Now for the Bridling. Working on the horse's left side again, drop the nosepiece of the halter off the nose and refasten the crown strap around the neck. Avoid placing your face too close to the horse's head during bridling and use caution when handling the ears. This helps ensure that you do not get hit in the face should the horse toss its head.
If you have roping reins, or one piece closed reins, place them over the horse's head and neck. If you have split reins, place them over your right shoulder, making sure they do not droop where you or the horse could step on them. Throughout this process, be particularly careful not to wrap any piece of equipment attached to the horse around your hand or arm, as it could cause serious injury in a panic moment.
Spread the crown of the bridle with the right hand and hold the bit in the left. Place your right arm over the horse's head between its ears and approach the horse's mouth with the bit.
Be sure to keep the cheek pieces out of its eyes and avoid banging its teeth with the bit. With the bit pushed lightly against the horse's lips, insert the left thumb in the corner of the mouth. There are no teeth here, so if necessary you can put pressure on the bar of the mouth with your thumb to encourage the horse to open its mouth. Many horses will open their mouths readily as you approach with the bit without doing this. Lift the bridle upward with the right hand as you gently feed the bit over the teeth.
Never jerk the bridle, and move with the horse if it moves its head. Place the crown of the bridle over one ear and then the other, bending the ears forward gently as you pull the bridle over them.
Rough handling of the ears can cause horses to be head-shy and difficult to bridle. Be careful not to drag the cheek pieces over the horse's eyes. Straighten out the forelock to avoid irritation, and fasten the throat latch, allowing enough room for you to insert your hand sideways throughout the jaw area.
The bridle should be properly adjusted before you ride. Be sure the browband does not hang down in the horse's eyes and that the bit is neither too high nor too low. The bit should rest on the bars of the mouth. It should be high enough that it creates one small wrinkle at the corners of the mouth. If there are two or three wrinkles, the bit is probably too high. On the other hand, if the bit hangs so that it comes in contact with the incisor teeth, it is too low. Also check the curb chain, or curb strap. You should be able to fit three fingers sideways between the horse's chin and the chain, but the chain should be tight enough that it places pressure on the chin when you pull back on the reins. This assists in the control of your horse.
Once the bridle is secure, remove the halter from around the neck. You're ready to ride!
Unsaddling
Unsaddling is just the opposite. I usually tie the halter around my horse's neck, as we did when we put the bridle on. Next, remove the bridle by first unbuckling the throat latch. Grasp both sides of the bridle near the brow band and gently pull the crown over the ears. The horse will release the bit as it's weight begins to rest on the back of his teeth. Then put the halter back on your horse's head properly and tie him up. To unsaddle, simply reverse the saddling process. Always unfasten the breast collar connecting strap and the flank cinch FIRST to prevent an accident should the saddle turn while you are unsaddling. Your horse may panic if the saddle turns with these still fastened.
If you have had a hard ride, loosen the cinch gradually before taking the saddle off. This allows the blood to flow back under the saddle slowly. Untie the saddle knot or unbuckle the cinch buckle and lift the saddle slightly before pulling it off. This is more comfortable for the horse and also aids in a more gradual blood flow to the back. Before you pull the saddle off, place the right stirrup over the horn and the breast collar, cinch and flank strap over the seat so that they do not drag on the ground or hit you or the horse as you remove the saddle.
Comments
If you have a specific tip, experience or comment relevant to this article please post a comment below. We are unable to answer individual questions through the comments system. The New Rider Message Board is a better place to post specific questions.
Lauren10th Oct 01
This entry was very useful amd I have learned from it and I'm sure others will to.
Tim Manson16th Oct 01
Thanks Lauren. Glad this could help you.
Lisa16th Oct 01
Thanks for the detailed information. I'm buying my first Western saddle (currently use Aussie stock, learned on English)for trail riding, and I haven't found a good resource for explaining the individual pieces on the Western rigging, how they should fit, and what they do. Where can I get a breast collar like the one shown in part 1?
Tim Manson17th Oct 01
Hi Lisa. If you are referring to one of the breast collars in part one of saddling with western gear, State Line Tack would be a good resource for you. Their web address is www.statelinetack.com, and they ship anywhere.
maggie23rd Oct 01
This is all great, but I'd also like to know how to adjust western stirrups....actually how and also what length is appropriate. I know english and it's totally different!
Tim Manson25th Oct 01
Hi Maggie,
Adjust a western stirrup to the length of your arm. That is, as you are facing the horse, stand with your fingertips against the fender and raise the stirrup to your arm pit. The stirrup should fit snugly against your arm pit for the proper length.
Tim
Tim Manson25th Oct 01
In the adjusting, most western saddles have stirrup blevins that you pull the upper sheath off the buckle, move the posts to the appropriate location and slide the sheath back in place.
Tim
Cathy6th Nov 01
Hi Tim,
Will you do an "advanced" section at some stage ? I a convertee with my first 'proper' western horse. I know the basics of saddle fitting, but didn't know too much about what pad to use to get the best fit. Thankfully I got some good advice !
