SADDLING I BRIDLING/PROPER DRESS I PARTS & COLOURS/MARKINGS
RIDING I GENERAL HORSEMANSHIP

Saddling, Bridling and Riding the Western Horse
Horse sports are very rewarding when safety practices are followed. But maintaining safe working conditions when handling horses cannot be overemphasized.

Riders should have a working knowledge of horse behavior so they can anticipate and prevent potential hazardous situations. Horses are easily startled animals by nature, but most accidents can be prevented by using proper handling methods. This publication discusses basic riding techniques and provides information on proper saddling, bridling and riding.

Be sure that the horse and rider are suitable for each other. Beginners should ride only calm, dependable horses — preferably older horses — until they are proficient enough to handle more difficult ones.

Your equipment must be adequate for the situation and in good repair. Check the rigging, cinches, latigo straps and billets of your saddle to be sure they are strong and that there is no danger of breaking. Check bridles and reins, especially at stress points, and make sure the leather is strong and supple. Leather that is dry and cracked can break easily.

Saddling
When preparing to saddle your horse, make sure you do not lay the saddle on the ground where the horse could step on it. Set the saddle on a saw horse or stand made for that purpose.

Before saddling, groom your horse thoroughly. Be sure there are no sores on its back or in the cinch area, as this could cause the horse to wring its tail or buck. If there are saddle sores, consider using extra padding or a girth pad, or give the horse time off until the sores heal. Also check your blanket for foreign objects or dirt buildup, and be sure that the blanket is dry.

Place the blanket well forward and pull it back toward the rear of the horse until the front rests at the withers. This pulls the hair backward in the direction it should lie. Never pull a blanket forward, as it will reverse the direction of the hair and cause discomfort.

Make sure there are no wrinkles, and be sure the blanket offers adequate padding for the horse. Some horses require more padding than others and some may require extra padding at their withers to prevent binding the shoulders. Also make sure that the saddle cinch is clean, as dirty cinches can cause saddle sores.

Pick up the saddle so that the fork is in your left hand. You will saddle the horse from its left side, so lay the cinch, or cinches, over the seat and hook the right stirrup over the saddle horn. This prevents you from tripping and keeps them from hitting the horse's side as the saddle comes down on its back, which could scare the horse and cause it to jump into you. Never approach the horse carrying a saddle with a dragging cinch, as you could step on it and fall under the horse. Also be sure there is nothing between you and the horse that you could trip on as you carry the saddle.

Raise the saddle as high as you can and set it down gently on the horse's back. This helps prevent back soreness and helps assure the horse that the saddling experience is nothing to fear. Throwing the saddle onto the horse's back can cause bruising and may aggravate any existing back problems.

Place the saddle so that at least an inch of blanket lies in front of it. Placing it too far up on the blanket could cause the blanket to work its way backward on the horse as you ride. Do not place the saddle too far forward, which restricts shoulder movement and causes discomfort, or too far back, which can cause kidney damage and sore backs.

Move to the opposite side by walking behind the horse, either by keeping a hand on the horse and walking as close as possible, or by keeping a distance of several feet to ensure that you are out of kicking range. Talk to your horse frequently, especially when changing sides or starting something new. This ensures that the horse is aware of your presence and it helps to calm a nervous horse.

Let the cinch and stirrup down, making sure they do not slam down on the horse's side. Never release the cinch and stirrup by pushing them over the saddle from the left side. This could hurt or startle the horse.

Make sure the blanket is even and that the cinch is straight. Then move back to the near side and pull the blanket up into the gullet of the saddle to prevent pressure on the withers and slipping of the blanket.

Reach under the horse and grasp the cinch with your left hand, facing the rear of the horse. If using a martingale or breast collar, you may need to thread the cinch through the end of the martingale or breast collar before fastening the cinch, unless your cinch has a ring to which you can attach them. In this case, tighten the cinch before attaching the martingale or breast collar.

If you use a rear cinch, tighten the front one first. Put the latigo, or cinch strap, through the cinch ring and the rigging ring twice. Then you can either tie a cinch knot to secure the cinch, or you can buckle it if the cinch has a buckle and your latigo has holes for it.

Completing the cinch knot before tightening the cinch is much easier because the rigging ring is not pulled tight. To tie the knot, tighten the cinch just enough to prevent it from hanging underneath the horse's belly. Then pull the latigo out to the side, cross over the top just underneath the rigging ring, and put the latigo up through the rigging ring again. Then place the end of the latigo underneath the loop you made when you crossed over the top.

In tying the cinch knot, loop the latigo through both rings twice for added security. With the left hand under the buckle to prevent pinching, tighten the cinch slowly, an inch or two at a time. Tightening it too quickly can cause your horse to be "cinchy," or irritable, during saddling. Some horses may even begin biting or rearing when you tighten the cinch if they anticipate discomfort.

Tighten the cinch until it is snug enough to hold the saddle on the horse. You can tighten it more before mounting. Secure the end of the strap through the latigo carrier in front of the fender. Although most straps are not long enough to get stepped on, they should be kept up out of the way so that they do not blow against the horse's legs or belly.

After the horse is walked to the mounting area, recheck the front cinch. You probably will be able to take it up another hole or two without getting it too tight. For riding, the cinch should be snug under the heart girth, but not excessively tight. You should be able to fit two fingers under the buckle without much difficulty. Check the cinch again after mounting, as some horses will "blow out" their lungs during saddling, only to relax after you mount, suddenly making the cinch too loose.

Check to be sure the saddle fits your horse. It should not put undue pressure on the withers or restrict the shoulders. The tree should be wide enough for the horse, but not so wide that it rubs the withers. With some saddles, you may be able to add more padding to correct the problem. If this does not help, you will need to use another saddle. If the saddle is too narrow at the gullet, it will make the horse's back sore. You may need to use a breast collar to keep the saddle from slipping too far back, depending on the horse's conformation and how well the saddle fits.

To unsaddle, simply reverse the above process. Always unfasten the rear cinch first to prevent an accident should the saddle turn while you are unsaddling. Your horse may panic if the saddle turns with the flank cinch fastened.

To remove the saddle, lift it slightly before pulling it off. This is more comfortable for the horse and easier on the saddle. As you pull the saddle off, place the cinch and right stirrup over the seat so that they do not hit you in the shins.

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