Why Do Horses Need Shoes?

Shoes protect your horses' hoof. Some horses' hooves get sore if they walk on pavement or rocky ground when they're barefoot, so if you like to hit the trails a lot and travel over ground like this your horse may need shoes. Some horses, however are fine without shoes.

Whether or not your horse wears shoes depends on what work he is expected to do. If he's going to jump a lot, he will need shoes because he will be landing hard on his hooves. If he doesn't, he risks having his hooves spread, or split! However, if you mostly trail ride over soil or grass your horse is less likely to need shoes.

Farriers are people that work with horses' feet. It's good to have your farrier come regularly (every 6-8 weeks) because horses' hooves grow over time. Then the farrier trims them. They can also check if your horse is lame or has any hoof problems like thrush.

There are even therapeutic shoes for horses with leg/hoof problems like navicular.

This shoe (Imprint First Therapeutic Plastic Horseshoe) is made for early treatment of laminitis.

Farrier tools

Tack Locker: Cleaning Day..

So now that you know your basic tack, we're gunna talk about cleaning it. If you don't clean your tack regularly it will wear down and soon you'll be looking for something to replace it! It's a good idea to clean tack once a week. This is where knowing parts of the saddle and bridle come in handy! You're going to have to know what hole your stirrup leathers are on, and of course most parts of your bridle. I like to write it down on my phone or a notebook so I can look at it when I forget.

Cleaning a saddle:

You will need a saddle rack, saddle soap (glycerin or something else), leather conditioner (if it's leather), a sponge, a clean cloth, a bucket, and a soft toothbrush.

Take out the stirrup leathers.

Fill your bucket with warm water (it doesn't have to be filled to the brim!). Dip the sponge in it and squeeze the water out thoroughly, then wipe it over the saddle. Then rub the sponge on some saddle soap and wipe it over the saddle. Make sure you take your time and don't just quickly swipe the sponge over your saddle!

Take your cloth and wipe off any suds. If there aren't any suds you don't have to wipe it off, the soap dries off. If there's still some hard pressed dirt, take your toothbrush, rub it on the soap and scrub it off.

Take another sponge and put some leather conditioner on it. Make sure it goes over every part of your saddle and then let it dry.

For stirrup leathers I like to use a toothbrush to clean it instead of a sponge, but you can use a sponge. Do the same things and use the leather conditioner on it.

Now you have a nice shiny saddle! You can put a saddle cover over it to prevent it from getting dusty.

Saddle soaps and conditioners come in sprays, bars, and wipes. Experiment to see what YOU like best! :P

Cleaning a bridle:

Pretty much the same supplies as above, besides the saddle rack.

Find a good place to hang up your bridle. Or find a bench or table and take it apart. Lay every piece separately so you don't get it all tangled up.

Fill up a bucket with hot water and drop the bit in. You can let it soak while you clean.

Take a toothbrush (can be the same one used for cleaning your saddle) and put some soap on it (like glycerin or Saddle Soap) and scrub over every piece of your bridle. Make sure to rinse off the toothbrush when it gets really dirty and reapply the soap. You can use a toothpick to get through the holes.

Condition it like you would a saddle and let it dry. If you want your bridle REALLY shiny you can oil it. Oiling your bridle also prevents cracks. If you want to oil your bridle, get some newspaper so that you don't get the surface you're working on dirty. Then rub the bridle down to remove most of the oil.

Now to your bit. Take your toothbrush (after thoroughly rinsing it out) and put toothpaste (yes, toothpaste!) on it. Take your bit out and scrub everywhere, getting grass and dirt stains out as best as you can. The toothpaste makes the bit taste better to your horse. :)

Now put your bridle back together.


Cleaning tack isn't very fun but it's for the welfare of your horse and the tack itself to prevent cracks!

Some examples of supplies used to clean tack!

Tack Locker: Bridles

A bridle is what goes on a horses head. It helps you control and steer the horse. Bridles come in different colors and styles, but here are the basic bridles used for riding!

English bridle:

Western Bridle:

Bitless Bridle: 

Bits vary greatly, but each horse has their preference. That's right, horses have different tastes for bits! One horse may be very willing to be ridden in a fat snaffle bit, but another may need more control. When buying a bit for your horse be ready to try a few before finding that perfect bit!

Sometimes bits are double jointed, meaning they have something in the middle, called French Links or Dr. Bristol.

French Link D-Ring Snaffle Bit

Dr. Bristol Full Cheek Snaffle

 













 Try going to a tack shop/website and look through their bits and their names. :)

Do not attempt to ride your horse in a bitless bridle unless you're sure they have been ridden in one before and you can control them.

Next post is gunna explain how to clean saddles and bridles!

Tack Locker: Parts of English and Western saddles

It's important to know what each part of the saddle is called because they help you have a balanced seat suited for your discipline.


Parts of an English saddle

 

 

 

 

Parts of a Western Saddle

 

Tack Locker: Saddles

"Tack" is a word used for the equipment used for riding your horse. There are some basic ones like saddles and bridles but there are others not always used by everyone like martingales and horse boots.

There are many, many different kinds of saddles for all disciplines.

English Saddles

Dressage

Aussie Stock (used for trails and endurance)

Jumping

All Purpose (jumping and dressage)

Cut back (saddleseat)

Racing (Flat racing)

Racing (Steeplechase)






Western Saddles


 
Penning and all-event (training, penning, and roping)













Barrel Racing

Pleasure (trails)









Show/ Equitation\

Roping

Cutting

Old Time Ranch

Ranch (Roping)

Show

Training

Reining







PHEW. That's a lotta saddles. :p

An example of two people riding English (the one closest in the picture) and Western!

Grooming!

I love to come to the barn and spend up to an hour just grooming my lease pony. Grooming is great for bonding! It also helps your horse have a shiny coat because it spreads the natural oils in its skin. That's why you should be careful not to bathe your horse too much, because that takes those natural oils away!

This post is going to introduce the MAIN grooming tools used:

Hoof pick:  It's a good idea to start with the hoof pick because it's most important, especially if you're in a rush. The hoof pick keeps your horses' hooves clean and free of rocks. Cleaning your horses' hooves also helps you notice signs of lameness and thrush.











Curry comb: This brush comes in many different styles. Its used to bring up loose dirt and hair. It's used by going along the horses' body in a circular motion. DO NOT use on your horses' sensitive face and legs!

Dandy brush: This brush is hard bristled and should be used on the BODY ONLY. It's too stiff to be used on your horses' sensitive face and legs. It's usually used after the curry comb to sweep away the brought up hair and dirt. You should brush along the way your horses' hair grows.

Body brush: The body brush is soft and is used to finish the job of the dandy brush and to brush the horses' legs.











Comb: Used to brush out a horses' mane and tail. If a horses' mane or tail is really tangled though it would be better to use your fingers, because with a comb the hairs may break. It is also used to pull manes.














Face brush: A very very soft brush (usually pretty small) that is used for the face.









There are a lot more grooming tools used today, but these are just the essentials. It's a good idea to groom your horse every day to help them have a healthy coat. It's also fun to figure out where your horses' "itchy" spots are! :)

So What Are...Horses?

A lot of people wonder what draws so many people to horses or equestrian sports. Just like any sport, riding takes a lot of concentration, muscle, and skill. Horses are beautiful, powerful, and sensitive creatures. Every-time you deal with a horse, whether on the ground or in the saddle, you are either training it or untraining it. However, horses also provide companionship. There is nothing better than hugging your favorite horse or pony and just grooming it or hanging out with it. Now let's get to the point!