Horses Saddle And Other Tack

Horses Tack

Tack is a term used to describe any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. Saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, and breastplates are all forms of horse tack. Equipping a horse is often referred to as tacking up. Here is a small part of it:

 

Saddles And Accessories

Saddles are the major part of horse’s equipment and it is important that the saddle be comfortable for both the riders and the horses.  If improperly fits it may create pain to the horse and can lead to the injury of horse and rider. There are many types of saddle, each specially designed for a specific task. Saddles are usually divided into two major categories called English and Western according to the riding discipline they are used.

 

Stirrups

Stirrups are supports for the rider's feet that hang down on either side of the saddle. They provide greater stability for the rider but can have safety concerns due to the potential for a rider's feet to get stuck in them. If a rider is thrown from a horse but has a foot caught in the stirrup, they could be dragged if the horse runs away. To minimize this risk, a number of safety precautions are taken. First, most riders wear riding boots with a heel and a smooth sole. Some saddles have safety bars that allow stirrup to fall off the saddle by a falling rider. Western saddles have wide stirrup treads that make it more difficult for the foot to become trapped. A number of saddle styles incorporate a tapedero, which is covering over the front of the stirrup that keeps the foot from sliding all the way through the stirrup. The English stirrup has several design variations which are either shaped to allow the rider's foot to slip out easily or are closed with a very heavy rubber band.

Headgear

Bridles, hackamores, halters or head collars consist of various arrangements of straps around the horse's head, and are used for control and communication with one.

 

 

 

Halters

A halter consists of a noseband and headstall that buckles around the horse's head and allows the horse to be led or tied. Some horses may have a chain attached to the lead rope and placed over the nose or under the jaw to increase the control provided by a halter while being led.

 

 Bridles

Bridles usually have a bit attached to reins and are used for riding and driving horses. Western Bridles used in Western riding and usually have no noseband, are made of thin bridle leather. Double bridles are a type of bridle that use two bits in the mouth at once, a snaffle and a curb. The two bits allow the rider to have very precise control of the horse.

 

 

Hackamore

A hackamore is a headgear that utilizes a heavy noseband of some sort, rather than a bit, most often used to train young horses or to go easy on an older horse's mouth. Some riders like to use them in the winter to avoid putting a frozen metal bit into a horse's mouth.

 

 

 

Bits

A bit is a mouthpiece placed in a horse’s mouth.  There are many types, each useful for specific types of riding and training. It is important that the style of bit is appropriate to the horse's needs and is fitted properly for it to function properly and be as comfortable as possible for the horse.