Tips on Tack!!!

Excepts from the AERC Riders Handbook Revised and updated by the American Endurance Ride Conference Education Committee in 2001. 

 - Using the right tack can make the difference between finishing a ride with a happy, healthy horse and finishing (if you finish at all), with a horse suffering from a sore back, girth galls, or worse. It can also make the difference between an enjoyable ride for you and an experience akin to a session in a medieval torture chamber. Endurance riders have learned much about what works and doesn’t work, and this chapter will try to pass alongsome of that experience.

 At a typical endurance ride you’ll see nearly every kind of saddle known to man or beast. Many beginners ride a traditional Western saddle, but it is a poor choice. First it is heavy, and any extra weight is a penalty for a horse going 25 to 50 miles or more. Worse, most Western saddles put the rider’s weight too far to the rear, leading to early fatigue and soreness. They are designed to keep the rider in place while working cattle, not to provide balance and comfort for miles and miles. Roping saddles are even worse in this respect. Another flaw of Western saddles is that the rigging is too far forward, contributing to girth soreness or galls. Again, the heavy double-rigged roping saddle is the worst of all in this regard. The stiff fenders and stirrup leathers of the Western saddle might wear likeiron, but can rub a rider’s legs raw. Finally, the saddle horn, necessary for roping, just gets in the way on endurance rides and is a hazard in a fall.

 English saddles are lighter and put the rider’s weight more forward than Western saddles. They offer closer contact with the horse than Western saddles, but riders sometimes feel less secure in them. Some English types are more suited to endurance than others, i.e. the dressage saddles (deeper seats with the rider’s leg under, rather than forward.) The biggest shortcoming of English tack is a lack of proper distribution of the rider’s weight; that is, many of them don’t spread the rider’s weight over a large enough area of the horse’s back.

 Australian stock saddles have a strong following. Most of these are high quality, give the rider a firm seat, and seem to work well for endurance riding. But some riders find that the thigh fenders bruise their legs unmercifully. McClellan saddles have a lot to offer the endurance rider, but comfort is not one of them. This saddle was used by the cavalry, and was designed to be good for the horse with no compromises toward rider comfort. In fact, it’s been said of this saddle’s designer that he loved horses and hated men.

There are a number of saddles on the market today specifically designed for endurance. They fall into three broad categories: those based on Western designs, those based on English designs, and those based on McClellan designs. In the last few years treeless saddles have become popular with many riders, though some riders feel insecure in them and some horses get sore backs. With the growth of endurance in the past ten years there are many innovations on the market. See the ads in Endurance News and ask other riders for their opinions.

 So which saddle is best for you? There’s no easy answer for that. First of all, the saddle must fit your horse, and every horse is an individual. Weight might or might not be an important consideration for you, but no endurance tack should weigh over thirty pounds - unless you’re trying to make a minimum weight for a ride with those requirements.

 There are many improvements today on the traditional western stirrups or English “irons.” There are several lightweight designs with extra-wide platforms for your foot; a narrow stirrup is likely to cut off the circulation to your toes resulting in painful cramps and numbness. Some designs use springs, rubber blocks, or flexible materials to add shock absorption to the stirrup. Others include safety features such as open sides or breakaway fastenings to prevent being dragged in a fall. Almost any of these special designs will be lighter, safer, or more comfortable than traditional stirrups.

Pads are another important concern for your horse’s back. The traditional Western blanket doesn’t work very well. It has little resiliency and covers too large an area. As to material, natural wool pads with a foam lining often work the best. If you can’t afford wool, Kodel can be good. Several manufacturers make pad liners that vary in thickness and/or density over different parts of the horse’s back, and these might help the saddle to sit level and therefore aid the rider in maintaining a balanced seat. Some saddles have a custom made pad built in to achieve the same result.

 Don’t make the mistake of thinking “more is better” and use two or even three pads; thick pads won’t cure problems caused by an ill- fitting saddle. Too many pads or pads which are too thick allow the saddle to roll. A stack of pads can also cause the back to retain a lot of heat.

Whatever type pad you use, the shape of the pad should match that of the saddle. Especially in hot weather, you don’t want to cover any more of the horse’s back than necessary.

Breast collars, cruppers, bridles, halters, and halter-bridle combos come in nylon, leather, and Bioplastics. Ordinary nylon gets stiff from absorbing salt and dirt, and is hard to keep clean. Bioplastic is nylon with a smooth plastic coating; it washes clean easily, doesn’t become stiff, and usually does not rub the horse. It is available in many widths and colors, and more and more suppliers are making horse tack out of it. Traditional leather can cause chafing and will need regular care to stay soft and pliable. However, leather will break in case you have a fall, and this is a good safety feature. Serious accidents can result from the rider being caught in the tack.

 A good breast collar can help hold the saddle in place, preventing its sliding back or rolling sideways. However, any breast collar which goes straight across the chest of the horse can make the shoulder muscles sore (especially on a 100- mile ride). These don’t do much to prevent the saddle from shifting sideways, either. You should use a design in which the collar is shaped like the letter “Y,” with the stem of the “Y” between the front legs, and with the branches going up the front of both shoulders to the saddle. This works much better without discomforting the horse.

 Most horses don’t need cruppers, but if your horse has low withers a good crupper can keep you from finding yourself riding his ears on a steep downhill! If you decide to use one, be sure to accustom your horse to it at home. In fact it’s not a good idea to try out any new equipment at a ride.

There are as many different bit and bridle designs as there are riders. Combination halter and bridles are very convenient at vet checks. There are riders who prefer a hackamore to a bit for endurance riding as it allows the horse to drink and graze easily on the trail. And there are some brave souls who ride with nothing more than a halter. Nevertheless, bits, however mild, aid a rider in “collecting” a horse and can help put a tired, strung-out horseback together.

Girths run the gamut from leather to string to neoprene – from Western to English to dressage. They can ALL rub galls and cause great discomfort. Whatever you use, don’t fasten so tight as to cut off horse’s wind. Coat with a lubricant if necessary. 

Of course, whatever tack you use, be sure it fits the horse and that you keep it clean and in good repair. A little thought, planning, and care in choosing and fitting your tack will make a big difference in performance on the trail.