A safe and fun way to saddle your horse!
Steps
Step 1. Find a good tamed horse
Step 2. Tie the horse to a secure spot on a trailer or bar using its halter
Step 3. Make sure the horse is in a safe place (away from anything it can kick or rub) and go get the saddle, blanket, padding, brush and comb
Step 4. Brush the horse to get rid of all dirt, mud and anything else
This will ensure that the pad, blanket and saddle do not rub together and irritate the horse.
Step 5. Stay at the base of your horse's neck and put the padding first
Step 6. The blanket goes over the padding
Make sure it is the right way round and the same length on both sides. Also make sure that it covers all the padding. The blanket and padding should be centered on the horse's back and far enough away from the shoulders, so that some remains in front of the saddle.
Step 7. Mount the saddle on the horse's back
The padding is the right size for the saddle, so make sure it is centered under the saddle so that the saddle does not rub against the horse. Also, check that the blanket is even in front, back and sides so that it does not pile up under the saddle. Otherwise it could irritate the horse.
Step 8. Pull the rag tightly
Bring it under the shoulders of the horse and pass the leather lace attached on the other side through the circular ring on the rag. Irritable horses will hold their breath so even if it is too tight, as soon as they exhale, the saddle will be loosened. To address this, take the horse for a short walk (40-50 meters) - or have it go around in circles. This will force him to breathe and you can tighten the saddle again.
Step 9. After tying the leather lace into the circular ring, pull it tightly and insert the metal hook into the loop of the lace that holds it tight
Or you can tie it if there are no holes in the lace.
Step 10. Don't forget to check the lanyard and make sure it is tight before getting on the saddle, otherwise you may fall over while riding
Review the trick to try with irascible horses described above.
Step 11. Make sure the lace is not too tight, or it could injure the horse
Imagine if someone tightened your belt too much and then asked you to perform.
Advice
Start with a tame horse if this is your first time
Warnings
- If it's summer, watch out for the kicks that the horse throws at the flies, it could hit you.
- Not putting the saddle tight enough could cause big problems for the saddle to slide off or move sideways while riding or trying to mount. See the previous steps to learn how to re-tighten the saddle (i.e. make them walk a few meters).
- Watch out for the horse's back, you might get kicked.
