PATH INTL. CTRI Criteria Exam
Questions and Complete Solutions
Graded A+
CTRE. 1.1: Know and Implement PATH INTL. Standards and their interpretation for equine care,
maintenance, and usage - Answer: Look at Equine Welfare and Management Standards
EQM6 Mandatory: Is there documentation regarding equine workload limits that includes the following:
A written policy that sets a maximum limit for each equine's working session to no more than three
continuous hours and workday to no more than six hours?
Written records of the number of hours and types of sessions for each equine per day?
CTRE. 1.2: Know and Implement PATH INTL Standards and their interpretation regarding the use of
safety equipment and adaptive equipment - Answer: Adaptive equipment must be safe and in good
repair (*P14) well fitting and considerate of the conformation of the horse (P15). Surcingle trees if they
are fixed should be fitted to each horse in- dividually much like a traditional saddle. Surcingles with
flexible trees or soft webbing should not cause stress points or soreness for the horse.
Adaptive saddles should be screened, critically assessed for safety and assessed for the impact on the
horse both with and without additional weight of the participant (P2). Conformation of the horse to be
used with adaptive tack should be taken into account when choosing equipment that may put additional
stress on the horse. Assessment of the equipment should be done prior to the adaptive equipment
being used with a participant.
CTRE 2.0 BREEDS/COLORS/MARKINGS/PARTS OF THE HORSE - Answer:
CTRE. 2.1: Identify an equine by age, color, and markings, breed characteristics, height, and weight -
Answer: Age can be identified by looking at teeth
CTRE. 2.2: Know the basic anatomic parts of the horse - Answer:
,CTRE 3.0: HORSE SENSES AND BEHAVIOR - Answer:
CTRE. 3.1: Know the characteristics of the senses of the equine and how they contribute to equine
behavior - Answer: Know the characteristics of the senses of the equine and how they contribute to
equine behavior
CTRE. 3.2: Know the behavioral characteristics of a lesson ready equine - Answer:
CTRE. 3.3: Know how the senses of the equine and equine behavior affect the safety of the riding setting
- Answer:
CTRE 3.4: Identify stable vices, including cribbing, weaving, biting, kicking, and wood chewing - Answer:
A stable vice is an abnormal behavior by a horse or pony. Vices are considered unhealthy behaviors and
are usually caused by boredom, unhappiness, or nervousness.
Cribbing - Answer: When a horse or pony grabs a solid object such as a fence or stall door with his teeth,
arches his neck and swallows in a gulp of air.
Sucking in a lot of air can cause colic (severe stomach discomfort) and cribbing is destructive to
property.
Most people believe endorphins are released during this behavior. These endorphins give the horse a
feeling of pleasure. Horse can become addicted to this good feeling and will keep doing it whenever
they are bored. Some people believe digestive issues may also cause a horse to crib because cribbing
produces extra saliva (spit) which can help with an upset stomach.
Cribbing is not a curable behavior, although you can help to stop a horse from cribbing with a cribbing
strap. A crib strap goes around a horse's throat and keeps them from being able to suck in a big gulp of
air. The strap should be taken off the horse for at least an hour a day in order to air out the neck.
Weaving - Answer: Weaving is when a horse sways from side to side over and over, swinging his head,
and shifting from foot to foot.
, Horses may weave due to spending too much time confined in a stall or pen. It is mostly seen in nervous,
stressed out, or high-strung horses. Boredom can also lead to weaving.
Weaving in horses can cause holes in the stall floor. It can also wear down the horse's hooves and loosen
their shoes.
Weaving is a manageable vice that can be cured by providing more pasture time with other horses. Also,
installing a U shaped stall gate can help.
biting - Answer: Horse occassionaly may bite when they are groomed roughly, if their girth is too tight,
or if they are being harassed by other horses or people.
Horses that bite can cause serious injuries.
If possible remove the cause of the biting behavior. If a horse attempts to bite, give him a short slap and
say a loud NO!
Kicking - Answer: Lashing out backwards or sideways with the hind legs.
Horses may kick out as a reflex to having their legs touched, from fear of rough handling, or to get rid of
a threat or annoyance.
Kicking can be very dangerous and can lead to serious injury.
Some horses with the habit of kicking may be curable with professional help.
