A Few Random Horse Questions?

1. As far as I know, there is nothing wrong with using a curry on a wet horse. I often use a curry to work the soap in when I'm giving my horse a bath. However, if the horse is covered in wet mud, it might be a good idea to let the mud dry before trying to knock it off with a curry. Otherwise, you just end up smearing it around and grinding it into the skin instead of grooming it off. Maybe that's what was meant by that rule?

2. I always lead, mount, dismount, and saddle a horse from the left side if I do not know the horse. Many horses are only taught to do these things on that side and will freak out or simply refuse to cooperate if you try to do these things on the other side. One time I tried to saddle an appaloosa stallion I was riding on the right side. He wasn't mine, I was just riding him for someone. I had ridden him once before, and he was fine in the cross ties before but when I approached him on the right he shied away from me and nearly broke the cross ties. I backed away and approached him on the left and he acted like nothing had ever happened. So from then on I always use caution when working with horses I don't know well. I try to gauge their reaction before attempting to do such things on their off side. My own horses, however, can be saddled and led on both sides. I do not mount or dismount on the off side because I have been trained to mount and dismount that way and I'm just used to it. There is no real reason for it, and any horse can be trained to be mounted and dismounted from both sides.

3. I avoid spraying my horse in the face, mainly because it's rude. I wouldn't want to have water sprayed directly into my face. Also, a horse's eyes are very important. It would be a bad idea to spray a blast of hose water directly into your horse's eyes, whether it's intentional or not. With that said, I will spray the top of my horse's head off with the hose. I work my way up their neck and spray back the forelock to rinse the shampoo out of there. I do not spray the face. I use a sponge for that.

4. Traditional cross country jumps are solid, but there are some cross country events now that do use collapsible jumps. Personally, I would not like to use solid jumps, just for safety reasons.

5. You should always carry your crop on the inside when you are carrying one in the hunter arena so the judge (or your coach) can see what you are doing with it. However, my dressage instructor told me that a dressage whip is an aid to your leg that should be carried on the inside for walking and trotting but should be carried on the outside at the canter because that is the leg giving the cue. But if you don't use a crop then why carry one? It's kinda silly that your coach forces you to carry one.

6. It's inappropriate to mix tack at a show for obvious reasons but there's nothing wrong with doing it in practice. I only own English boots but I ride western and English in them. My riding instructor often starts out her beginner riders out in a western saddle for the security, matched with an English bride with snaffle bit, because the reins are buckled and the rider is less likely to drop them, and the bit is milder for someone with untrained hands. Tack should not be mixed in ways where it is unsafe. For instance, my husband's western boots are too big to fit in the English stirrups so his feet get stuck. That's is a safety issue so those things should not be combined. Otherwise it's not a big deal.

7. I have never owned a trailer where you could turn the horse around... so by default I've always backed my horse out of the trailer and have never had any issue. However, I have heard stories of horses backing out of trailers without ramps, slipping and getting their back legs stuck under the trailer... but this has never happened to anyone I actually know. I've also heard of horses injuring themselves by taking a misstep off the side of a ramp, but that's never happened to anyone I know either.

1. Never curry-combing a horse when it's wet.

If you let the hair dry with it all messed up from the curry it will still be all messed up. I guess this would be OK if you were going for that punk look.

2. Always walk/mount/dismount on the left side.

No practical reason for this at all. I always make sure that anything I do on one side I can also do on the other.

3. Never spray water on the horse's face.

Well, that would be just rude. How would you like it?

4. Always using solid jumps in cross-country.

Cross country jumps are supposed to be like the real world with solid walls and fences and such. Dangerous? Yea, but that's just how they want to do it.

5. Keeping your crop to the inside.

I can't tell you about this one since I've never used a crop.

6. Never mixing and matching tack.

You could end up getting arrested by the equine fashion police. This also may be the answer to #5.

7. Backing a horse out of a trailer.

Sometimes people don't have their horses fixed up right so they can walk off a trailer quietly, so then the horse might take a flying leap to get out of the trailer. They can't do that if they are backing out.

I always curry my pony especially when wet, I believe horses should be walked and mounted from both sides, I agree horses should be ok with being sprayed in the face (just watch for the eyes), I think the solid jumps are tradition but not sure, i believe the crop is carried on the inside to encourage the horse to bend around the pressure and helps them to pick up the right lead into the canter, as for mixing and matching your tack as long as you and your horse are comfortable go for it! and much like the whole mounting from the left I believe a horse should be able to back out and walk out of a trailer :) hope this helps!