HORSE TACK

'Tack' is a term used to describe any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. Saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, and breastplates are all forms of horse tack.

Contents

Saddles

Stirrups

Bridles and halters

Reins

Bits and hackamores

Bits

Hackamores

Harness

Breastplates and Martingales

Associated Accoutrements

See also

External links

Saddles

Main articles: Saddle


'Saddles' are seats for the rider, fastened to the horse's back by means of a ''girth'' (English-style riding) or ''cinch'' (Western-style), a wide strap that goes around the horse at a point about four inches behind the forelegs. Some western saddles will also have a second strap known as a ''flank'' or ''back cinch'' that fastens at the rear of the saddle and goes around the widest part of the horse's belly.
It is important that the saddle is comfortable for both the rider and the horse—an improperly fitting saddle may create pressure points on the horse's back muscle (Latissimus dorsi) and cause the horse pain and can lead to the horse, rider, or both getting injured.
There are many types of saddles, each specially designed for its given task.
Saddles are usually divided into two major categories, "English saddles" and "Western saddles" according to riding discipline they are used in. Other types of saddles, such as racing saddles, Australian saddles, and endurance saddles do not fit in either category.

A new class of saddles have no tree inside (''treeless saddles''); they are mainly used for pleasure and trail riding and endurance.

★ English saddles

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★ Jumping or close contact saddle

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★ Dressage saddle

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★ Polo saddle

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★ Lane Fox, also known as a "Saddle Seat" or "Park" saddle

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★ Racing saddle

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★ Show saddle (gaited)

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★ A/P or All Purpose (G/P General Purpose)

★ Western saddle

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★ Roping saddle

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★ Barrel racing saddle

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★ Endurance saddle

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★ Trail saddle

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★ Pleasure saddle

★ Sidesaddle

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★ English sidesaddle

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★ Western sidesaddle

★ Military saddle

★ Australian Stock Saddle

★ Treeless saddle
For the parts of the English saddle, see English saddle or Parts of the English Saddle.
For the parts of the Western Saddle, see Parts of the Western Saddle.

Stirrups

Main articles: Stirrup

Stirrups are supports for the rider's feet that hang down on either side of the ''saddle''. The invention of stirrups was of great significance in mounted combat, giving the rider a secure footing while on horseback. At the same time the stirrups are problematic due to the tendency for feet to get stuck in them in dire moments, causing the rider to be dragged. Because of this danger saddlers have developed both ''safety stirrups'' or peacock stirrups —which are either shaped to allow the rider's foot to slip out easily or are closed with a rubber band—and ''safety stirrup bars'' that are hangers for the stirrup leather that allow it to detach from the saddle in an emergency.

Bridles and halters

Main articles: Bridle, Halter



'Bridles' and 'halters' (''British English:'' headcollars) are an arrangement of straps around the horse's head used for control and communication with the animal.
The halter is the simplest piece of equipment, consisting of a noseband and headstall that buckles around the horse's head and allows the horse to be led or tied. The lead rope may be short, no more than 10 feet long, for everyday leading and tying, or much longer, up to 25 feet, for tasks such as for leading packhorses or for picketing a horse out to graze. Some horses, particularly stallions, may have a chain attached to the lead rope and placed over the nose or under the jaw to increase the control provided by a halter while being led. Most of the time, horses are not ridden with a halter, as it offers insufficient precision and control. Halters have no bit.
Bridles often contain a ''bit'' (see below) attached to ''reins'' and are used for riding and driving horses.
A 'hackamore' (see section below) is a type of bitless bridle usually used to train young horses, or to go easy on an older horse's mouth. Hackamores or bosals are more often seen in western riding.
'English Bridles' have a ''cavesson'' style noseband and are seen in English riding. Their reins are buckled to one another, and they have little adornment or flashy hardware.
'Western Bridles' used in Western riding usually have no noseband, are made of thin bridle leather, with "Split" reins or closed ''Romal'' style reins. Western bridles are often adorned with silver or other decorative features.
'Double bridles' are a type of English bridle that use two bits in the mouth at once, a snaffle and a curb. The two bits allow the rider to have very precise control of the horse. As a rule, only very advanced horses and riders use double bridles. Double bridles are usually seen in the top levels of dressage, but also are seen in certain types of show hack and Saddle seat competition.
A 'longeing cavesson' is a special type of halter used for ''longeing'' a horse. Longeing is the activity of having a horse walk, trot and/or canter in a large circle around the handler at the end of a rope that is 25 to 30 feet long. It is used for training and exercise.

