Safety Saturday

Did you ever realise that your life is not just in the hands of your horse but also in the gear that you use?

It is vitally important to look after your gear and keep it in top condition so that it can do its job as effectively as possible.

Let me ask you a few questions to highlight the importance of our gear working correctly.

• What would happen if your bridle broke?

• What could happen if your reins broke while trying to stop a bolting horse?

• What would happen if the girth or girth strap broke cantering?

• What would happen if your stirrup leather snapped while going over a jump?

• What would happen if your bit broke while galloping your horse?

These may all seem like extreme cases but they most certainly happen, and more often than you hear about.

So please for your safety and your horses safety always check that your tack is in top condition with no breaks, tears or worn out pieces on it. And lastly never drop your bits in a hard surface as the pins that hold the bit together can break and cause the bit to snap in half mid way through your ride.

I have spoken with Laura Cheshire who is a jockey who had her

snap in half mid way through a race. Luckily her and the horse were all ok after the scary incident. She has kindly allowed me to put up some photos of her experience to help more people and horses stay safe.