A Test Of Horsemanship

Dismounted

1. Nomenclature: Bring in a horse:

a. Ask the individual to point to the following:

Muzzle, hocks, loins, fetlock, cannon, knee, elbow, withers, croup, dock, forearm, point of the shoulder, coronet, gaskin, frog, pastern, bars of the jaw, stifle, chestnut, poll.

b. Ask him to point out 10 additional parts of the horse.

2. Types and conformation: Bring in horses of whatever types are available. Then for each ask:

a. What type of horse is this?

b. "Fault" him. (Point out his defects in relation to the characteristic conformation and quality of his type.) Include at least:

Head, eyes, neck, shoulder, withers, back, pasterns, hoofs, the "top line," height and weight.

3. Colors and markings: Bring in horses of varied colors and markings.

a. Have the individual name, or each of the group write, the color of each horse. If any of the following colored horses are not present, have students describe them: Black, brown, bay, liver chestnut, light chestnut, gray, piebald, skewbald, blue roan, red roan, dun.

b. Have the individual describe, or each of the group write, the distinctive markings of each horse. If any of the following are not present, have students describe them: Blaze, race, star, snip, flecks, dapples, stockings, Preston brand, other brands.

4. Recognition of common diseases and faults: If available, bring in a horse or horses with common diseases and conformation defects; if none is available, bring in any horse.

a. Point to the location and indicate the nature of the following: Curb, spavin, splint, sidebone, ringbone, thrush, capped hock, ophthalmia, thoroughpin, windpuffs, wind colic.

b. Describe what is meant by: Cowhocked, swaybacked, tied in below the knee, ewe-necked, star gazer, herring gutted, goose rumped, forging, Roman nosed, splayfooted.

5. Age: If available, bring in horses of the following ages:
2 to 4, 5 to 7, 8 to 9, 10 to 14, 15 to 20.

a. What is the age of each of these horses?

(1) Why do you think so?

b. What, in general, is the characteristic appearance of the teeth of a horse that is:

4 years old?      6 years old?      8 years old?
10 years old?    15 years old?    20 years old?

6. Stable management: Bring in a horse; provide a section of picket line or stable area with tie ring; bridle, saddle and cleaning mate rial for horse and tack.

a. Tie the horse

(1) To the picket line,

(2) To the ring.

b. Have student demonstrate:

(1) How to brush the near side.
(2) How to brush the off side.

(3) Use of a rub rag.

(4) Use of a scraper.

(5) Use of a hoof pick.

(6) Use of the comb on the tail and mane.

c. Where should a curry comb not be used?

d. Indicate how a twitch is used.

e. Hobble the horse.

f. Pick up the horse's:

(1) Near forefoot,

(2) Off hindfoot

g. Approximately what daily quantity of each of the following would you feed a middle weight riding horse in good condition, working regularly:

(1) Oats? (2) Hay? (3) Bran? (4) Salt? (5) Greens? (6) Corn?

h. How much straw bedding should a horse have, the first time new bedding is used?

i. Is fresh straw or old straw better for bedding? Why?

j. How is a bran mash made? How often is it fed?

k. Where a trough is used, in general, how many times a day should a horse be watered? At what times? Just before or after feeding?

l. Approximately how often should a horse be shod?

m. If the time for a horse to be reshod arrives, but his shoes are not worn, what should be done?

n. What is the essence of a good stable?

o. Demonstrate how to clean:

(1) A bridle,

(2) A saddle.

p. Name the parts of:

(1) The bridle,

(2) The saddle.

7. Bridling and saddling: Have a horse in his stall, haltered and tied and a bridle (Pelham) and saddle at hand—the head stall, cavesson and girth incorrectly adjusted, the curb chain hooked on both sides, stirrup irons down.

a. Bridle and saddle this horse. (Check that curb chain is released before bridling, manner of opening mouth, proper adjustments, etc.)

b. Assume you have come in from an hour's normal riding. Untack this horse, put him in his stall, place the tack properly in the tack room. (Check that curb chain is released, stirrups run up, girth properly cared for, bit cleaned, underside of saddle and girth are cleaned, etc.)

Mounted

1. Mount. (Observe that adjustment of bridle, saddle and girth is checked, that near rein is tightened, correctness, alacrity and ease of mounting.)

2. Shorten the off stirrup one hole without removing the foot from the stirrup.

3. Tighten the girth while in the saddle.

4. Dismount.

5. Walk, Halt, Extended Walk; Halt, Back.

6. Trot, Walk, Halt, Trot Extended changing diagonals twice; Slow Trot; Trot a figure 8 (posting) and change diagonals in each loop; Slow trot without stirrups in a figure 8.

7. Canter (right lead)-Trot, Canter (left lead), Walk, Canter (right lead), Halt. Figure 8 (check correctness of leads). Release stirrups on command while cantering a figure 8, Halt.

Have rider canter in a straight line, naming the lead on which he will depart and then change leads.

8. Gallop to a designated point, turn sharply about, right handed; gallop to the starting point, turn sharply about left handed; gallop on to a designated point and halt abruptly.

9. Jump 3 feet, twice (check form, control of horse, etc.).

NOTE: A thirteen-year-old boy who had not had previous experience, after about four hours instruction a week, over a six months period, passed this test with a score of 96 percent.

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