Horse Saddle Analysis

Introduction to Tack 101
Introduction:
Tack is used to dress the horse in necessary equipment for a safe riding experience. Western tack is used during rodeo events, to herd cattle and for leisure riding. Today, we will be learning the proper way to dress the horse in a western tack. I will address the necessary parts already attached to the bridal and saddle that needs to be altered to be able to fit the horse properly.
Components:
The saddle has many components, but some of them serve different purposes for different types riding. The most basic parts of the saddle is the skirt, flank billet, flank cinch, front cinch connecting strap, and the stirrups. The skirt needs to be applied first to make a barrier between the leather saddle and the horse. The flank billet is used to loosen or tighten the flank cinch if the horse is too big or too small for the saddle. The flank cinch is used to tighten or loosen the strap that fits around the girth of the horse. The front cinch is adjustable and fits around the rub cage of the horse. The connecting cinch attaches the front cinch and the flank cinch together underneath the horse. The stirrups should be approximately the length of the riders arm to ensure that the ball of the rider’s foot rests in the bottom of the stirrup and the knee has about a 45 degree angle.
For example, the rear saddle strings are used to tie on things such as a sweatshirt, sleeping bag, ect but the front saddle strings can be used to tie on an extra rope during rodeos or for herding cows. The horn is mainly used as a handle to help the rider on top of the horse, but it can also be used to wrap the reins around or tie a rope to during the roping events of a rodeo. All other components are mainly to ensure the rider is on the horse in the most secure but comfortable