One of my favorite things to do to clear my head is to saddle up and go for a horseback ride. Before one goes on a ride, the horse must be saddled properly. First, it must be brushed. This step is important because if the loose hair is not removed, the horse may try to do it himself, flinging the rider to the ground. After the horse is brushed, a saddle pad is placed on the horse’s back. The placement of the pad is critical for the comfort of the horse; it should be centered on the back as well as up to the withers (horse’s shoulders). An optional step could be placing a blanket beneath the pad. Then it’s time for the saddle. When saddling, the horse should be approached from the left side and the saddle positioned so that
One of my favorite things to do to clear my head is to saddle up and go for a horseback ride. Before one goes on a ride, the horse must be saddled properly. First, it must be brushed. This step is important because if the loose hair is not removed, the horse may try to do it himself, flinging the rider to the ground. After the horse is brushed, a saddle pad is placed on the horse’s back. The placement of the pad is critical for the comfort of the horse; it should be centered on the back as well as up to the withers (horse’s shoulders). An optional step could be placing a blanket beneath the pad. Then it’s time for the saddle. When saddling, the horse should be approached from the left side and the saddle positioned so that