SolveYourProblem.com Article Series: Horse Care
Teach Me Horse Care Tips
Your
Guide to Horse Tack
You bought a horse, but what else do you need?
Here’s a list of tack that may be helpful for you and your
horse. This list of tack includes bits and spurs, headstalls
and reins, breast collars, saddle pads and blankets, cinches,
halters, and saddles. This will also tell you what the tack
is and where it goes on the horse.
The bits go in the horse’s mouth, and are designed to teach
communication between the rider and horse. It can let you balance
your horse from left to right and front to back. It teaches
a horse to bend his neck and throatlatch so he will turn in
both directions. Most horses don’t like bits, and try to spit
them out, but with a little patience and perseverance a horse
will get used to it.
Spurs are for the rider. They hook onto your boots and when
you want the horse to obey, move forward, backward, turn, and
gallop, you kick the horse. It is an immediate action, and
the horse may not like these. You may get bucked off a few
times. The horse will get used to them however and obey when
kicked with your spurs.
Headstalls can also be called a ‘head piece’. It fits over
the horse’s head and lets you have control over your horse.
Reins are attached to the headstalls. With a headstall you
can make your horse do anything you want.
Reins attach to the headstall and this is what you hold onto
when you ride. If you want the horse to go left, pull the reins
left. If you want your horse to go right, pull them right.
You don’t want to pull the reins tight when you’re galloping
so let then have slack. When you want the horse to stop, pull
back on the reins. The reins are like a steering wheel; if
you don’t know how to control then, you’ll go nowhere.
A breast
collar is a horse’s collar that fits over the horse’s
chest instead of around its neck. This is a leather strap that
passes around the front of the horse above his forelegs, which
is then attached to the rings of the saddle.
You don’t want to get blisters, why would your horse? A saddle
pad is a blanket or pad that fits on the horse’s back. Which
then the saddle is placed over this, a saddle pad is used for
protection to the horse. That way the saddle won’t rub on the
horse causing sores or burns.
A blanket can be used the same as a saddle pad or it can be
used to drape over your horse when they are in the trailer.
This can be good for heat or protection from insects.
A cinch is a wide strap that attaches a saddle to a horse.
It is a strap that goes from one side of the saddle under the
horses belly to the other side of the saddle.
Halters are made of leather or rope and it fits around the
horse’s neck or head. A halter is used for leading a horse
around.
A saddle is the seat you sit on when you ride your horse;
it has a saddle horn in the front, which you can hold onto
so you don’t fall off. It has stirrups on the side, which you
put your feet into so you don’t fall off. This is your lookout
point; from the saddle you’re the controller, the boss. You
say control the horse, you’re in the driver’s seat.
Tack is an important part of owning a horse; if you don’t
know anything about tack contact your local feed store or western
store. They can tell you what you will need, and how it’s used.
Just remember you don’t need the most beautiful tack in the
world, as good durable tack is just as good. Your horse isn’t
going to be impressed by it when you’re out working cattle.
You don’t necessarily need all of the tack stated above, but
with enough tack you can always experiment to see what works
best for your horse and you. There are all different brands
of tack so you need to research what is the most durable, non-expensive,
lasting tack for you and your horse.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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