Taking the Time to Get It Right

At competitions, very few things are so urgent that they justify rushing through the basics. Taking a moment to do things properly can prevent serious incidents — for horses, people, and vehicles alike.

Engage the Brake — Mate!

"Loose horse" is a cry that occasionally rings out at competitions when a horse pulls free from a float or escapes a yard or stable. But perhaps more surprisingly, there have been at least two incidents involving loose vehicles in the last 12 months. Fortunately, neither resulted in catastrophic injury — but both were serious.

Whenever you leave a vehicle — even for just a moment — please take the time to immobilise it properly and ensure there is no possibility of children or animals causing it to move.

Shut the Gate — Mate!

A more common, but equally serious, situation is a horse escaping from its enclosure. As persons responsible for horses at events — whether you are an athlete, groom, parent, or owner — please make it a habit to check that stable doors and yard gates are properly secured every time you leave. Curious horses are surprisingly resourceful when it comes to finding a way out.

Take the time to understand how your horse behaves in an enclosure and take appropriate precautions. If your horse has a habit of lifting stable latches, add an extra layer of security to the latch — but avoid padlocks or bike locks that cannot be quickly released by a bystander in an emergency.

Stallions can be highly motivated to escape and seek out other horses. If you are bringing a stallion to an event, please notify the event organisers in advance so that appropriate enclosure arrangements can be made.

Finally, many competition grounds have fenced perimeters with access gates. Please ensure all gates are closed behind you, whether you are entering or leaving the grounds.

A few extra seconds taken at the right moment can prevent a situation that is distressing for everyone involved — most of all for the horses in our care.