How to Saddle a Horse Using Western Attire

This article covers the correct way to saddle a horse using a western saddle,cinch, breast plate, and bucking strap (rear cinch).

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Horse
• Saddle Pad
• Western Saddle
• Front Cinch
• Breast Plate
• (optional) back cinch or bucking strap

1. 
    
   hitching post

   Properly tie your horse. There are several ways you can tie your horse - cross tie, halter and lead, ground tie, or held by a friend.

2. 
    

   Brush your horse. When brushing pay particular attention to the area in which you will be resting the saddle - withers, top of back, sides, and under the belly.

3. 
    
   placement of saddle pad

   Place your saddle pad across the top of your horses back. Pull up over the horses withers. Your saddle pad should be placed slightly ahead of where you want it to be. During your ride due to the natural rhythm of your horses walk your pad may side back.

4. 
    
   western saddle

   Pick up your saddle. Pull cinches, breast collar and stirrup onto the seat of the saddle on one the side away from you. Another option is to hook the stirrup end over the saddle horn to prevent it from falling back down.

5. 
    

   Lift saddle and place on back of horse. Be gentle, don't toss the saddle up on the horses back, the force of the landing saddle could jolt the straps into falling and spook the horse.

6. 
    
   saddle cinch

   Position your saddle with the horn straddling up close to your horse's withers. Once the saddle is in place it's time to secure the front cinch.
   
   Walk around your horse and lower the cinch down on the side. Return to the opposite side and reach underneath your horse and grasp the cinch bringing it under the belly just behind the front legs.
   
   Pull the strap on the closest side of the saddle through the ring of the cinch and back down through the slot on your saddle. Pull tight!
   wrap the remaining piece of strap around and through the backside of the slot. Then slip through the created loop and tighten.

7. 
    
   breast strap

   Connect the horse's breast strap at both ends of the front of your saddle. (You may still have one end attached from the last time someone used it.) Then reach taking the third strap reach between the horses front legs and attach to the center ring on the middle of the cinch.

8. Connect your rear cinch or bucking strap if you choose to use one. Just like the front cinch you will have to reach under the horse and pull it from beneath. For a rear strap you want to leave a gap of about three fingers vertical from the underside of the horse, but not enough of a gap as to the horse might get it's hoof caught if kicking at a fly.

Tips & Warnings

• Use fly spray if the season call for it after you have brushed down your horse.
• Always keep a hand on the horse your saddling or speak to the horse. You want them to know where you are and what your doing at all times, least they become distracted by things around them and spook at your unexpected movement.
• Some breast plates only attach across the front of the horses chest, however for this article it is assumed your breast strap has three connection points.
• When working around horses please use common sense.
• Do not ground tie a horse unless you know they are trained to stand where you drop the reins, else they will simply walk away from you.
• When saddling a horse always tack up on the left side. If you approach a horse from the right side and they are not accused to it, they will shy away.

Resources

• Cowboy Way