Horseback Riding

Your horse's leather goods are a big investment on your part, probably the second or third biggest investment you've made in your equestrian pursuits besides your horse. On top of that, western...

You need to have the appropriate size of saddle pad for your saddle, otherwise the pad won't do what it was designed to: protect your horse's back and your saddle from each other. Most western...

Your saddle pads need regular washing to protect your horse's back from developing sores. Fleece pads, which are made of polyester, wool or sheepskin, should be washed consistently, since the...

Tucker Trail Saddles, or simply Tucker, came into being more than 30 years ago and the company still manufactures saddles in the United States. Tucker's saddles are made with a Durahide tree and a...

Mounting a horse can be dangerous to the rider as well as the horse if done improperly. It would do a person well to be familiar with the steps necessary to mount a horse correctly. Think about...

A movement where you rise up and sit down to the rhythm of your horse's trot, posting or rising, to the trot is an integral part of learning to ride in an English saddle. If you are going to...

Backing your horse in circles is an exercise recommended by reining trainer Mario Boisjoli for teaching his amateur riders to change leads on their horses during reining patterns. It is an...

A properly sized saddle pad is essential for your horse's comfort and safety during a ride. If your saddle pad is too small, your horse will not be protected from the rough underside of your...

Picking a properly sized English saddle is vital to having a comfortable ride, whether you are going to be riding in competitions and going over jumps, or just going for a pleasant ride around the...

Stirrups that have been incorrectly attached to a saddle, whether Western or English, will be uncomfortable at best and dangerous at worst. Incorrectly attached stirrups create bulges under your...

The wild Mustangs are descended from Indian ponies and horses that escaped from early western cowboys and settlers. They are great trail horses and well adapted to desert and mountain life. The...

When used properly, Western riding spurs (or metal pegs) that are fitted to your riding boots by way of a leather strap, can be a useful riding tool. A spur allows you to apply gentle pressure to...

Riding a spooked pony is no fun, especially considering that pony riders are often young children who are learning to ride. If the spooking has caused the pony's rider to be afraid of riding, an...

English saddles are expensive, and if you know how to measure them properly, you have a much better chance of finding a used one that will fit you and your horse properly. The biggest mistake most...

The right saddle is an integral part of your child's riding experience. A proper saddle makes riding easier and is more comfortable, especially if your child plans a long ride. Consider the horse...

If you need an English saddle, but can't afford the $1,000 or $2,000 price tag attached to many of them, you may be able to find a saddle leasing program. These programs are few, but you may find...

A slippery saddle seat can be a terror to ride in, especially if your horse is difficult to ride. Certain leathers, such as smooth leathers, are more slippery than others, and older saddles can be...

Proper saddle fit for both horse and rider is important to make sure both are able to move freely and comfortably during the riding session. An English saddle should make a rider feel secure while...

Stubben is a very popular German saddle brand that was established in 1894 that offers jumping, dressage and all-purpose models of English saddles. Stubben saddles are now manufactured in...

Equine therapy programs are used to help assist people in overcoming emotional problems and physical disabilities. Equine therapy has been particularly successful with troubled adolescents. Young...

The correct size of saddle is important for your comfort and so that the saddle will function correctly. If the saddle is too small, you might get sore and not be able to use your legs well. If...

Fitting the horse is not the only thing you should consider when you are looking to purchase an English or Western saddle. As odd as it sounds a 15inch Western saddle and a 15inch English saddle...

Horseback riding is a great way to get exercise, but if you’re not in shape, it can be a painful experience for you. The best bet to get in shape for the long horseback ride is to focus on the...

The saddle tree is the skeleton of your saddle and is usually made of wood or synthetic materials, depending on the manufacturer and even the model of saddle. Saddle tree size is an important part...

This article is to give one the basics of mounting and dismounting a horse.

Some people are choosing to ride in treeless saddles if they are having difficulty fitting a horse. Though these saddles are treeless, they still need to be fit to the horse, and especially the...

After you are able to hold your legs still while riding, you can introduce spurs. Using spurs before you have control of your legs can result in you constantly spurring your horse when you don't...

Horseback riders use different types of saddles for different equestrian sports, and although each type of saddle looks and feels different from another, they all have basically the same parts...

Treeless saddles are designed to fit the back of any healthy horse--from the round, low-withered draft horse to the high-withered, muscular thoroughbred. Without the solid "tree" that runs down...

Maintaining the health of our horse companions is vital to their performance and quality of life. Without the use of proper footing in the arenas where horses work and train, many health problems...

You can get very creative about displaying your ribbons for other people to see. You probably won't want to display every ribbon you've ever won, but those ribbons that are closest to your heart...

Wearing the appropriate attire in your horse show classes is important for various reasons. For one, illegal show clothing can get you eliminated, or the wrong clothing can insult the judges or...

Horses participating in harness racing, or harness racers, do not have injuries singular to the sport, but there are certain injuries that veterinarians see again and again from racing on the...

If you want to turn your equestrian facility into a North American Riding for the Handicapped Association-approved therapeutic riding center, you will need a mounting ramp and block designed to...

Knowing how to design a course for show jumping is important if you want to host jumping shows or even have your own course to practice over. Course design can be difficult, though, and requires...

Playing games on your horse is a great way to add variety and interest to the exercise routine for both horse and rider. At the same time, you get to practice many of your equitation skills, such...

According to the website Natural Horse Supply.com, a rope halter is in many ways stronger than a leather halter. As an added bonus, a rope halter is easy to make at home if you know a few simple...

Having an appropriate harness is important when you want to drive your horse, and all of the pieces are necessary to have a safe driving outing. In the Threshold Picture Guide book "Driving Do's...

If you love riding horses, but hate paying so much to go, here are some ideas to find free horseback riding.

Driving a horse is a pastime that can be enjoyed by anyone, and can be a way for a person who can no longer or does not want to ride to be involved with horses. If a horse cannot be ridden because...

Most English riding saddles have the same parts, though the sizes of the parts may vary depending on the discipline in which you are competing. A hunter saddle has parts that have been designed...

Building a level riding area with footing appropriate for your riding discipline can be time-consuming and costly, but can be well worth it in the end, especially if you will be using it...

English saddles come in more than one style, and the different styles have been designed to fulfill individual purposes, which range from riding in an arena to jumping cross-country. To make your...

Several factors help determine the correct size of an English saddle for a particular horse and rider. Factors include the type of English saddle, the fit to the horse, the rider's fit to the seat...

Do you want to sell your horse online to attract more potential buyers? Selling your horse online allows you to reach buyers that are out of state or sometimes even overseas. Learn how to...

There are several options for riders who would like a western-style safety stirrup, and you can make a choice for what you need by what type of riding you do. There are also things you can do to...

Depending on their intended purpose, parts of English saddles have slightly different construction in terms of padding and angling. Some purposes to which an English saddle might be put include...

The snaffle bit, widely used in both Western and English styles of horseback riding, may have originated in ancient times. You can imagine a bone or branch placed in a horse's mouth with reins...

A saddle tree lifts a saddle up off the horse's back and distributes a rider's weight evenly on either side of the horse's spine. A treeless saddle is designed to approximate the feeling of riding...

Proper grooming is a critical component of your horse's health. Grooming your horse not only removes dirt and debris that make your horse uncomfortable, it allows you to inspect your horse for...