Many farms use horses for recreational and work-related purposes. Given their size, speed and unpredictability in some circumstances, horses can cause serious injury if they are not ridden or handled safely.
Horses will run when frightened and their instincts and senses must be taken into consideration during handling as incidents can easily happen if they are upset or startled — whether by workers, sudden movements, unfamiliar objects, or unexpected noises.
Additional guidance
- Working with horses on farms: Checklist
This checklist has been developed to establish safe work procedures for working with horses on farms that can be adapted through consultation with workers and their health and safety representatives. - Health and Safety Bulletin No. 21 Assessing the risks when riding horses
There are significant safety risks associated with working with horses. This health and safety bulletin lists the contributory factors and the actions required by PCBUs to reduce these risks.