Comments on How to Saddle a Horse

When you are going to saddle a horse, do it from the offside. Horses that are saddled from the nearside tend to become one sided. If you saddle from the offside you can let your cinch down gently, so as not to spook them. If you drop the cinch from across the saddle it may spook them, and they could jump on you resulting in injury. You also don't need to walk around the horse as many times. Try it!

When you are going to saddle a horse, do it from the offside. Horses that are saddled from the nearside tend to become one sided. If you saddle from the offside you can let your cinch down gently, so as not to spook them. If you drop the cinch from across the saddle it may spook them, and they could jump on you resulting in injury. You also don't need to walk around the horse as many times. Try it!

When you put on the girth, if one side is elastic, put it on the side you mount on (left). Start by putting it in just a couple holes, then tighten it on the right side as much as you can. Then alternate back to the left side and tighten it until it is tight enough. You always end with the elastic side because it gives more so it is easier to pull. It goes on the side you mount on, so when you double check it before mounting you can pull it tighter if needed. Always check the girth before mounting!

If your western saddle has a back cinch, make sure you tighten the front cinch up before you put the back one on. If you don't do this, and the horse shakes or moves suddenly, it might roll off, yet still be attached by the back cinch. I have seen this happen, and it doesn't end well. Also make sure you take the back cinch off first when taking the saddle off, for the same reason.

When you put on the girth, if one side is elastic, put it on the side you mount on (left). Start by putting it in just a couple holes, then tighten it on the right side as much as you can. Then alternate back to the left side and tighten it until it is tight enough. You always end with the elastic side because it gives more so it is easier to pull. It goes on the side you mount on, so when you double check it before mounting you can pull it tighter if needed. Always check the girth before mounting!

If your western saddle has a back cinch, make sure you tighten the front cinch up before you put the back one on. If you don't do this, and the horse shakes or moves suddenly, it might roll off, yet still be attached by the back cinch. I have seen this happen, and it doesn't end well. Also make sure you take the back cinch off first when taking the saddle off, for the same reason.

Mounting on the left side can cause the stirrup leathers on the left to stretch more than the right. When you adjust your stirrups, an older saddle may need fewer notches on the left stirrup and more notches on the right to keep them even.

Mounting on the left side can cause the stirrup leathers on the left to stretch more than the right. When you adjust your stirrups, an older saddle may need fewer notches on the left stirrup and more notches on the right to keep them even.

First, roll up the stirrups on both sides, undo the girth, and the breast plate attached to it. Go to the other side of the horse and throw the girth over the saddle. Cover the saddle with a saddle cover and place it on the saddle rack.

When saddling your horse, place the saddle and saddle pads farther up his withers than you normally would, so that when you push it back into place, the hair on his back lies smooth, and it is not uncomfortable for the horse.

Before you put on the saddle cloth, it is important to make sure that there is no grass, prickles, other objects etc. on the cloth. Think of how prickles would feel on the horse's back getting rubbed by the saddle. It only takes a few moments to check the cloth and it's well worth it for it may keep your horse from feeling any discomfort.

This is a great source of information and works very well. Just a tip about cinching your saddle: Take the cinch under the horse and thread the latigo (strap coming off saddle) around about 4 times (down and up). When you pull the latigo through the top hook for the last wrap, pull it through, then toward the horses head, and then back toward the horses behind. Then, bring it back through the hook (from behind, the side nearest the horse,) and thread it down into your knot. This is the easiest way to cinch a horse. You may need to wrap the latigo less than, or more than 4 times to make it snug around the horse's waist. This way, your saddle won't fall off, and your horse will be comfy during the ride! Note: When wrapping the latigo and bringing the cinch under to the latigo, make sure that neither are twisted so that they don't rub and irritate the horse!

This is a great source of information and works very well. Just a tip about cinching your saddle: Take the cinch under the horse and thread the latigo (strap coming off saddle) around about 4 times (down and up). When you pull the latigo through the top hook for the last wrap, pull it through, then toward the horses head, and then back toward the horses behind. Then, bring it back through the hook (from behind, the side nearest the horse,) and thread it down into your knot. This is the easiest way to cinch a horse. You may need to wrap the latigo less than, or more than 4 times to make it snug around the horse's waist. This way, your saddle won't fall off, and your horse will be comfy during the ride! Note: When wrapping the latigo and bringing the cinch under to the latigo, make sure that neither are twisted so that they don't rub and irritate the horse!

When you put a saddle on a horse the horse holds in some air, so when you are done saddling your horse, lunge it in a walk, trot, and canter to make sure the saddle is tight and ready to ride. You may have to loosen the saddle a bit after lunging. Always check the saddle by either sitting on it or check to see if you can move it around. If you can move it around, you have to tighten it! When you sit on it and it moves, tighten the saddle!

When you put a saddle on a horse the horse holds in some air, so when you are done saddling your horse, lunge it in a walk, trot, and canter to make sure the saddle is tight and ready to ride. You may have to loosen the saddle a bit after lunging. Always check the saddle by either sitting on it or check to see if you can move it around. If you can move it around, you have to tighten it! When you sit on it and it moves, tighten the saddle!

If you have a western saddle, hook the right stirrup onto the horn before you put the saddle on. This is the best way to saddle a skittish horse

after tightening the girth, lunge the horse so it will expell any air it has been holding in. the saddle may have to be taken up two or three times before it is tightened for a safe ride.

Do not place the saddle directly behind the horse's shoulder or put the cinch/girth too close to the leg. Leave some room. If the saddle rubs the shoulder when the horse moves, you'll have a sore horse that does not want to be ridden.

I re-wired my house using this method to help me along: I used a parts retrieval magnet (about 1/2 inch diameter) and poked it through the outlet box into the void space. After I located and drilled the hole for the wire, I would drop a string with a small nut attached to it down to the box. The magnet would catch the nut if it came near, I could then pull the string into the box and attach my fishtape or romex to the string.

Some horses tend to fill their bellies with air while you attempt to tighten the girth, so always tighten it again before you hop on! Also, stretching the horse's front legs out in front of him after tightening it prevents the skin from being pinched.

Make sure it's tight so the saddle doesn't slip. Tighten it on both sides of the cinch or girth.

It depends on your Western saddle, but if it is a bad saddle, it will pinch your horse's withers, creating a bad sore. So if your saddle is like that, use two saddle pads.

If you have a western saddle, hook the right stirrup onto the horn before you put the saddle on. This is the best way to saddle a skittish horse

I re-wired my house using this method to help me along: I used a parts retrieval magnet (about 1/2 inch diameter) and poked it through the outlet box into the void space. After I located and drilled the hole for the wire, I would drop a string with a small nut attached to it down to the box. The magnet would catch the nut if it came near, I could then pull the string into the box and attach my fishtape or romex to the string.