| When you enter a horse tack shop for the first time, it | | | | know what he is talking about. You had best tighten |
| can be quite an eye opener. You may only have a | | | | your girth before the saddle slips and you're planted on |
| single horse or pony and yet the store is filled with | | | | the ground. |
| hundreds of tempting pieces of tack, equipment and | | | | When you are first starting out with English riding you |
| horse supplies to take home. | | | | can keep it simple by buying an all purpose or general |
| As a first time buyer of tack you can reduce the | | | | purpose saddle and a bridle with a snaffle bit. A |
| temptation and even overwhelming task by simply | | | | general purpose saddle gives you the wider range of |
| deciding on the basics to buy before entering the tack | | | | disciplines, allowing you to use the same saddle for |
| shop. The basic tack you will be looking to buy would | | | | dressage, show jumping and trail riding- competitions in |
| consist of a bridle and saddle for riding, a halter and | | | | these disciplines are excluded of course. |
| lead rope for handling your horse. That is only a few | | | | Protective boots are used on horses to prevent injury |
| items and yet they can take up most of a tack shops | | | | and some offer support to the limbs. Some people use |
| space. | | | | bandages and others use boots, it is good for a rider |
| Firstly you should be set on a sport or discipline that | | | | to know the difference so that the horse has the best |
| way you will know whether you need to focus on | | | | benefit from the tack. |
| Western or English tack. Further within each of those | | | | Often people will buy additional tack once they have |
| are sub categories such as dressage, show jumping, | | | | developed a working relationship with their horse. An |
| barrel racing or roping. | | | | instructor can also advise you as to what tack could |
| It is very helpful to either read up in a book about tack | | | | benefit both yourself as a rider and your horse such |
| or talk to a knowledgeable horse person who can help | | | | as a martingale. You could use a martingale whilst |
| you decide what will suit you best. Do you buy a | | | | training your horse for dressage to keep him from |
| general purpose saddle or a dressage saddle? | | | | raising his head too high, but a martingale is not |
| Knowing what each is used for will help you determine | | | | permitted in a dressage competition. |
| which suits you best. When money is limited you really | | | | As a general horse rider you certainly do not have to |
| want to buy the tack that is best suited to the job and | | | | memorize all the different pieces of tack, but it is |
| has quality in workmanship. That way your tack will | | | | important to know the basics. The more involved and |
| when well cared for, last a long time. | | | | competitive you become; the more horses you own |
| Another reason to know the basics about tack such | | | | the more tack you may find yourself learning about |
| as there uses, names and descriptions is so that when | | | | and purchasing. |
| your instructor says that your girth is too loose; you | | | | |