Equine Tack and Equipment Saddles Western Saddle The tree Also called the frame because it provides the of the saddle. May be,, or that has leather, suede or some other suitable material wrapped over it. Consists of the,,, and. Basic Parts of the Western Saddle 1. The bars provide and the saddle to the horse s back 2. The fork forms the front of the saddle seat that supports the,, and includes the and. The is the space formed by shaping the fork and helps the saddle fit to the shape of the equine s back The swells The pommel is the part of the saddle that consists of a horn of varying size, useful in or for holding on. The cantle is the part of the seat which helps the rider maintain a. Fittings for the Western Saddle The assist the rider in mounting and dismounting and help the rider maintain while riding. Stirrup leathers attach the stirrups to the of the saddle and allow for the stirrup to be adjusted. The goes underneath the horse s and is used to hold the saddle on the horse. The girth is also called the on saddles. 1
Western saddles have a front and (rear) girth. Girths are made of various materials such as girths are frequently made of cord. (Chincha cord is pure cotton, pure, or a combination of rayon and mohair.) Rear girths are also called the flank girth or cinch. They are typically made of straps are used to attach the girth (cinch) for the rings of the saddle. Western saddles have billets on each side. The saddle pad ( ) protects the horse s back, absorbs sweat and moisture, protects the saddle and helps the saddle fit better. Traditional size is There are many types of materials including: Basics of Western Saddles Most Western saddles are produced in the. Unlike English saddles, a good basic Western saddle can be used for many activities. The MOST important thing with any Western saddle is that it fit the horse properly across the. You should be able to insert fingers between the of the saddle and the horse s with the saddle cinch girth drawn Examples of Western Saddles w General purpose: w Weigh between pounds. w Most common saddles are ideally suited for and riding. 2
w Also known as pleasure/trail riding saddles. w Designed for of the rider. w Roping Saddle: w Weigh w Large heavy duty saddle with a large horn useful for work. w Equitation ( ) w Saddle with heavy for and. w Typically quite heavy. w Bronc saddles w Designed to allow the rider freedom of movement. w Necessary for horses in w Bareback rigs w Sturdy pieces of leather often used in the place of saddles. w Feature a without the use of stirrups. w Endurance Saddle w Very weight. w Usually made of material to provide comfort for the horse and rider over long distances. w Other western saddle include the, and w Each are designed for a specific task. English Saddles The tree of the eastern saddle: The frame or tree of the saddle consist of laminated,, or a combination of these materials. English saddles are covered with a variety of materials such as,,,, etc. 3
Types of English Saddles There are two basic types of trees for English saddles: n The The rigid tree is usually used for saddle-seat saddles n The Basic Parts of the Eastern Saddle Many parts of a Western saddle exist in some variation or form on Eastern saddles. The is the forward part of an English saddle and is without a The is a single strap that goes underneath the horse s belly to hold the saddle on the horse The stirrup bar is used to attach the stirrup strap to the saddle are padding under the tree to cushion the horse s back Fittings for the Eastern Saddle Many of the same fittings are available in some form on Eastern saddles.,, and and not usually included in the price of an eastern saddle. Basic Types of English Saddles w : w Relatively seat that places the rider well behind the withers and just behind the of the horse. w Riders use these saddles on the, which means they do not use them for w Saddle seat saddles are used in the show ring and most often for riding or gaited breeds and w Many are called saddle because the pommel or head is usually cut back to accommodate the withers and show off the animated action and 4
arched neck of gaited horses such as the and w Hunt or Forward-seat saddles w More popular with - riders. w This saddle is used by hunters and jumpers because it is designed to eliminate with the horse when jumping w Used with,,,, Appaloosas and others. Examples of English Saddles w The MOST popular Hunt seat saddle is the. This saddle is a good beginning saddle because it can be used for many different riding activities such as,, and. w The contact saddle is a Hunt seat saddle used for jumping. It is very seldom used for equitation or flat work. This saddle allows close contact with the equine so that the rider may have control. w The - saddle is a Hunt seat saddle that is a cross between the forward and saddle-seat saddle. It is designed specifically for dressage events so the rider s have maximum side contact with the horse. w The racing saddle is an extremely lightweight Hunt seat saddle ( pounds without stirrups) used by for racing. w saddles are modified Hunt seat saddles for trail riding, elementary jumping, dressage and polo. The End! 5