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How To Saddle A Horse - Page 3 of 3
How to saddle a horse in step-by-step photos. This is
page three of three and covers lifting the saddle pad into the gullet, the back
cinch, the breast collar, and unsaddling a horse.
<<< continued from page 2
Raising The Pad Into The Saddle Gullet
This next step is optional, but practiced by a large
number of riders.
Many riders feel that the
pressure of the saddle can sometimes push the
saddle pad down too tightly over the withers.
To remedy this, these riders will slide their hand underneath the saddle pad at the
withers then push down with their fingers. This will cause the back of their
hand to raise up against the bottom of the saddle pad, lifting it upward into the gullet of the saddle
and
resulting in a little bit of extra room between the saddle pad and
the withers.
Tip: You may have to loosen the front cinch a little during this
step. |
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Buckle The Back Cinch
Buckle the back cinch. The purpose of the back cinch is to keep
the back of the saddle from raising up during riding or roping. With this in
mind the back cinch, when buckled, should be very close to the horse's belly. A
back cinch that is excessively loose and hangs down several inches cannot only
not do its job, it is a potential safety hazard.
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Buckle The Breast Collar
Buckle the
breast collar. If your breast collar is the
type that has a strap that runs between the front legs, first buckle the
left side of the breast collar to the saddle (shown) then run the strap
between the front legs and snap it to the front ring on the front cinch.
There are different styles of breast collars. Not all of them
are designed to be buckled around the pommel of the saddle
as shown in the photo. Some of them are designed to be buckled to the D-ring on the saddle's
front rigging, or to special rings on the front of the saddle. Fasten your breast collar to the saddle the way it was
designed to be fastened. |
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Finished Saddling
When you're finished, step back and look things over. It's a good idea to
walk around to the other side of the horse and make sure everything looks good over there, too. Remember, at this point the front cinch
is just snug enough to keep the saddle secure while saddling or while the horse
is standing still. It will probably need to
be tightened before you're ready to ride.
Unsaddling A Horse
When you are ready to take the saddle off of your horse:
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Unbuckle the back cinch and the
breast collar before you undo the front cinch. Your
front cinch is the main thing that keeps the
saddle secure and upright on the horse. Unbuckling the front cinch while
leaving the back cinch and/or breast collar fastened could allow the saddle
to slip underneath the horse and cause a serious wreck for the horse,
equipment, and any people or property nearby.
How To Saddle A Horse (you are on page 3 of 3)
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