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NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

Notes that may help anyone going for their BHS Stage 1 exam or doing their NVQ level 1 or 2 in Horse Care and Riding
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Re: NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

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Grooming

The Reasons for Grooming

* To promote health

* To maintain condition

* To prevent disease

* To ensure cleanliness

* To improve appearance

Grooming, also, helps considerably with the "gentling" of a young horse

Grooming Equipment

Hoof pick - for cleaning out the feet

Dandy brush - for removing caked mud and dust. Not to be used on the head, mane or tail

Body brush - for the removal of dust, scurf and grease. Can be used on the mane and tail

Water brush - used to dampen the mane and tail

Sponges - for cleaning the eyes, nose and dock area

Wisp - for promoting circulation and for massage

Mane and tail comb - used to comb out tangled manes and tails

Stable rubber - for a final polish after grooming

Sweat scraper - flexible blade of smooth metal that is used to remove excess sweat or water

Types of Grooming

Quartering - Done first thing in the morning. Pick out the feet, sponge eyes, nose and dock. Remove any stable stains. The object is to make the horse look presentable for morning exercise

Strapping - Thorough grooming done on return from exercise when horse is warm. The pores are ioen and scurf rises easily to the top

Brush over / Set fair - Done in the evening when rugs are changed. Lightly brushed

On a grass kept horse, only a dandy brush should be used as a body brush removes some of the natural greases that help protect the horse from the weather

How to Groom a Horse

1. Place a headcollar on the horse and tie him up

2. Pick out the feet and check that the shoe has not become loose in the night

<--- The BEFORE Photo ...

3. Using the dandy brush or rubber curry comb, remove all caked dirt and sweat marks etc. Begin at the poll on the near side, of the horse, and work gradually over the rest of the horse

4. Using the body brush, start at the poll, on the near side and work over the rest of the horse. The body brush is used to get right through the coat

And The AFTER Photo ... --->

5. Using the body brush, do the mane. Then, after placing the headcollar around the horse's neck and unfastening the lead rope, brush the horse's head by following the way his coat lies. After replacing the headcollar and fastening the lead rope, his tail can be brushed

6. Sponge the eyes and muzzle, then, with another sponge, do the horse's dock

7. Then replace the rug, if there is one, and untie the horse

Only carry out number 4 if the horse is in at night
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Re: NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

Post by TracingEquines »

Shoeing

Indications that a horse needs shoeing

* The foot is overlong and out of shape

* The shoe is loose

* The shoe has worn thin

* The clenches are risen

* A cast or lost shoe

What to look for in a newly shod foot

* That the shoe has been made to fit the foot

* There is no daylight between the shoe and the foot

* The clenches should be in a line one third up the foot

* The frog should be in contact with the floor

* There is the correct number of nails - 4 on the outside and 3 on the inside

* There is no excess burning

* The heels should be of equal length

* The shoe is suitable for the work required

* The foot is well finished off
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Re: NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

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Unit 5 - Liasing With Callers & Colleagues

Element 5.1 - Receive and assist callers

2. What is confidentiality and for what reason might you implement it ?

Confidentiality is when someone has given the staff some private information on a rider record, e.g. an ex-directory telephone number, and does not want anyone else to have it without their permission

If someone wanted the telephone number, I would tell them that they could not have the number and then tell another member of staff about it

3. What action would you take if

a, You were unable to help someone through lack of knowledge ?

b, You were confronted with a difficult or aggressive caller ?

a, If I am unable to help someone through lack of knowledge, I explain, politely, that I am unable to help them and offer to fetch a member of staff that, I know, could help them, or suggest, if they were in a hurry, that they ring up at a later time when someone else was around

b, If I was confronted with a difficult or aggressive caller, on the telephone, I would ask them to hold on and wait for a couple of minutes, then I would find a senior member of staff and tell them about the caller and ask them to deal with it. I would do the same thing if a difficult or aggressive person was in the office

Element 5.2 - Maintain working relationships with other members of staff

1. What is a productive working relationship ?

A productive working relationship is when all the members of staff are operating together to produce good and effective results

2. What are the advantages of effective teamwork ?

The advantages of effective teamwork are that everyone is pleased that the work is getting done, everyone knows what has been done and what needs doing and there is not a bad atmosphere on the yard

3. If you had a problem or misunderstanding with a colleague, how would you deal with it ?

If I had a problem or misunderstanding with a colleague, I would ask a senior member of staff for their advice on how to deal with it
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Re: NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

Post by TracingEquines »

Questions - Week One

1. What are the disadvantages and advantages of the following

a, Automatic watering systems

b, Buckets

c, Buckets in tyres

d, Water buckets attached to the wall

a, The advantage of an automatic watering system is that they are less time consuming. The disadvantages are it is hard to monitor the horse's intake of water; they freeze up in winter and they cost money to mend

b, The advantage of buckets is that you can monitor how much water the horse is drinking. The disadvantages are that they can be knocked over easily and they can become contaminated with feed and bedding

c, The advantage of buckets in tyres is that they are not as easy to knock over. The disadvantage is that they take up space in the stable

d, The advantages of water buckets attached to the wall are the horse can't knock them over and doesn't have to stretch his neck to drink out of them. The disadvantages are that the horse could become cast, with his legs under them, and they are heavy to lift

