Your Responsibility

You are responsible for:

• your firearm

• your horse

• your surroundings

At all times.

If something goes wrong, it will come back to one of those three things.

Your Communication

You are also responsible for speaking up. If at any point you feel:

• uncomfortable

• unsure

• overwhelmed

• or unprepared

You must communicate that to the instructor or organizer immediately.

Failure to communicate concerns may result in removal from participation.

Basic Firearm Safety Rules

Always treat every firearm as if it is loaded

• Never point a firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot

• Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready

• Be aware of your target and everything around it

Mounted reality matters here.

Your horse may move unexpectedly. Your job is to maintain control of the firearm regardless of what the horse does.

Safe Positioning Matters

Always be aware of:

• where your horse is pointed

• where other riders are

• where spectators are

• where your firearm is directed

Never swing a firearm across people. Never fire when your horse is not straight, controlled, and in safe space.

What Most People Miss

A horse can stay quiet and still be under stress. They may tolerate pressure in the moment, then show you later that you took too much:

• a random spook

• more tension

• something slightly off that was not there before

That is not coincidence.

That is information.

A quiet session does not always mean a confident horse.

Know When to Stop

If your horse becomes tighter, less focused, or different in any noticeable way, you have likely taken enough for that session.

You do not build shooting horses by pushing through.

You build them by recognizing change, protecting trust, and stopping at the right moment.

When you are finished, continue to the next module. Completion of all four modules is required before taking the final NaSHA Practice Ready Certification quiz.