Horse Tack Guide

Your guide to the latest horse tack

About Horse Tack

Horse Tack is essential for those who want to ride a horse. The category encompasses a wide range of products, from saddles, saddle pads, girths, and horse bridles, to bits, horse rugs, horse bandages, and boots. Depending on the discipline and type of riding, you may need some or all of these items, but you will at least need a saddle, saddle pad, girth, and bridle to be able to ride a horse correctly. 

 

Owning a horse or pony is an expensive business, the cost of the animal, plus stabling, food, and medical bills can run into hundreds of pounds a month. On top of that, you now have to kit out your horse with tack, as well as riding gear and a riding hat for yourself. If you are just starting out, this can all add up, but you may be able to find a lot of the gear you need secondhand. This has two advantages, the cost of second-hand tack is much lower, and it gives you an opportunity to see which pieces of tack work, that you and your horse are comfortable with before you lay out for a brand new set.

Where should I start?

First and foremost, you will need a saddle and you must decide what discipline you will be riding. Will you be learning dressage, jumping, or just a leisure rider otherwise known as a "Happy Hacker!" If it is the latter then you will need a general-purpose saddle. This type of saddle is cut so that you will be able to take part in leisure riding, but the saddle will not be too restrictive if you wanted to try a bit of dressage or even jumping. The majority of saddles sold are general-purpose saddles.  If you decide to specialize, then a jumping or dressage saddle that is specifically shaped for that discipline will be required. 

Next, you will need a saddle pad that sits on the horse's back and underneath the saddle. Once again saddle pads are cut according to the shape of the saddle, so if you have a GP (short for General Purpose) saddle then you will need a GP saddle pad. Many saddle pads are available with sheepskin front and rear and even underneath, to make sure the saddle pad is as comfortable as possible. There are literally thousands of different shapes and styles to choose from. It is a good idea to purchase a cheaper saddle pad to start until you are familiar with them and then once you have a style you are happy with go for a more expensive make. Investing in a good quality saddle pad pays dividends in the long run. 

To keep the saddle pad and saddle in place, you will need a girth. A girth sits around the horse's tummy and fits into the saddle. It is important that the girth is not too tight, but tight enough so that the saddle will not slip when you are seated on it. A good place to find horse tack is Pink Equine. Getting the tightness right takes a bit of practice, but you will soon know if it is uncomfortable for the horse.

Finally, to get you started, you will need a bridle and reins. The bridle sits over the horse's head and contains the bit which sits in the horse's mouth. The reins attached to the bit, allow you to control the horse, steering left and right and putting on the brakes. Similar to saddles and saddle pads, there is a great deal of choice. To start stick with an English plain bridle with or without a flash (the flash keeps the horse's mouth closed so it doesn't lose the bit). You can choose from black, brown, or tan leather. Bridles can be found in Pony, Cob, Full, and Extra full sizes, although the actual size of the bridle can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. If you already own a bridle then use the size as a guide. 

Once you have a bit of experience with horse tack, the prospect of buying new pieces is very exciting and it can be very addictive. Kitting your horse out with matching horse tack, rugs, head collars, boots, etc can be great fun. We hope you will find this resource useful, but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

 

Frequently Asked Question

What is Horse Tack

Horse Tack is a piece of equipment that is fitted to a horse or pony, to assist with the riding of a horse or pony.  The term tacking up is used to describe the process of placing the equipment on the horse or pony. Often Horse Tack is kept in a "Tack Room". A room normally in a stable block, where the horse riding equipment is stored ready for use.

 

 

What are the 5 parts of tack when equipping a hors
The 5 most important parts of a horse's tack are 
  1. The Saddle
  2. The Girth
  3. The Saddle Pad
  4. The Bridle
  5. The headcollar
What piece of tack goes on a horse first?
If you are leading your horse in from the field or tying it up outside the stable block, the first piece of tack that goes on a horse is the head collar or halter. Once your horse is secure, you can then swap the headcollar for the bridle and once the bridle is in place, you can then proceed with the saddle pad, saddle and finally the girth to secure the saddle and saddle pad in place.
Why do you tack up on the left?
This is purely a tradition thing. Historically soldiers would mount a horse from the left, to stop their swords from hitting the horse. As a result, horses were tacked up on the left and it is a tradition that has just stuck. However, there is no reason why you can tack up on the right and also mount your horse on the right-hand side. In fact it is good practice to get your horse used to both sides.