To tack up a horse means to put on the equipment needed to make a horse ready for riding.  Learning to tack a horse properly is very important to the rider as much as to the horse.  You will need a saddle complete with girth strap and stirrups, saddle blanket, and bridle.

Before putting anything on your horse you must be sure he is brushed and groomed.  If you put a saddle on with dirt underneath it will rub on your horse causing irritation.  When the coat is clean, the you made start.  Always put on all take while standing on the horses left side.

Tie your horse up with a lead rope to his halter, usually nylon.  Make sure he is well secured as horses have a way of getting tangled up when you aren't looking.  Put the saddle blanket on first, placing it in the proper place up towards the withers.  Then on top of that place the saddle.  Make sure the blanket and saddle are pulled up far enough to the withers.  On a western saddle there can be two straps called cinches.  Usually one cinch in the front and one in the back.  The back Flank Billet or rear cinch should be secured about one inch away from the horses belly.  It doesn't need to be tightened.  The front cinch, which is the one you should do first, needs to be secured tightly.  Often the horse will take a large breath right before you cinch this one up so that you won't be able to tighten it sufficiently.  Just tighten it, wait a few minutes and walk the horse around, then try again.  Usually by that point the horse has let his breath out and you can secure it as needed.

Take your bridle and slip the bit into the horses mouth with your left hand on the bit and the right hand on the top of the bridle.  If you put a thumb in to the back of his lip he usually opens up for the bit to be inserted.  Pull it up and over each ear, then secure the small buckle on the right side of his face.  If the horse has lots of wrinkles on the sides of his mouth where the bit sits then it is too tight.  There should be only a slight wrinkle.  Pull up the reins around the horses neck and you are ready to go.

Don't forget to check the tightness of your cinch after a few minutes of riding.

If you have any questions on Horse supplies or Posh Pampered Pets, please call 979-221-7251 or email us at info@poshpamperedpets.com. Our home office is located in Waller, Texas, with warehouses located throughout the United States such as Detroit Michigan (MI), Indianapolis Indiana (IN), Jacksonville Florida (FL), San Francisco California (CA), , Kansas City MO, Miami, Florida (FL), Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (NC), Washington DC, Los Angeles, California (CA), Fayetteville, Arkansas ( AR), San Francisco California (CA), Columbus Ohio (OH).