So you bought a new horse. Want to keep it the same?
Make sure your saddle fits and is placed in the right place. Sweat marks should be even and no dry spots. We like airflex girths.
We ride on the scapula, not behind. Saddles need to sit level and stay level while riding and still be level when you are done riding. There needs to be space between the front of your saddle and the wither/pad before, during and after riding.
Western: We ride a 3/4 rig, 7 inch gullet with flared front on a flat bar tree for the majority of our horses. We use several different pads to ensure fit. We ride Kowalsky Saddles that our friends make for us.
Most of our western horses ride in a 3 piece o-ring. A few like the short shank myler.
What tree is in your saddle? FQHB is not an answer. There is no industry standard and varies by manufacturer.
Full rig doesnt stay on the shoulder unless your horse has a very sloped shoulder blade and the majority of horses do not. However, this typically fits a mule well.
Does your horse have a long wither? We find trees with a flat bar fit this better than a twist or rock to the bar.
English: We ride wide trees and, for most horses, with a half pad. We use the back two billets to keep the saddle in place on most horses. For the rare horse that is built down hill we use the front 2 billets.
If saddles dont fit, they can cause PAIN. This can make a saintly horse GRUMPY or worse. Same can go for bits.
Most of our horses ride in a 3 piece dee ring with a lozenger.
Make sure your horse has turn out. Lots of it. Horses have a better brain and life with lots of turn out.
Make sure you use the same bit.
Make sure you dont feed more than the energy you are using.
All of a sudden temperment changes? Does it need a routine chiropractic adjustment? I know I need them.
Farrier should be 4 to 6 weeks in the summer and 6 to 8 weeks in the winter. Can vary depending on your horse.
Dental every 6 months to 12 months depending on the horse, starting with exams at 1 yr old.
This is the same horse. First pic is here with our snaffle bit & a saddle that fits.
2nd pic shank bit. Full rig, narrow saddle, sitting downhill & behind the shoulder.
Which looks more comfortable?
Typical bits we use
Everytime you handle or ride your horse, you are teaching it. Whether that is teaching it right or teaching it wrong. Lessons are valuable. No one should be unteachable.
If this horse is good for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 months or a year, etc...
Then its "not good" there is probably a problem that can be addressed above.....
1. The vast majority of calories should come from forage (grass, hay or hay pellets)
2. Never ever let him sit in a stall for 24 hours. Think about it – would you like to be locked in your bathroom for 24 hours? It’s just not fair. The ideal is pasture life but I know it’s just not an option everywhere. Just do the best you can and be fair to the horse.
3. Beginner horses should be “tuned up" peroidically. Lesson barns know that they have to have their advanced students, or the trainer, ride the school horses periodically in order to fix beginner-created habits like stopping at the gate, refusing to take a canter lead, and cutting the corners of the arenas.
4. A bigger bit in beginner hands solves nothing and can easily create a variety of dangerous behaviors.
5. Beginner riders: TAKE LESSONS. Truer words were never spoken! The better you ride, the better horses will behave for you.
2. Never ever let him sit in a stall for 24 hours. Think about it – would you like to be locked in your bathroom for 24 hours? It’s just not fair. The ideal is pasture life but I know it’s just not an option everywhere. Just do the best you can and be fair to the horse.
3. Beginner horses should be “tuned up" peroidically. Lesson barns know that they have to have their advanced students, or the trainer, ride the school horses periodically in order to fix beginner-created habits like stopping at the gate, refusing to take a canter lead, and cutting the corners of the arenas.
4. A bigger bit in beginner hands solves nothing and can easily create a variety of dangerous behaviors.
5. Beginner riders: TAKE LESSONS. Truer words were never spoken! The better you ride, the better horses will behave for you.