Approaching

1. Speak before walking behind horse, walk around out of kicking range when possible.
2. Always approach from angle, not from directly behind.
3. Pet horse on shoulder and neck, not on nose.
   

Handling

1. Know your horse's habits and peculiarities.
2. Be calm, confident, and quit around a horse. Control your temper, be firm but fair and do not tease him.
3. Always let your horse know what you intend to do and do not work with his tail from a position directly behind him: when possible work from a position nears the shoulder or otherwise close to him.
4. Learn simple means of restraint.
5. Tie horses with 2 or 3 feet of rope, do not stake them out.
6. Do not punish your horse except at the instance of disobedience.

Leading

1. Walk beside the horse's head at a comfortable arm's distance from him on his left when leading him. Turn him away from you to the right.
2. If your horse pulls back, turn him to one side and then lead him a few steps forward again. Don't try to pull him, he's stronger.
3. Never wrap the lead shank, reins, or lunge rope around your hand, wrist, or body.
4. If the horse rears or plays, release your hand on the lead shank nearest his halter and move to the side so that you can control him.
5. When leading a horse into a box stall or pasture, turn him so that he faces the gate before you release him.
6. Don't try to show a green horse, teach him manners at home first.

Tying

1. Tie the horse away from strange horses and to a strong, solid object at his shoulder height with a strong rope and halter, never with the reins. Aways tie your horse with a slip knot.
2. Always untie the lead shank before taking the halter off, and keep lead shank and lung line off the ground.
3. Learn to handle a rope before carrying one on your saddle, and never tie it hard and fast to the saddle horn while working with a green horse.

Bridling

1. Stand by the left side of the horse's head near the top of his neck when bridling, but protect your face and head from his head. Keep your fingers back from his teeth.
2. Avoid bridling a nervous or head shy horse in a small space.

Saddling

1. Set the saddle into position gently and keep buckles or ring from hitting horse's legs while standing with your feet well back from his hooves.
2. Adjust the saddle carefully, pulling up girth or cinch gently. Never slide the saddle and the blanket forward. Always make sure there aren't any objects or bunches under the saddle. If using a double-rigged saddle, fasten front cinch first then rear cinch, but when unsaddling be sure to unbuckle the rear cinch first. The rear cinch should not be really loose (not too tight either).