2. Which system(s) do you prefer, and why ?

I prefer automatic watering systems and buckets in tyres because of the reason stated in question one.
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Re: NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

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Week Two

1. Name the different methods of watering in the field

a, Buckets

b, Bath

c, Pond

d, Stream

e, Trough

2. Give the advantages and disadvantages for each method given

a, The advantage of buckets is that you can monitor how much water the horse is drinking. The disadvantages are that they can get knocked over; it is time consuming filling them up and the horses would fight over them

b, The advantage of a bath is that once it is full, it takes a while for the water level to become insufficient to the horses. The disadvantages are that they become dirty quickly and are hard to clean

A bath should have the taps removed; the corners should be filed (to remove sharp edges) and it should have a gravel approach

c, A pond should never be used, it should be fenced off. This is because the water doesn't move and so becomes stagnant

d, The advantage of using a stream is that you shouldn't have to provide an alternative water supply. The disadvantages is that the stream shouldn't be shallow or have a sandy bed. This is because the horse may swallow the sand whilst drinking, thus possibly causing sand colic

Before using a stream, the source of the stream should be found out because it could have chemicals and poisons in the water. If this is so, the stream should be fenced off and an alternative water supply found

e, The advantages and disadvantages of using a trough are the same as for a bath (see 2.b.)

A trough works using a ballcock system

3. Out of the methods chosen, which methods would you use and why ?

Out of the methods above, I would use a bath or a trough because of the reasons stated in question two

4. Which methods may you not use and why ?

I wouldn't use a pond, stream or buckets because of the reasons stated in question two
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Re: NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

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Week Three

1. List the different types of concentrate feed

a, Oats

b, Barley

c, Bran

d, Coarse mix

e, Nuts

2. Describe each feed

a, Oats are long, thin and creamy coloured. Oats are heating and therefore should not be fed to riding school ponies

b, Barley is short and fat. Barley comes in different forms - rolled, crushed, micronised, and flaked. Barley is energy giving but not as heating as oats

c, Bran can be fed as a bran mash and is used as a laxative

d, A coarse mix is a ready made feed. It comes in several different varieties (e.g. High performance, Forage mix) suited to different types of horse. The label states what ingredients are in the mix and its nutritional value

e, Nuts are a compound feed containing all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that the horse needs. Nuts come in many types e.g. Racehorse, Horse and pony, Stud

3. Describe different types of roughage

Chop/Chaff is, on average, 80% hay and 20% straw. Hay is drier and contains more seeds than haylage. Some horses have an allergy to the dust in hay, this makes them cough. In this case haylage can be fed or the hay can be soaked. There are two types of hay; meadow hay and seed hay. Meadow hay comes from a permanent pasture. It is soft in texture and easy for the horse to digest it. It's nutritional value is not as high as seed hay. Seed hay is planted, by seeds, every year. It is easy to digest and has a high food value. Both types of hay should smell sweet and not be damp or rotten. They should be free from sharp or prickly items

4. What are their disadvantages and advantages ?

The advantages of roughage are that it can be fed when there is not much grass in the fields. It can, also, be fed to horse and ponies who have laminitis

The disadvantage of roughage is that horses and ponies can become tired of eating it

5. What are the twelve rules of feeding ?

* Keep feed utensils clean
* Feed according to work done, temperament, age, weight
* Always feed good quality forage
* Feed something succulent every day
* Never work a horse straight after a full feed. Leave for at least one hour
* Never travel after a full feed
* Makes any changes in the diet gradually
* Keep to the same feeding time every day
* Feed plenty of roughage
* Always water before feeding
* Don't feed straight after work. Let the horse cool down and have a drink first
* Always feed little and often
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Re: NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

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Week Four

1. List the different methods of feeding in the field

a, Haynets

b, Hay piles

c, Feed buckets

2. What are their disadvantages and advantages ?

a, Haynets are a good idea because the horses don't have to be brought in to be fed. They should be tied onto the top rail of any fencing

b, Hay piles are used in the same way as haynets. The uneaten hay is wasted and trampled into the ground making it dirty

c, An advantage of feed buckets is that you know exactly how much concentrate feed the horse is getting. This is not a good idea if there are several horses in the same field unless they are getting the same feed

It is a good idea with all three methods to put one extra haynet/hay piles/feed bucket than there are horses. These should be placed more than one horse's length away to avoid bullying and kicking out at other horses

3. Why is it important to store feed correctly ?

It is important to store feed correctly to stop it from being attacked from vermin

4. How would you arrange a feed room ?

The feed being used should be stored in bins or containers, that can't be chewed through. The feed should be completely finished before a new bag of feed is placed in the bin. The bins should be cleaned regularly. The bins should be clearly labelled or marked to avoid any mix up of feed (e.g. sugar beet nuts and horse and pony nuts) and a horse getting colic. The old feed should be used before the new feed. There should be easily accessible running water. The feed tables should be big and wiped down every day. The feed room should be disinfected daily. It should not be overcrowded and it should be organised in a sensible manner. Any feed in bags should be stored off the floor on crates
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Re: NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

