Comments on: How to Saddle a Horse

on 8/16/2006 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!

on 4/16/2007 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.

on 8/8/2006 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!

on 7/12/2006 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.

on 7/6/2006 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.

on 7/5/2007 If your horse has sensitive skin, or is sore from a saddle that is too small, try walking around with you horse while he has his saddle on. He will get used to the saddle on a sore spot. Also try putting two pads or blankets under the saddle for extra comfort. You can also give your horse a small massage on his sore spot, it will help him relax.
Also, remember; don't make your saddle too tight or you could give him sore spots.

on 3/28/2006 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.

on 2/16/2006 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.

on 2/2/2006 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!

on 12/20/2005 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!

on 11/22/2005 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.

on 11/22/2005 1) Before you tighten the cinch, pull the saddle pad up into the gullet. If you don't, the pad will pull on your horse's withers and make him sore.
2) Remember to walk your horse around and tighten the cinch a few times before you get on. A lot of horses bloat!
3) Pull your horse's front legs forward after you tighten the cinch. Wrinkled skin under the cinch causes saddle sores.

on 11/22/2005 Always remember to groom your horse before and after you ride. Before - so you can remove any excess dirt that may rub and cause a sore spot on your horse's back. After - so you can check for any places where the saddle may have rubbed raw on your horse's back, and where there may be a problem with the fitting of the saddle (which if not fixed, could damage your horse's back).

on 11/22/2005 When bringing your horse in, be careful of any other "friends" that may still want to play with the horse. I got kicked by another horse while trying to play with my horse. I fell down and got badly injured.

on 11/22/2005 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