Reins

Main articles: Rein

'Reins' consist of leather straps or rope attached to the outer ends of a ''bit'' and extend to the rider's or driver's hands. Reins are the means by which a horse rider or driver communicates directional commands to the horse's head. Pulling on the reins can be used to steer or stop the horse. The sides of a horse's mouth are sensitive, so pulling on the reins pulls the bit, which then pulls the horse's head from side to side, which is how the horse is controlled.
On some types of harnesses there might be supporting rings to carry the reins over the horse's back. When pairs of horses are used in drawing a wagon or coach it is usual for the outer side of each pair to be connected to reins and the inside of the bits connected by a short bridging strap or rope. The driver carries "four-in-hand" or "six-in-hand" being the number of reins connecting to the pairs of horses.
A rein may be attached to a halter to lead or guide the horse in a circle for training purposes or to lead a packhorse, but a simple lead rope is more often used for these purposes. A Longe line is sometimes called a "longe rein," but it is actually a flat line about 30 feet long, usually made of nylon or cotton web, about one inch wide, thus longer and wider than even a driving rein.
Horses should never be tied by the reins. Not only do they break easily, but, being attached to a bit in the horse's sensitive mouth, a great deal of pain can be infliected if a bridled horse sets back against being tied.

Bits and hackamores

Bits and hackamores are used on the head of a horse for control and communication with the horse. A bit is a device placed in a horse's mouth, a hackamore is a device that goes around the horse's nose. Both are kept on a horse's head by means of a headstall. The horse's mouth and nose are both very sensitive areas, and thus both hackamores and bits need to be handled carefully. However, each can be useful for specific types of riding and training.

Bits

The mouthpiece of the bit does not rest on the teeth of the horse, but rather rests on the gums or "bars" of the horse's mouth in an interdental space behind the front incisors and in front of the back molars. It is important that the style of bit is appropriate to the horse's needs and is fitted properly for it to function properly and be as comfortable as possible for the horse.
The basic "classic" styles of bits are:

★ Curb bit

★ Snaffle bit

★ Pelham bit

★ Weymouth or Double Bridle
While there are literally hundreds of types of bit mouthpieces, bit rings and shanks, essentially there are really only two broad categories: direct pressure bits, broadly termed snaffles; and leverage bits, usually termed curbs.
Bits that act with direct pressure on the tongue and lips of the bit are in the general category of ''snaffle'' bits. Snaffle bits commonly have a single jointed mouthpiece and act with a nutcracker effect on the bars, tongue and occasionally roof of the mouth. However, regardless of mouthpiece, any bit that operates only on direct pressure is a "snaffle" bit.
Leverage bits have shanks coming off the mouthpiece to create leverage that applies pressure to the poll, chin groove and mouth of the horse are in the category of ''curb'' bits. Most, though not all curb bit mouthpieces are solid without joints. However, any bit with shanks that works only off of leverage is a "curb" bit, regardless of mouthpiece.
Some combination or hybrid bits combine direct pressure and leverage, such as the Kimblewick or Kimberwicke, which adds slight leverage to a two-rein snaffle design; and the four rein designs such as the single mouthpiece Pelham bit and the double bridle, which places a curb and a snaffle bit simultaneously in the horse's mouth.
In the wrong hands even the mildest bit can hurt the horse. Conversely, a very severe bit, in the right hands, can transmit subtle commands that cause no pain to the horse. Bit commands should be given with only the quietest movements of the hands, and much steering and stopping should be done with the legs and seat.

Hackamores

The word "hackamore" is derived from the Spanish word ''jaquima.'' Hackamores are seen in western riding disciplines, as well as in endurance riding and English riding disciplines such as show jumping and the stadium phase of eventing. While usually used to start young horses, they are often seen on mature horses with dental issues that make bit use painful and on horses with mouth or tongue injuries. Some riders also like to use them in the winter to avoid putting a frozen metal bit into a horse's mouth.
Like a bit, a hackamore can be gentle or harsh, depending on the hands of the rider. It is a myth that a bit is cruel and a hackamore is gentler. The horse's face is very soft and sensitive with many nerve endings. Misuse of a hackamore can cause damage to the bones and cartilage of the horse's nose and jaw.
The basic types of Hackamores are:

★ The 'bosal' is seen in western-style riding, made of braided rawhide and knotted below the chin, with the reins attached to the knot. Bosals are used to start young horses and while intended to be gentle, are only gentle when in the hands of an experienced trainer and are not headgear that should be used by beginners.

★ The 'sidepull' attaches the reins to either side of the hackamore's noseband, directly pulling the head from side to side. It is especially useful on young horses, to teach them to turn their heads. If made of softer materials, it is also a good bridle for beginners to use, so that they don't injure their horses' mouths as they learn the rein aids. English riders sometimes use a ''jumping cavesson,'' which is a heavy leather nosepiece with rings on the sides for reins, similar to a sidepull, but more closely fitting and able to transmit more subtle commands

★ A 'mechanical hackamore', also known as a ''hackamore bit'' or a ''brockamore'', is not a true hackamore, even though it has no bit. It has long, metal shanks and a curb chain, making it work similarly to a curb bit. The shanks and curb chain increase pressure on the nose and make it harsher, which helps to stop the horse. They are most commonly seen in rodeo events, trail riding, and in the show jumping arena.