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Extra Questions

1. What should you do to a horse before applying or removing a rug from the horse ?

Tie it up

2. Give me some examples of different rug types

New Zealand, Day, Jute, Sweat

3. Is it more advisable to put a rug on too far forwards and slide it back or too far back and slide it forwards ? Explain why

It is more advisable to put a rug on too far forwards and slide it back as this means that the horse's coat is lying in the correct direction and there is no discomfort to the horse, with sliding the rug forwards as there is in the second suggestion

4. When putting a rug on which order should you fasten the straps in, and why ?

The straps should be fastened - middle, front, and back. This is incase there is an emergency and the horse has to be left, the rug shouldn't move, should the horse decide to

5. If you brought in a horse from the field and his New Zealand rug was very wet, how would you store it ?

I would leave it to dry over a chair until it is dry on the inside and the outside and then I would place it in a cool dry place with the front straps and the leg straps done up and hung over a rug rack

6. How would you normally store a stable rug when it was not in use ?

In a cool, dry place with the front strap and leg straps done up and hung over a rug rack

7. Why is it important to ensure rugs fit correctly and do not slip ?

If a rug was too small on a horse, it wouldn't allow him much movement and rubs him on his shoulder. A rug that is too big is uncomfortable for the horse to wear. It could slip and rub him

8. Explain possible hazards when wearing rugs with leg straps

Tight leg straps don't allow the horse much movement and will rub the horse. If the leg straps are too long, they could get tangled up in his legs
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Re: NVQ Horse Care - Level 1 notes

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Notes

Automatic watering systems cost money to mend

Baths should have the taps removed, the corners filed and a gravel approach

Ponds must be fenced off

The source of stream should be checked for chemical, it should have a gravel approach but not a sandy bed as this could cause sand colic

A trough operates using a ball cock system

Oats are heating and should not be fed to riding school ponies. Barley is energy giving. Bran can be made into a mash. It is a laxative. Good Bran leaves dust on hand. Coarse mixes are a ready made feed for a particular type of horse. The label states all required information

Chop/Chaff is 80% hay and 20% straw on average

Seed hay is made from seeds. Meadow hay does come from a permanent pasture. Hay is drier and contains more seeds than haylage. If horses have an allergy to hay, they cough but the hay can be soaked to reduce the dust

Feed according to what season it is, and whether the horses are in or out. Feed little and often

Haynets are good because the horses can stay out. They should be hung on the top rail and spread around. Don't just feed one horse in field. If horses having same feed, space out beyond kicking distance. Hay piles should be spread around but hay that is not eaten is wasted and becomes dirty

Feed in bins should be finished off to the bottom and the bins cleaned out regularly. Dustbins are expensive. Bins should be labelled so as not to cause colic. The feed room should have easily accessible running water, it should be disinfected regularly, contain clean, light big tables, not be overcrowded and the old feed should be used up before the new stock

Do not feed a horse if he is hot and sweaty

The average horse drinks 6-10 gallons a day

Seed hay is planted yearly, it is easy to digest and higher in feed value than meadow hay. Meadow hay is soft in texture and easy for the horse to digest but not as high in nutrition as seed hay

Both meadow hay and seed hay should smell sweet and not be damp or rotten. They should be free from sharp or prickly things

Rugs

If you store a wet New Zealand rug it will go mouldy and stiff. It should be left to dry over a chair. It should be stored when it is dry on the inside and the outside. If a New Zealand rug is wet on the inside and a horse wears it, it will make him sore. If a New Zealand rug is wet on the outside, it is heavy

A small rug gives the horse no movement and rubs him on his shoulder. A big rug is uncomfortable for the horse to wear, it could slip and rub him

Tight leg straps don't allow the horse much movement. Long leg straps could get tangled up in the horses legs

Catching Up

Go into the field taking the headcollar, leadrope and a titbit. Remember close the gate behind you

a - if your pony lives on his own - give him a call

b - if your pony lives with others - keep the titbit in your pocket and walk upto him, speaking quietly

Offer titbit with left hand and slip leadrope over his head with your other hand

While he is eating put on the headcollar

Pat the pony and give another titbit as a reward for being good and letting you catch him

Take the leadrope with one hand under the pony's chin and the other hand at the end of the leadrope

Say "walk on" and move forward. You should be able to walk by his shoulder

Never stand in front of the pony and stare at it to try to make it move because most ponies dislike this and pull back

Letting Go

Before entering the field unclip the leadrope from the headcollar and loop through headcollar (a precaution incase horse plays up)

Enter the field closing the gate behind you

Place yourself between the horse and gate. Have your back facing the gate with the horse looking at you

Take headcollar off and step back - but if the horse is being excited and you can't get the headcollar off, just unloop the leadrope

When you leave the field check that the gate is securely fastened and locked
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