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Dawn
M. Richard and Karyn Malinowski Ph.D.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Although
up to the preference of the individual, many riders choose
to saddle the horse first and then bridle it. In this way
you can still restrain the horse on cross-ties or with the
lead while you saddle up. Remember, never tie a horse by the
bridle. The horse should be tied while saddling to avoid the
chance of it running away with the saddle half cinched.
Groom
the horse before tacking up. Pay special attention to the
areas where equipment will touch. While grooming, check these
areas for injuries. If you notice any abnormality that might
hinder your ride, it is better to wait until the injury heals
before riding. Riding a horse with bruised or broken skin
can cause a gall, which frequently results in the white saddle
marks seen on the withers and backs of some horses. When you
finish grooming, make sure all of the hair that is to lie
under equipment is brushed in its natural direction. Ruffled
hairs under the saddle or girth can cause irritation and saddle
sores. Make sure to pick out the horses feet before you ride.
Check
the equipment for safety and cleanliness. Routine leather
care is important in keeping tack in good repair. Do not use
any piece of tack that is frayed or has cracked leather pieces.
Never use a bit with cracks or sharp edges that can cut the
horses mouth.
Generally,
you saddle from the left or near side, but your horse should
accept saddling from either side. Stand slightly behind the
shoulder of the horse and place the saddle pad or blanket,
with the fold facing front, just behind the horses shoulder
blades, partially covering the withers. Now slide it over
the horses back leaving about 1 inch over the withers. This
straightens the hair that is to lie under the saddle. Make
sure equal portions of the pad or blanket are on each side
of the horse.
Pick
up the saddle and arrange it so the stirrups, girth or cinch
are not underneath the saddle or dangling. With an English
saddle, the stirrups should be run up on the leathers and
the girth draped over the seat. On a Western saddle, the right
stirrup and the cinches are placed over the seat.When all
of the right-side equipment is secure, place the saddle gently
on the horses back. Never throw the saddle on the horses back
or drop it suddenly into place. This thoughtless practice
can cause the horse to bolt putting you in a position for
injury. The pain can cause the horse to drop its back and
cringe resulting in a coldbacked or cinchy horse. You may
also injure the horses kidneys which lie along the top of
the back.
With
the saddle in place, secure the girth or cinch to the saddle
on the off-side first. With both English and Western, the
girth should hang about 4 inches behind the point of the elbow.
Do not allow the girth to swing and hit the horses legs. Go
around to the other side of the horse. Reach under the belly
and grab the free end of the girth, making sure it is not
twisted. Keep an eye on the horse as you do this. Some horses
may try to kick or nip when you are not looking. Be prepared
to reprimand the horse if it acts up.
If you
are using any straps that connect to the girth, such as a
breastplate or martingale, remember to connect it before you
secure the girth on the near side.
Secure
the near side of the girth loosely at first, not all at once
with a quick jerk. Some horses have learned to hold their
breath and bloat making it necessary to readjust the girth
several times. By walking the horse forward a few steps or
using your knee against its stomach, you can coax the horse
into exhaling so you can tighten the girth. The girth should
be tight enough to slide your fingers between the girth and
the horse.
Make
sure hair under the girth is lying flat and the girth or cinch
is not pinching the horses skin. Smooth any wrinkled skin
under the girth by bending each front leg at the knee and
gently stretching it forward from the elbow.
If you
have a rear cinch on your Western saddle, first fasten the
front cinch, then the rear cinch. Tighten the rear cinch enough
to prevent a hind leg from getting caught but not as tight
as the front cinch. Use a connecting strap between the front
and rear cinches to keep them in place. When unsaddling, unfasten
the rear cinch first then the front cinch.
Check
the saddle gullet to make sure it is not exerting pressure
on the withers. Severe bruising of the withers can result
in fistulous withers. To prevent this from occurring, there
should be some distance between the gullet and the pads.
Make
sure to adjust the stirrup length before you mount. With an
English saddle, stretch the stirrup leather against the underside
of your arm while holding the stirrup against your armpit.