Harness

A horse harness is a set of devices and straps that attaches a horse to a cart, carriage, sledge or any other load. There are two main styles of harnesses - breastcollar and hame style. The latter requiring the use of a separate horse collar.
A harness that is used solely for heavy draft work will have a bridle, reins, horse collar hames, and traces. A harness that is used to support shafts, such as on a cart pulled by a single horse, will also have a ''saddle'' attached to the harness to help the horse support the shafts and ''breeching'' to brake the forward motion of the vehicle, especially when stopping or moving downhill. Horses guiding vehicles by means of a pole, such as two-horse teams pulling a wagon, a hay-mower, or a dray, will have ''pole-straps'' attached to the lower part of the horse collar.

Breastplates and Martingales

Main articles: Breastplate (tack), Martingale (tack)

'Breastplates', 'breastcollars' or 'breastgirths' attach to the front of the saddle, cross the horse's chest, and usually have a strap that runs between the horse's front legs and attaches to the girth. They keep the saddle from sliding back or sideways. They are usually seen in demanding, fast-paced sports. They are crucial pieces of safety equipment for English riding activities requiring jumping, such as eventing, show jumping, polo, and fox hunting. They are also seen in Western riding events, particularly in rodeo, reining and cutting, where it is particularly important to prevent a saddle from shifting. They may also be worn in other horse show classes for decorative purposes.
A 'martingale' is a piece of equipment that keeps a horse from raising its head too high. Various styles can be used as a control measure, to prevent the horse from avoiding rider commands by raising its head out of position; or as a safety measure to keep the horse from tossing its head high or hard enough to smack its rider in the face.
They are allowed in many types of competition, especially those where speed or jumping may be required, but are not allowed in most "flat" classes at horse shows, though an exception is made in a few classes limited exclusively to young or "green" horses who may not yet be fully trained.
Martingales are usually attached to the horse one of two ways. They are either attached to the center chest ring of a breastplate or, if no breastplate is worn, they are attached by two straps, one that goes around the horse's neck, and the other that attaches to the girth, with the martingale itself beginning at the point in the center of the chest where the neck and girth straps intersect.
Martingale types include:

★ Running martingale: This design adds leverage to a bit and features a split ''fork'' beginning at the chest with a ring on each side of the fork through which the reins pass, enabling the rider to more easily keep the horse under control, but also allowing the horse freedom of movement when needed. Fitted correctly, the running martingale only controls how high the horse carries its head when the rider tightens the reins. The standard adjustment of a running martingale is to set the rings at a height where they do not engage and add leverage to the reins when the horse carries its head at the proper height. Sometimes a running martingale may be adjusted at a greater or lesser length depending on the needs of the horse and rider.

★ Standing martingale: A design with one strap that runs from the girth or the chest and attaches to the noseband of the bridle. The standing martingale acts on the horse's nose and creates an absolute limit to how high a horse can raise its head. The term used in western riding for this piece of equipment is the ''tie down''. Standard adjustment of a standing martingale allows enough slack to bring the strap to the horse's throatlatch when the animal has its head in a relaxed, natural position. However, it is sometimes adjusted shorter. Unlike the running martingale, it limits the freedom of the horse's head, no matter how long or short the reins may be. While standing martingales are common in show hunter and equitation classes, the limits placed on the horse's movement are dangerous for cross-country riding or show jumping. Therefore, in these disciplines, a running martingale is necessary for safety reasons, if a martingale is used at all.

★ German martingale: This design consists of a split fork that comes up from the chest, runs through the rings of the bit and attaches to the reins of the bridle between the bit and the rider's hand. It acts in a manner similar to a running martingale, but with greater leverage. It is not usually considered show legal and is used primarily as a training aid.

★ Irish martingale: Unlike the previous designs, this very simple "martingale" does not control the height of the horse's head, but merely keeps the reins from going over the horse's head in the result of a fall. It consists of a piece of leather with a ring on each end through which each rein runs.
There are other training devices that fall loosely in the martingale category, in that they use straps attached to the reins or bit which limit the movement of the horse's head or add leverage to the rider's hands in order to control the horse's head. Common devices of this nature include the overcheck, the chambon, grazing reins, draw reins and the "bitting harness" or "bitting rig." However, most of this equipment is used for training purposes and is not legal in any competition. In some disciplines, use of leverage devices, even in training, is controversial.

Associated Accoutrements

★ Spurs

★ Whip

★ Crop

See also

★ Barding

★ Caparison

External links

★ Society of the Military Horse