How to Saddle a Horse
Every horse rider should know how to saddle a horse. The maintenance of the horse is also a part of your training if you are aiming to be a professional rider. Subsequently you should also know how to saddle your horse. If you are in charge of taking care of the horse then you should know how to saddle your horse as well. There should be a proper procedure as well as precautions followed while you are saddling the horse. These are for your own safety and they will also help in saddling the horse securely which is essential for riding the horse. Some of these steps are just basic common sense that you should follow.
You should generally begin with cleaning your horse. There should be no dust or dirt on the horse. This especially applies to the parts where the saddle would cover the horse. Before cleaning the horse make sure that the horse is tied to a post with the help of a halter and a lead rope. You can also have one of your assistants hold the horse while you give it a good cleaning. While putting the saddle on the horse it is important to remember to place the saddle a little ahead of where it should actually be placed. This achieves two things. The saddle on the back of the horse can get into the proper position naturally. Also when the saddle moves back naturally, it smoothens the coat of the horse instead of rubbing it the wrong way. This keeps the horse comfortable.
Make sure that everything is out of your way while saddling the horse. This includes the front cinch, the breast collar, the back cinch etc. This will aid in smooth saddling of the horse without any confusion. The best way to get these out of the way while going to saddle the horse is to put all these on top of the seat and then put the saddle on the horse. This helps in putting the saddle on the horse without getting tangled in the straps and buckles.
Place the saddle on the horse by lifting the saddle and placing it on the back of the horse. This should be done as gently as possible. Exercise as much control as you can by placing the saddle as gently as possible on the horse. It should be remembered that the horse is also a living animal. You will agitate the horse if you thump down the saddle too hard on the horse. Also make sure that none of the strips or the cinches fall of the saddle as you are placing it. Also while saddling the horse makes sure that the saddle seat is secure on the horse and does not fall of on any side. If it does then you will have to start all over again. Therefore this is the most difficult step in saddling the horse.
Hand the breast collar and the stirrups neatly and also cinches so that they hang neatly by the side of the horse. The front cinch should be quickly utilized to secure the saddle. However it is important to remember to not be rough as this could agitate the horse and shake up the saddle arrangement. Also the front cinch should not be tightened all the way but just to the point where the saddle is tight and snug. Place your hand underneath the saddle pad and smoothen any mane that might have got crushed due to the tightening of the saddle. Also this will help to adjust the saddle pad. After this proceed to secure the back cinch. When the back cinch is done the breast collar should be buckled. After finishing, make sure that you double check from both the sides of the horse to make sure of your work.
By: Nancy Johnson
About the Author:
You should generally begin with cleaning your horse. There should be no dust or dirt on the horse. This especially applies to the parts where the saddle would cover the horse. Before cleaning the horse make sure that the horse is tied to a post with the help of a halter and a lead rope. You can also have one of your assistants hold the horse while you give it a good cleaning. While putting the saddle on the horse it is important to remember to place the saddle a little ahead of where it should actually be placed. This achieves two things. The saddle on the back of the horse can get into the proper position naturally. Also when the saddle moves back naturally, it smoothens the coat of the horse instead of rubbing it the wrong way. This keeps the horse comfortable.
Make sure that everything is out of your way while saddling the horse. This includes the front cinch, the breast collar, the back cinch etc. This will aid in smooth saddling of the horse without any confusion. The best way to get these out of the way while going to saddle the horse is to put all these on top of the seat and then put the saddle on the horse. This helps in putting the saddle on the horse without getting tangled in the straps and buckles.
Place the saddle on the horse by lifting the saddle and placing it on the back of the horse. This should be done as gently as possible. Exercise as much control as you can by placing the saddle as gently as possible on the horse. It should be remembered that the horse is also a living animal. You will agitate the horse if you thump down the saddle too hard on the horse. Also make sure that none of the strips or the cinches fall of the saddle as you are placing it. Also while saddling the horse makes sure that the saddle seat is secure on the horse and does not fall of on any side. If it does then you will have to start all over again. Therefore this is the most difficult step in saddling the horse.
Hand the breast collar and the stirrups neatly and also cinches so that they hang neatly by the side of the horse. The front cinch should be quickly utilized to secure the saddle. However it is important to remember to not be rough as this could agitate the horse and shake up the saddle arrangement. Also the front cinch should not be tightened all the way but just to the point where the saddle is tight and snug. Place your hand underneath the saddle pad and smoothen any mane that might have got crushed due to the tightening of the saddle. Also this will help to adjust the saddle pad. After this proceed to secure the back cinch. When the back cinch is done the breast collar should be buckled. After finishing, make sure that you double check from both the sides of the horse to make sure of your work.
By: Nancy Johnson
About the Author:
Nancy Johnson is an experienced horse rider and she shares her knowledge at HorseSaddleStore.com. She also tells you what to look for when lookig on used saddles for sale.