Your fingertips should touch the top of the leather where
it attaches to the tree. Run the stirrups up the leather until
you are ready to mount. Always check the girth or cinch three
times before you start to ride, after: 1) saddling, 2) walking
the horse unmounted for a few steps, and 3) after mounting
and walking a few steps.
With
the horse saddled, you are now ready to bridle. As with all
other tack, check the bit and bridle for safety and cleanliness.
Remove any dirt, dried sweat, or grass from the leather and
bit.
To keep
the horse under control while you bridle it, unbuckle the
halter and slide it off the horses head and rebuckle the crownpiece
around the animals neck, with the lead still attached. This
arrangement will enable you to hold the horse if it decides
to walk away.
Pick
up the bridle by the middle of the crownpiece and carry the
reins either over your shoulder or in your other hand. Stand
to the side and just behind the horses head on the left side.
Standing in this position will protect your head from a blow
if the horse tries to throw its head to avoid the bridle.
Place the reins over the horses head. Now you can restrain
the horse with the reins and the buckled halter. With your
right hand, raise the crownpiece up to the horses ears as
you guide the bit into the horses mouth with your left hand.
Be careful not to knock the bit against the horses teeth or
the horse may become head shy. Do not try to force the bit
against the horses teeth or lips. If the horse refuses to
accept the bit, open its mouth by inserting your fingers through
the bars of the horses mouth. Be sure to keep the crownpiece
raised once you insert the bit or the horse will open its
mouth and drop the bit. Once the bit is in the horses mouth,
settle the crownpiece behind the ears. Carefully fold the
ears forward. Do not bend the ears. Smooth any loose mane
hairs that might be under the crownpiece. Pull the forelock
over the browband or braid it, whichever you prefer.
Adjust
the bridle for comfort and appearance. The throat latch should
be fastened loosely enough to fit your whole hand between
the strap and the horses jaw. The bit should be adjusted so
that it causes one wrinkle to form at the corner of the horses
mouth. If the bit hangs too high or too low, it can be adjusted
by the cheek pieces. Tuck all loose strap ends into their keepers.
Remember, the three points to check to be certain the bridle
is adjusted to fit the horse: a) placement of the bit, b)
adjustment of the curb strap, and c) adjustment of the throat latch.
With
the bridle properly adjusted and the horse saddled, you are
now ready to mount. First unbuckle the halter from around
the horses neck and pull the reins over the horses head to
lead it. Remember to check the girth or cinch again before
you mount.
After
you have dismounted, lead the horse back to the area where
you will untack, preferably a place where the horse can be
tied. Make sure the stirrups are run up the leathers. To unbridle
the horse, simply reverse the process of bridling. First place
the reins over the horses neck. With the halter on your right
arm, undo the throat latch. As you slide the crownpiece over
the ears and down the horses head with your left hand, grasp
the horses nose with your right hand to keep its nose down
low enough to enable you to halter it. Also, with the head
down the bit will not hit the teeth when removed. The reins
can be removed from the horses neck and the horse either cross-tied
or tied with the lead.
Unsaddling
is also in reverse order. Make sure the stirrups are run up
on an English saddle and that the right stirrup is secured
on the horn of a Western saddle before removing the saddle.
With a double-rigged saddle, unfasten the rear cinch first,
then the front cinch.
Groom
the horse after untacking. If the horse is sweaty, towel it
dry and blanket it with a wool cooler in cold weather. In
warm temperatures rinse it with a hose or give it a sponge
bath. Clean all the tack before you put it away. Brush off
loose hairs, saddle soap all leather after each use, and wash
pads often. If you care for your equipment after each use,
it will wear and remain in good repair longer. Cleaning tack
often also enables you to keep up on maintenance needs and
notice any repairs that should be made before you ride again.
With
all of this mind, enjoy the day with your horse.
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Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This
document is
FS348
,
a series of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Rutgers, the
State University of New Jersey. Publication date: January
1989.
Distributed
in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture in furtherance
of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Cooperative
Extension work in agriculture, home economics, and 4-H, Zane
R. Helsel, director of Extension. Rutgers Cooperative Extension
provides information and educational services to all people
without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, disability
or handicap, or age. Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an Equal
Opportunity Employer.
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