CTRE 3.5: Recognize signs and causes of negative equine behaviors (including/not limited to biting,
kicking, and crowding personal space) - Answer:
CTRE 3.6: Identify appropriate types of rewards for equine positive behaviors (including/not limited to
release of pressure, verbal praise, and pats/rubs) - Answer:
Questions and Complete Solutions
Graded A+
CTRE. 1.1: Know and Implement PATH INTL. Standards and their interpretation for equine care,
maintenance, and usage - Answer: Look at Equine Welfare and Management Standards
EQM6 Mandatory: Is there documentation regarding equine workload limits that includes the following:
A written policy that sets a maximum limit for each equine's working session to no more than three
continuous hours and workday to no more than six hours?
Written records of the number of hours and types of sessions for each equine per day?
CTRE. 1.2: Know and Implement PATH INTL Standards and their interpretation regarding the use of
safety equipment and adaptive equipment - Answer: Adaptive equipment must be safe and in good
repair (*P14) well fitting and considerate of the conformation of the horse (P15). Surcingle trees if they
are fixed should be fitted to each horse in- dividually much like a traditional saddle. Surcingles with
flexible trees or soft webbing should not cause stress points or soreness for the horse.
Adaptive saddles should be screened, critically assessed for safety and assessed for the impact on the
horse both with and without additional weight of the participant (P2). Conformation of the horse to be
used with adaptive tack should be taken into account when choosing equipment that may put additional
stress on the horse. Assessment of the equipment should be done prior to the adaptive equipment
being used with a participant.
CTRE 2.0 BREEDS/COLORS/MARKINGS/PARTS OF THE HORSE - Answer:
CTRE. 2.1: Identify an equine by age, color, and markings, breed characteristics, height, and weight -
Answer: Age can be identified by looking at teeth
CTRE. 2.2: Know the basic anatomic parts of the horse - Answer:
,CTRE 3.0: HORSE SENSES AND BEHAVIOR - Answer:
CTRE. 3.1: Know the characteristics of the senses of the equine and how they contribute to equine
behavior - Answer: Know the characteristics of the senses of the equine and how they contribute to
equine behavior
CTRE. 3.2: Know the behavioral characteristics of a lesson ready equine - Answer:
CTRE. 3.3: Know how the senses of the equine and equine behavior affect the safety of the riding setting
- Answer:
CTRE 3.4: Identify stable vices, including cribbing, weaving, biting, kicking, and wood chewing - Answer:
A stable vice is an abnormal behavior by a horse or pony. Vices are considered unhealthy behaviors and
are usually caused by boredom, unhappiness, or nervousness.
Cribbing - Answer: When a horse or pony grabs a solid object such as a fence or stall door with his teeth,
arches his neck and swallows in a gulp of air.
Sucking in a lot of air can cause colic (severe stomach discomfort) and cribbing is destructive to
property.
Most people believe endorphins are released during this behavior. These endorphins give the horse a
feeling of pleasure. Horse can become addicted to this good feeling and will keep doing it whenever
they are bored. Some people believe digestive issues may also cause a horse to crib because cribbing
produces extra saliva (spit) which can help with an upset stomach.
Cribbing is not a curable behavior, although you can help to stop a horse from cribbing with a cribbing
strap. A crib strap goes around a horse's throat and keeps them from being able to suck in a big gulp of
air. The strap should be taken off the horse for at least an hour a day in order to air out the neck.
Weaving - Answer: Weaving is when a horse sways from side to side over and over, swinging his head,
and shifting from foot to foot.
, Horses may weave due to spending too much time confined in a stall or pen. It is mostly seen in nervous,
stressed out, or high-strung horses. Boredom can also lead to weaving.
Weaving in horses can cause holes in the stall floor. It can also wear down the horse's hooves and loosen
their shoes.
Weaving is a manageable vice that can be cured by providing more pasture time with other horses. Also,
installing a U shaped stall gate can help.
biting - Answer: Horse occassionaly may bite when they are groomed roughly, if their girth is too tight,
or if they are being harassed by other horses or people.
Horses that bite can cause serious injuries.
If possible remove the cause of the biting behavior. If a horse attempts to bite, give him a short slap and
say a loud NO!
Kicking - Answer: Lashing out backwards or sideways with the hind legs.
Horses may kick out as a reflex to having their legs touched, from fear of rough handling, or to get rid of
a threat or annoyance.
Kicking can be very dangerous and can lead to serious injury.
Some horses with the habit of kicking may be curable with professional help.
CTRE 3.5: Recognize signs and causes of negative equine behaviors (including/not limited to biting,
kicking, and crowding personal space) - Answer:
CTRE 3.6: Identify appropriate types of rewards for equine positive behaviors (including/not limited to
release of pressure, verbal praise, and pats/rubs) - Answer:
