animal mangment ........... 'طرق ربط و التحكم في الخيل اثناء النقل "

• Do not tighten the twitch more than necessary to restrain the horse.
• Do not keep a twitch tight for more than 10 minutes.
• Never put a twitch on the ear. It is cruel and can damage the ear.
• Do not put a twitch on the lower jaw either.

Do NOT put a twitch on the ear or on the jaw.

• Wrap a strip of old cloth or bandage around the leg below the fetlock, if it can be done safely without danger of being kicked. This will prevent the sideline rope from injuring the skin. Have a front leg lifted up while you do it.

• For the loop that goes round the neck, pass the end of the rope around the neck and tie a bowline knot (see the section How to tie useful knots).

• Lay the long end of the rope on the ground and walk the animal forward so the rope is between its hind legs.

• Pick up the rope, pass the long end around the hind leg at the fetlock (see the drawing on page 51 for position of the fetlock), then twist it twice around the rope from the neck.

• Pull the end of the rope gently to stop the animal kicking, or to lift the foot.

• At least five people: one to hold the head and two to pull each rope.

• A strong halter or head collar on the horse.

• A long piece of rope, 15 metres long and 1.0-1.5 cm thick, to cast the animal. Cotton rope is best, as it does not rub the skin as much as rope made of other materials.

• A shorter piece of rope about 3 metres long, to go around the chest.

• Bandages for the legs.

• Find a place with soft ground without rocks or stones, which could injure the animal when it goes down.

• If possible, do not let the animal eat for 12 hours before so its guts are not full when it is cast.

• Bandage the lower parts of all four legs to prevent ropes from injuring the skin.

• Decide who is in charge. This person will give the instruction to pull the ropes when everything is ready.

• To reduce confusion, tell the other people that they should all keep quiet.

• Check that everyone knows what they have to do.

• Make sure that the person who will hold the head is experienced and knows what he/she has to do. The person at the head must be told not to let go of the head. This person must also be told not to let the horse bend its neck as it goes down (or the horse’s neck or back may be injured).

• Lay the rope on the ground, double.




• Make a loop with a figure-of-eight knot. This kind of knot is flat against the animal’s breast.




• Coil up each end of rope.

• Place the loop over the head.

• Tie the shorter length of rope around the chest and attach it to the loop around the neck (this is to stop the neck loop slipping forward if the animal struggles).

• If the horse is nervous, get someone to hold up a front leg. See above, How to prevent kicking.

• Pass the coiled ends of rope between the front legs, backwards and round over the hocks of the back legs. If these ropes are over the hocks at this stage, even if the horse kicks, the ropes will stay around the legs.




• Bring the coiled ends of rope forwards under the first part of rope.

• Pass these ends through the neck loop.

• Two people hold the end of one rope well in front of the animal.

• Two other people hold the end of the other rope well behind the animal.

• Let the loops of rope around the back legs slip down so they are just above the hooves.




• The person in charge gives the order ‘Pull!’

• The person on the head makes the horse move backwards.

• The pairs of people pull their ropes and the animal goes into a sitting position.

• The person on the head must stop the animal from bending its neck, or it may injure its neck or back.

• As soon as the animal is sitting, it can be turned over on to its side.

• The upper back leg is now pulled up to the shoulder and tied with two or three loops (half hitches) just above the hoof with the end of the rope on that side.

• Now the front foot is tied in the same way beside the back foot.

• The animal is turned over and the other back and front legs are tied in the same way.

• The person in charge of the head keeps control of it all the time that the horse is cast.

• Make sure the donkey is wearing a head collar or halter.

• Have a reliable person control the head.

• Find a suitable area of soft ground.




• Make four rope loops to make four hobbles.

• Put the hobbles around the legs.

• Thread a piece of rope through all the hobbles and tie it to one as shown in the picture.




• When the rope is pulled, the donkey will go down on to its right side.

• Tie the feet together.

• Keep control of the head until the feet are untied and the animal is allowed to stand.

• Bring the vehicle to the animal. Do not make an injured animal walk more than absolutely necessary.

• Park the truck with one side along a wall so the animal cannot escape round that side.

• One person should lead the horse, holding the halter rope.

• Two other people pass a rope around the back end of the horse. One stands each side of the animal and takes the end of the rope on their own side. They pull steadily forward. (With only one person at the side of the horse, a rope can be tied to something at the side of the truck, looped around the back end of the horse and pulled.)




• If the horse does not want to move, use a broom behind the horse to encourage it to walk in.

• Once the horse is in the truck, reward it with some tasty food. This will help make it more willing to walk in next time.

• Secure the head by tying the animal’s head collar using a quick-release knot.

• Always drive at a sensible speed, even if it seems to be an emergency.

• If a hind leg is injured, have the animal face the direction of travel. Then when the vehicle slows it can take the weight on its front legs during braking.

• If a front leg is injured, turn the animal so it looks back if possible. Then it can take the forces on its back legs when the vehicle is braking.

• Partitions allow the animal to lean sideways. Use partitions to allow the animal only a little sideways movement.