech
  • Many opportunities throughout LA and SA
  • My example is Dr. Brian Walters
    • Vet Student – every summer he hung out with rotation students
    • By 3rd yr Dr. Ernst thought he was a 4th year and tried giving him cases
    • Student teched years 1-3 for anesthesia & LA
    • Left and interned after 4th year
    • Came back and got an Anesthesia residency due to knowing him
• Horse Angels
  • • Student run underneath SCAAEP (student chapter of Amer. Assoc Eq Practitioners)
    • Come out with Experienced student and groom/handle the horses
    • Not time for bandaging etc
• Tech Help
  • • We try to have practice times
    • Can set-up times that work in outside of that if needed

Routine for Lab

Split Students into 2 Groups: (~4-5 students/group)

• Half with Max – Horse Handling
• Half with Melissa – Quick Release Knot & Eq Behavior
• Schedule:
  • 15min – Horse Handling or Quick Release Knot
  • 5min Switch Groups
  • 15min – Horse Handling or Quick Release Knot
  • 5min – Combine 2 groups in Horse Handling Paddock
  • 15min – Pick-up Front Feet

Instruction during Lab

Horse Handling: (15min/group) Max

• Start in the Dudley Barn where the Halters are Kept
• Halters:
  • Halters are labeled with each horse’s name
  • Hang up Halters
    • Halter Parts & carrying out to paddock
    • How to put on a Halter
    • How to walk/turn/back Horse

Quick Release Knot & Horse Behavior: (15min/group) Melissa

• Quick Release Knot (main teaching goal)
  • Why we use it?
    • Horses are Large and can pull with lots of pounds per square inch
    • Due to This Where NOT to Tie Them?
      • Stall Fronts – especially Stall Doors, paddock gates etc
        • •  Horse Panics & pulls back
          • Go into Fight/Flight
          • Pull till pull door down, take off, and run
          • Now they are scared of initial threat AND the door is chasing them
          • Good Luck catching them
          • High probability that they sustain bad injuries
      • Anything that can be ripped off
    • Correct Places to Tie them?
      • Hitching Posts – huge and well sunken into concrete
      • Tie to Twine that will break
        • ex. all cross ties are tied to twine so they hopefully break
        • Many people put twine on trailer ties (have seen heavy trailer ties broken)
      • Break-away Halter
        • Designed to have low breaking point – prevent injury
        • leather crown piece over ears
        • Leather Piece somewhere else critical
  • It is not just for Large Animal
    • Works well tying dogs in back room in SA
      • Ex. tie dog then they suddenly collapse – need to release quickly
    • Demo:
      • Knot:
        • Same as Bovine Quick Release Knot (learn 1 knot)
        • remind tying to stall ONLY for practice purposes
        • Demo how it holds if pulled on
        • Ease of untying if needed
      • Length of the Slack: (horse to knot)
        • Enough for horse to not feel trapped
        • Not too loose they can step over it or get caught on trailer wheel well
        • About chest height is average
        • Horses are individuals and may very by horse/owner
      • “Daisy” Chain:
        • Keep extra rope off ground
        • Keeps busy horses from untying themselves (sometimes)
    • Quick Release Sheet if that is helpful
      • Guided Independent Practice – walk around and help
      • Once all students have a good grasp on skill move to behavior
      • Move group to where you can see group in the paddock
      • Discuss briefly Behavior Sheet

 

• Horse Behavior (fills the extra time)
  • Ears  (start on this side of the sheet)
    • Horses are a lot like Cats and talk with their ears
    • Relaxed Position = sitting in lecture with head in your hands

 

• • Facial Expressions
    • In addition to ears – watch changes in Nostrils, Mouth, & Chin
    • Watch for head position – low, slightly raised, high
    • Point out “Mad” = flattened nostril

 

• • Eyes
    • Most overlooked behavior sign
    • Horses can be Extroverts & introverts just like people
    • Introverts often only show change in eye position
    • Eye position may be your only clue a horse is about to explode
    • Subtleties are important with Large Animals ESPECIALLY horses
    • See Subtleties will keep you safe

 

• • Herd Corrections
    • Level 1: Facial Expressions First – (soft voice)
      • Ear Pin
      • Teeth Barred
      • Stiffened Body Posture
      • Person Equivalent = someone glares at you & looks mad
    • Level 2: Body Pressure (warning)
      • Added to Level 1 Expressions
      • Apply physical pressure
        • Take Space
        • Physically push on other horse w/ body
      • Not meant to Harm
      • Person Equivalent = someone pushes you or runs into you
    • Level 3: Physical Correction
      • Bite
      • Kick
        • Can Rear and come down (lots of wt in front end)
        • Can kick out with one hind limb
        • Double Barrel = both hind limbs behind them (fast)

