Tack Information
The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire.
~Sharon Ralls Lemon
~Sharon Ralls Lemon
Riders put their tack through a lot of abuse. The dirt, sweat and horse slobber that saddles and bridles are subjected to in their daily use can break down the leather and stitching over time. While few riders have the time to give their tack a thorough cleaning after every ride, it's important to make sure you don't let the dirt get out of hand. Read more about Tack Cleaning Tips
Identifying differences in bit construction and understanding some of the important principles of bit use will provide an educated basis for selecting bits. The article below explains the different types of bits available so that riders can determine which one is more appropriate for their horses. Read more at Bit Selection for Riding and Training Horses
Identifying differences in bit construction and understanding some of the important principles of bit use will provide an educated basis for selecting bits. The article below explains the different types of bits available so that riders can determine which one is more appropriate for their horses. Read more at Bit Selection for Riding and Training Horses
If your saddle is squeaking, try sprinkling baby powder between all the flaps
Finding the correct stirrup length is crucial to riding safely, having proper control over your horse, and keeping a good, balanced form. When you're riding, your ear, shoulder, hip, and heel should all be in alignment. If your stirrups are too long or too short, your heels will be too far forward or back. How to Get the Correct Stirrup Length
Horse Bit Terminology - Good article on the types of bits
Early Tack
There is evidence that horses were first ridden as much as 5,000 or more years ago. This evidence is from bits being found in archaeological dig sits. Horse skeletons were also found that indicate the horse had tooth wear from a bit.
Early riders clung to horses with little say in where they went, but they were determined to establish control. Some of the earliest tack shows these first equestrians discovered that if they could literally rein in the front part of the horse, the rest would follow. Simple bridles from this time and nothing more that sinew places around the nose or rawhide looped around the lower jaw. These simple bridles have been found around the Black Sea.
Once the horse could be controlled humankind's horizon expanded, with civilization migrating southward to the "fertile crescent" area of the Near East. By the second millennium, horses were pulling chariots throughout Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia and even China. In the Near East, humans were sitting on top horses too. Horsemanship began to take on a new importance because horses were useful in warfare and hunting. As our relationship with horses developed so did their tack. The Chinese have been credited in developing the stirrup and the horseshoe. Some of the earliest true bits, developed around 1,500BCE, were discovered in the Near East.
Horses were a commodity enjoyed by the wealthy and the powerful. Chariots, adorned for royalty, were a representative for of wealth and importance. The horses that pulled them were similarly decorated, with anything from simple head plumes to elaborate bronze harness-work. The horse quickly became a status symbol.
There is evidence that horses were first ridden as much as 5,000 or more years ago. This evidence is from bits being found in archaeological dig sits. Horse skeletons were also found that indicate the horse had tooth wear from a bit.
Early riders clung to horses with little say in where they went, but they were determined to establish control. Some of the earliest tack shows these first equestrians discovered that if they could literally rein in the front part of the horse, the rest would follow. Simple bridles from this time and nothing more that sinew places around the nose or rawhide looped around the lower jaw. These simple bridles have been found around the Black Sea.
Once the horse could be controlled humankind's horizon expanded, with civilization migrating southward to the "fertile crescent" area of the Near East. By the second millennium, horses were pulling chariots throughout Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia and even China. In the Near East, humans were sitting on top horses too. Horsemanship began to take on a new importance because horses were useful in warfare and hunting. As our relationship with horses developed so did their tack. The Chinese have been credited in developing the stirrup and the horseshoe. Some of the earliest true bits, developed around 1,500BCE, were discovered in the Near East.
Horses were a commodity enjoyed by the wealthy and the powerful. Chariots, adorned for royalty, were a representative for of wealth and importance. The horses that pulled them were similarly decorated, with anything from simple head plumes to elaborate bronze harness-work. The horse quickly became a status symbol.