Western Tack

[Darcy]

Hi I'm new to this forum and would like to try western tack for my horse. How do you work out what size saddle to buy and also bridle sizes and the correct type of bit.

[leviskipperette]

hey,

(ok first of all im not an expert, im just telling you what i know in an effort to help you out. if anyone notices theres anything wrong with my information please correct me, just dont call me stupid or anything :p. that being said, heres my reply)

in a western saddle there are a lot of things to look at. there are a few different types of bars, (from narrowest to widest) theres the semi quarterhorse, quarter horse, full quarterhorse, and arabian. the bars of the saddle need to follow the shape of the horses back to fit correctly. then you can have different gullet widths, i think the widest ive seen was 7 inches. the rigging of the saddle also needs to fit to the horses back, it cant be too far forward or too far back. theres also the cut of the skirt to look at, usually round or square, round is good for shorter backed horses, such as arabs, but can be used on other horses as well. cantle heights can vary also, they are usually higher in barrel saddles and trail saddles, to give you more security. theres also the material its made of, usually leather or synthetic.
what kind of saddle to get also depends on what you are going to use it for. theres trail, pleasure, roping/reining/cutting, barrel racing, etc. etc. etc... but its not only important to have the saddle fit the horse, it needs to fit the rider. there are alot of different seat sizes. i believe the seat measurement is taken from the top of the horn to the back of the cantle. the smallest ive seen was 8 inches (on a pony saddle), and i think the largest ive seen was maybe 18 inches. the saddle i have has a 15 inch seat and i fit in it just fine. when you sit in the saddle you should have a hands width between the swells and you. prices vary from saddle to saddle, but if you find a saddle that fits both you and your horse, and meets your needs, it might be worth it to spend the extra money if necessary. make sure you have a good pad to put under your saddle too. ok, i think i covered the basics in the saddle area.
alright bridles and bits. if your horse was trained english i wouldnt suggest that you go straight from an english bit to a western shank bit, though not all western bits have shanks. if you plan to train your horse to work in a curb bit and neck rein, and you are currently in a snaffle, dont use a tom thumb as a transitional bit, they are too confusing. the type of western bridle you use isnt a huge deal. you can choose from synthetic or leather, leather looks nicer and may last longer, but synthetics have a color variety and are softer. but as long as it fits your horse's head thats whats important. there are more specifics about bits and bridles, but i just covered the general things.

phew! lol i was a bit long winded, sorry about that. i hope i was some help, and not too confusing. best of luck with your pursuit of western riding. have fun!

-meg

[leviskipperette]

sorry i meant to break that up into paragraphs, i guess it didnt work- woops

[Darcy]

Thanks for all that, there is a lot to take into consideration.

As my mare is not backed yet should I back her english and then train her for western ??

[leviskipperette]

well i think it would be easier to train her one way, then see how she feels about a change later, if you are going to alternate riding styles. so if you intend to do western but ride english sometimes, then have her trained western and if she is comfortable enough, try a change to english later. or visa versa. it depends on what your primary riding style will be. of course if you are only going to use her western just have her trained western.

(sorry if that seemed like i was stating the obvious)

if youve got more questions just ask :)

-meg

[cvb]

darcy - a dumb question, but how are you going to back her western ? sounds like you're quite new to it if you're not too sure about saddles ?

If you have someone who will help you, they should also be able to help with saddles.

You should know a few things about western in UK

- we don't get the full range of options as most saddles have to be imported from US and hence are expensive.
- but there are now a few people making saddles in the UK :D
- there are also western saddleries but not many so you may still need to mail order.

There is a list of instructors on the WES site - your local WES "area" should also be able to help with support and advise etc

In terms of training - my mare is western backed and I took her "english" after I got her. She now does dressage as well :) I find the two sets of training complement each other. As there are fewer western trainers than dressage in UK - I would look at the best support you have locally and go with that, but with a preference for starting western (if thats what your main "thing" will be). It should not harm any later "english" work and will mean you start right for western from day 1.

[cvb]

p.s. Bits

I ride my mare in a loose ring french link - whether western or dressage.

She came in a classic western D-ring snaffle.

Bear in mind you would start a western horse in a snaffle or bosal and only move to a curb later when the basics are well established.

I started with a working bridle as I did not intend to show, but recently got myself a show bridle over from US. Also now have a bosal :D (which came from australia !)

The other thing you will need to think about is saddle pads.

A lot of people end up having show gear for every day as they can only afford one set of western and want to be able to show.