Person to Horse Corrections:

• Nothing we can physically do to a horse w/our body that another horse can’t do worse to another horses
• May see corrections that seem over the top, but they are appropriate for the 1,000# animals we are working with
• There are often quick subtle communications that until you have a trained eye you don’t see – these explain the reaction/correction
• If you don’t understand – ASK QUESTIONS – I don’t want anyone leaving feeling like we mistreat the horses

 

Note: be aware of surroundings and don’t get caught in middle of a horse’s correction of another horses

 

• • • Herd Play  Socialization
      • Greeting
        • Often sniff noses to say hello
        • Fist Bump
          • Make a fist and let horse sniff fist
          • Fist prevents horses from grabbing fingers
        • First Touch
          • Scratch under chin or neck
          • Important structures on face (eyes etc)
          • Earn trust before touch face
          • Similar to dogs, but rarely followed
        • Person Equivalent = handshake or “hello”
      • Mutual Grooming
        • Strengthens bonds in herd
        • Often good buddies have a routine time of day for it
        • Horses will groom people
        • Horse/People grooming can = horse teeth
        • Visual: nose extends & wiggles @ itchy spot
        • Great way to end an interaction positively
        • Person Equivalent = back itch or massage
      • Play
        • Stallions/Geldings (explain term means castrated male)
          • Role in a Wild Herd 
            • Protect the Herd
              • predators
              • other stallions
            • Produce Offspring
          • Play (Practice Leadership Skills)
            • Play that teaches skills to defend a herd (same with geldings)
            • Rearing
            • Biting/Skin Snapping
              • Play = marks usually on neck & face
              • Corrections = other places
        • Mares (explain all intact – rare to spay them)
          • Role in Wild Herd
            • Lead the herd to food/water
            • Reproduce
            • Take of of offspring
          • Play Behavior:
            • Often All business
            • Play = running and bucking
            • Can take longer to trust people

 

• • • • Pressure & Release:
        • Physical Touch
          • “Normal” Horse Communication
            • Example: One horse wants other horses food
              • Pin their ears
              • Push the other horse away
              • Then they take the space & food
              • Shows hierarchy

 

• • • • • • Training & Correct Reward

• • • • • • • Example: horse needs to move back away from you
              • Apply pressure
              • They step back, We release
              • Release tells the horse they did it correctly

 

• • • • • • Wrong Training & Incorrect Reward = Confusion
            • Example: Ask a dog to sit many times
              • dog never sits
              • give him a treat anyway
              • Dog has no idea what “Sit” command means
            • Example: ask a horse to back up
              • push on horses chest
              • horse backs up
              • keep pressing on chest
              • Horse has no idea what you asking as it did not get release of pressure to confirm
            • Release of pressure = giving a dog a treat for sitting

 

• • • • •  Tools
          • Do NOT pass judgement – Remain Neutral & Seek Information
            • As veterinary professionals we have to remain neutral
            • Every animal/person relationship is different (like people)
            • Many tools have 2 ways to use them
              • Correct
              • Incorrect
            • Encourage Questions over judgement (Be Curious)
              • Example: prong collar on a dog
                • many think it is harsh
                • using it correctly allows a light touch & lacks choking action of regular training collar (pressure 360 degrees)
                • In wrong hands could be abusive, but might work well for a strong pulling dog
              • Example: chain over horses nose
                • Seems on surface to be harsh
                • used same as a prong collar – less human strength & lighter touch
                • Can convey what activity is being done – used for a stallion only when being bred
                • in wrong hands can leave wounds and be abusive
          • Whips & Ropes
            • Used as extensions of our hands
            • Allow us to increase space from the horse
            • Allow us to apply more pressure
            • Humane & inhumane ways to use them
          • Halter
            • Leading them
          • Bridle
            • Has a bit that goes in horses mouth
            • used when riding them
            • Allows lighter touch & more control

Handling for Partner/Picking up Feet: (15min) Max/Melissa

• Demo Handling for Procedure (Melissa/Max tag team)
• Demo Picking up Feet/Walking Around Back of Horse (Max)

Last 5min of Lab: Questions???