The barn safety clinic for the Driving Club went well yesterday. About the usual amount of attendees. They all said they learned new things and would go home to look at their horse barns with “new eyes!” It was at our barn, which we have been cleaning, put some new stain on stall fronts, stall doors and the outside tackroom wall. They all needed new stain so this was added incentive for us! Got the hay storage area walls brushed down, swept out the chaff into tubs, a water trough, which we can use as cover when reseeding some locations. Plus the chaff has lots of grass seed that fell out of bales, so is a bonus. We looked pretty good!! Ha ha One lady said “you need to have company” yearly, so the projects get done!
Lincoln was at his best, being the model for neck ropes, cow collar for tying and showing how to make an emergency halter. We did the halter several times, so people could view the steps better or practice making it themselves. I was pretty amazed that so few had ever made one before! This emergency halter from a piece of rope, was one of our first lessons back in my beginning 4H days. Then we demonstrated the locations of a pulling strap, for both front and rear pulling on him, as if he had been stuck down someplace. He yawned a lot! Ha ha
Then the highlight, flipping a cast horse. For this we used Buck, a friend’s fiberglass horse. Guaranteed not to kick or struggle whatever we did! I demonstrated using a boat hook to position tow strap wrapping on ground side-lower legs. Strap wrapping on fetlocks, front and rear, for the pull. Always try to work from the spinal area of horse to avoid flailing hooves, use the boat hook to reach with, then strap ends back to people on the spinal side to pull. Better leverage with pulling both front and hind legs at the same time. BE SAFE. Boat hook has round ends of points, not likely to cut or stab the horse. Everyone said using the model horse made everything we talked about MUCH clearer than any explaining had! They all planned to purchase the two needed 2" x 20ft tow straps for their first aid kits, can use them in so many various ways!
Lots of good questions, interaction from the audience and good conversation after. Some folks shared their experiences related to barn/farm safety. They are a nice bunch. Had a new member join! It was a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon in the barn.
