Choosing the BEST Horse Riding Tack!

When it comes to what type of horse riding tack to use, the options are endless, and it can seem a bit daunting. The first and most obvious factor is what type of riding you do: English or Western. This naturally helps you decide if you need an English saddle and bridle, or a Western saddle and bridle, but that's about it.

When I first starting riding as a child, I simply used the tack that was given to me. I didn't know any different...it came with the horse, and I was just so thrilled ~and terrified, let's be honest~ to be riding, that you could have strapped a wheelbarrow to my horse and I'd have been happy! I was just sitting there hanging on and riding!

Now that my current horses are old enough to be ridden though, there are many factors that I've had to think about, and I recommend you do the same when picking the saddle you are going to ride in.

Saddles

Should you use a traditional treed saddle or a treeless saddle? What's the difference? For more details about each kind of saddle click on the blue links to a page about each saddle. The main difference though is that a treed saddle is built upon a hard frame called a tree, usually wood, fibreglass or plastic. A treeless saddle doesn't have this hard frame, instead it has dense foam cushions, and often removable inserts that help keep the rider's weight off the spine.

New or Used Saddle

Should you buy a new saddle, or can you find a good quality used saddle that meets your needs? You have to really know what you're looking for, and looking at, when considering a used saddle to make sure there aren't any serious flaws or hidden damage that could pose a safety hazard.

It's always a good idea to try the used saddle before purchasing it, to make sure it will fit you and your horse, as you won't often have a return policy to fall back on with a used saddle purchase.

Bridles

The next big decision when choosing your horse riding tack has to do with the bridle. Bitless bridles are a natural choice for me as I know that my horse won't simply be responding to me in order to avoid the pain associated with a metal bit.Click here to learn more about bitless bridles.

Both you and your horse may benefit from removing a painful bit from your relationship, and hanging a bitless bridle in your tack room!

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