Jean5th Dec 01
I am trying to find out if the secondhand western saddle I have just acquired has the correct fittings in the correct places. There is a leather strap between the D rings on both sides, at present one is above the stirrup leathers and one under (which is correct?). There are two long leathers both attached to the front D rings and two short ones at the back is this correct or should there be one short and one long at the front and back? The western saddle I have already has one long one side and 1 short. I would appreciate it if you could help me with this problem.
kristin sanderson7th Dec 01
I've been riding since I could sit up. My grandfather had me in the saddle at one year
old. I've ridden most of my life, but always
had someone else to saddle-up for me.This is the best refresher course I've found on the net so
far. Thanks oodles.
Sandra Jones26th Dec 01
I am hoping to buy a western saddle soon and found this article really interesting. Thank you!
Lib2nd Jan 02
Hi, I've found this article really interesting. I was thinking about buying a western saddle for my 12.1hh welsh pony, but I am worried that it might be too heavy for him, as I weigh 8 stone. He is very strong and of quite heavy build, but would the saddle and me put together be too much? Thankyou.
April2nd Apr 02
Hey Lib,
I am a western rider, and have a welsh ponie as well. It proablly wont be heavy for him, as mine takes it well!
Kimberlee26th Apr 02
Great site! Excellent refreshers and reminders on proper horse care!
Alecia9th May 02
Can someone help me here? I have a horse that is round with no withers.. can't keep a saddle on him. All of my friends ride with their saddles so loose that they can't use the stirrups to get on the horse without the saddle sliding off. takes two of them to mount one horse, once on the horse they square up the saddle. When I ride like that I spend my entire ride either on the ground or constantly pulling my saddle from side to side. if he runs the saddle will slide right under his belly as I for whatever reason can't seem to balance myself enough to stay on his back. Is this right? I always thought you tightened a saddle so that it did not move, not enough to hurt the horse, but tight enough not to constantly move shifting your weight on the horses back seems to me would hurt his back. any advice?
Leah11th May 02
I have the SAME question as Alicia who made the comment on May 9th. About the saddle not staying on the horse if you don't tighten it good. I have the same problem. So if someone could answer that we would both be so appreciative!
Shannon Lindsey13th May 02
I have a ridge backed horse(the back bone is very high) I am trying to find out what kind of saddle and pad would protect the spine (back bone). Anyone with knowledge of this Please let me know what you think.
Catherine30th Jul 02
My instructors always told me you could never tighten the cinch too much. The saddles you two are describing are way too loose. Recently I rode a horse who constantly puffed out after I tightened the saddle, and it slid completely off in the middle of the trail. Tighten the cinch till the saddle doesn't slide like that, it's dangerous otherwise.
Susi2nd Oct 02
Hi-
I found this article EXTREMELY useful as I am just starting Western riding after three years of English. It has helped me see the differences between English and Western, and I'm sure at my lesson today I'll be more confident in tacking up and untacking. Thanks a lot!
P.S. Are some people "unable" to ride very sensitive horses? I did at my last lesson and it was very hard. Any advice?
Thanks again!
Charles14th Oct 02
Any suggestion for someone wanting to start team ropeing on a proffesional level?
Pat13th Dec 02
Hi there, this is great info. i have a Wintec western saddlr that has nylon straps for the grith belt. One is very long and single the other is short and doubled can you explain how to use this one. Thanks or it the same as the one one this page.
Thanks
Pat
Basel20th Jan 03
I found this article very useful. I almost had all the problems mentioned on this page. Using the western saddle firs time. Thanks to this article I found that there is one item is missing in my used saddle that I bought lately. Few months ago, my friend fell down when the saddle slid while he was riding my horse. I was worried to death
Julie3rd Feb 03
I also have the same question as Pat - my new synthetic Western saddle has the same girth straps. I know how to adjust the long single strap, but I can not figure out the double strap. Help would really be appreciated. Thanks
Cathy28th Mar 03
Julie, Pat
The doubled up strap should have holes in it ? Then you have a western girth with a buckle on it and just buckle this end normally. (i.e. the buckle has a tongue). On my western girth one end has a sleeve for the tail of this 'double' strap to go into, but the other end of the girth has no sleeve.
Then on the very long strap you either
- have one with holes in it. Take the strap down, through the D of the girth buckle, back up through the saddle D, then back down again. This time, tighten up the girth and put the tongue of the buckle in the hole. Put the remaining tail of the strap either through the D rigging frther back, or through a a bit of leather with a slit in it just below where the horn is.
- if your strap does not have holes, or your girth buckle is just a D with no 'tongue'. this is where you bring the strap around twice as above, but then tie it off on the top D. (Not sure how to describe the knot ?) and put the tail end away also as described above.
Hope this helps. If you need more help, I suggest you post in the forum in the western section as you will get more answers and will be able to be alerted of any replies.
