Throwing a Horse

Throwing a horse these days is generally unnecessary and can cause injury to the horse and handlers. This information is not provided, so you can go out and throw a horse. If a horse does need to be thrown for health reasons, it should be done under the supervision of a vet or someone very experienced with horses. The information is provided so that you may assist a vet should this procedure be required.

Take a strong, soft rope about 7 to 9 metres (25-30 feet) and about as thick as a halter rope. Make a knot forming a loop large enough to go over the head. Fit it down on the shoulders as a point A on the picture. Pass the ends through the forelegs and out through the back, taking care not to have them crossed. Bring your ropes around the fetlocks, one around each, past the outside of each shoulder and through A.

When you have the ropes in position. Let one person pull from the front on one rope and another from behind and at the same time, of course. This has the effect of drawing the horse’s hind legs up, and he will come down. The person at the horse’s head must keep the top of it on the ground, and the nose must lift a little as soon as the horse is on the ground. Pull the hind legs close to the body, take hold of the foreleg, and push back till the fore and hind hoofs are together. Put one-half hitch around the fore-fetlock and two around the hind. Do this on both sides, turn the horse on its back, and cross the ends of the ropes.

To loosen, undo the half hitches, slacked ropes, slip over hind feet, then over fore feet and overhead. The person at the horse’s head is the last to let go. Throwing a horse is a last resort. Horses are large and heavy animals, and throwing a horse can cause injury, anxiety and pain, don’t ever undertake this lightly.

Also, download old Horse Riding books for free.