How to Groom and Tack a Horse

Are you a beginner at horse riding and want to impress your instructor or friends with how easily you can groom and tack up? Well, you are in luck. Today, I will be going over how to properly groom and tack up your horse before you go out riding. By the end of this, you will know the knowledge of grooming supplies and the tack that is used, and how to use them properly.

Some simple grooming supplies used among all horse riders include the curry comb, a soft and hard bristled brush, a comb, and a hoof pick. When it comes to gathering tack, it all depends on how you ride, whether that is Western or English. Since most beginners start off riding English, we will be focusing on English-style riding. Some tack that you will need includes an English saddle (an all-purpose English saddle will do the best job), stirrups, leathers, a saddle pad, English girth, a breastplate, and of course, an English bridle. Later, I will explain the use of everything, so do not fret if you do not know what any of these terms mean.

The first step in getting your horse ready for riding is to groom it. Most horses can do pretty well with it and have no problem standing still, but to be sure, you should have a lead rope tied up whether it’s on the stall or if you have cross ties in your barn, that is even better. After you have your horse secured, go ahead and grab your bucket filled with the grooming supplies. Supplies that could be in there can include a Curry comb, hard-bristled brush, soft-bristled brush, wide-tooth comb, and a hoof pick. Some other supplies can be fly spray, washcloth, or sponge, but those are not necessary with this explanation.

The first step in grooming your horse is the curry comb, a small circular brush that is usually rubber. With this comb, you will want to rub in circular motions and work your way down the horse but avoid the legs and spine because these are sensitive areas. This comb will help loosen up any mud or dirt that is stuck in the horse’s coat. Follow up with a hard-bristled brush, which will help remove the mud and dirt loosened with the curry comb. With this brush, you should use short, brisk strokes and go in the direction of the horse’s hair. You should also avoid using this brush on the face, ears, and legs because it can cause discomfort. To clean the sensitive areas, you will use a soft-bristled brush using gentle strokes. Some steps that can also be done, but are not necessary, are taking a damp washcloth to the horse’s face to remove any dirt around the eyes. You can also take a comb through the horse’s mane and tail; please note you should not stand directly behind the horse when doing so.

One of the most essential steps before tacking up or riding your horse is to clean their hooves. With this step, you will be using the hoof pick, one side has a pick, and the other often has a brush. Most horses are good with lifting their legs to provide you with their hoof, usually doing so when you slide your hand down their leg. If they do not raise it, you can gently squeeze the tendon on their ankle, but not too hard, and they will happily lift it for you. Using the pick, scrape downwards to remove any dirt, rocks, or foreign objects that may injure your horse. Be careful not to use the pick on the frog of the hoof, which is a V-shaped area that can be extremely painful if nicked. Think of it as your nails; if you cut too far, it hurts; that is almost like the frog on the hoof. With the brush side on the pick, you can gently brush away any dirt that is on the frog or any loose rocks and dirt that you missed around.

Now that your horse is all groomed, it is ready to tack him/her up. It is vital that your horse is tacked up properly to avoid any discomfort or pinching of any sort. Always make sure everything is tightened enough so the saddle will not slide off, but not too tight where it will hurt your horse. The saddle pad will be the first thing put on your horse. Place the saddle pad directly onto the horse’s back and directly behind the withers, which is the base of the neck above the shoulders. I like to place it a little higher than that because it will slide down and contour to the horse’s back once the saddle is put on. After you have placed the saddle pad, swing the saddle up onto your horse. It should be placed at the base of your horse’s withers to avoid any pinching. Be careful not to put it too low as it will cause uneven weight, and the control of your horse will be hard. Be sure to adjust the saddle pad accordingly.

The next step is to attach the girth. The girth is attached to both sides of the saddle and goes under your horse, and acts almost like a belt. A girth has an elastic side and a nonelastic side, which will help you determine which side is left and right. You should start with the right side first, which is the nonelastic side. You should attach the girth to the billets on your saddle, which are flaps underneath the saddle that anchor in the saddle. There are several holes in the billets which help adjust the tightness of the girth. For the right side, it should start at hole one. After you have the right side, head on over to the left, or the elastic side, and tighten the girth. Generally, the girth is tightened on the second or third hole, but it depends on the horse. You want your girth to be tightened enough so the saddle will not fall, but not too tight. You should be able to fit four fingers between the girth and the horse.

The last step of the tacking-up process is to put on the bridle. Your horse should still be secured during this process, whether that is on a hitching post, in a stall, or on cross ties. You will want them secured because you will be taking off the halter that your horse wears on a regular basis, and you do not want them running off without a way of catching them. You should remove the halter from the horse’s head but leave it hanging around its neck; that way, they still do not run off. Stand on the left side of your horse, one hand holding the bit, which will go inside the horse’s mouth, and the headstall, which is the top of the bridle that goes over the ears and forehead. Insert the bit into the horse’s mouth and pull the bridle’s top over the horse’s ears. Buckle the bridle accordingly, and always make sure you can fit one to three fingers.

Bits are not always necessary, and not all horse riders use them. Some see them as cruel; others see them as a way of more control. I prefer not to use bits as sometimes they can pinch the horse’s gums and make them uncomfortable and uneasy to ride with. So, you can either use a bit or a bitless bridle; it all depends on how you want to ride. Once your bridle is secure, you can go ahead and unclasp the halter from the horse and remove it from the neck. Make sure you grab the reins, though!

There we have it. Your horse is now all groomed and tacked up and ready to ride! Before you get onto the horse, always double-check the girth and billets. If a billet looks torn or loose, there are always three billets on a saddle in case of something like that happens; you can adjust accordingly. You should also adjust your stirrups to the length that is comfortable for you, but that is a whole different topic. Now that your horse is ready to ride and you have checked everything, have fun!