How To Saddle Your Horse

If you are not familiar with riding a horse without a saddle it is important to place one on your horse prior to riding it. Most people who ride horses use a saddle, and they are a standard piece of equipment which are used with horses. Saddles come in many different shapes and sizes, and you will want to choose one which you find to be comfortable.

The first thing you will want to do before placing a saddle on your horse is to groom him. You will want to make sure that mud or hair clumps are removed from the horse before you put on the saddle. Not doing this can lead to the horse being irritated while you are riding him with the saddle. You also want to make sure there are no bruises on the horse's back. If there are, you should use extra padding. If you have time you may also want to let the bruises heal before placing a saddle on your horse.

The saddle blanket should be clean and free of dirt. It should be dry and not wet. Place the saddle blanket on the horse's back and spread it out. Slide the blanket with the hair of the horse instead of against it. This will stop clumps from appearing in its hair. You want to make sure the saddle blanket is large enough to fit on the horse properly. Using one which is too small will irritate the horse. Once the saddle blanket is in place you will want to put on the saddle.

Before holding the saddle over the horse's back, make sure that the cinch and stirrup are directly overhead so that they do not strike the horse and scare them. Attach the stirrup to the saddle horn to make sure it is held in place. Hold the saddle high enough so that the flaps don't hit the horse. Gently bring down the saddle onto the horse's back. You will want to make sure the stirrups on both sides are properly attached.

When moving to the opposite side, make sure you keep a hold on the horse so that they know you are there. Don't go to the opposite side from behind the horse. Instead go around from the front. You will need to reach under the horse's stomach to attach the cinch. Make sure it is not loose so that it doesn't get caught in bushes or other objects under the horse. Once the stirrups have been adjusted, you are ready to mount the horse.