Post by Big Hoss Angie on May 22, 2010 18:27:43 GMT -5
Tack is a term used to describe any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. Saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, and breastplates are all forms of horse tack. Equipping a horse is often referred to as tacking up.
~Saddles are seats for the rider, fastened to the horse's back by means of a girth (English-style riding), known as a cinch in the Western US, a wide strap that goes around the horse at a point about four inches behind the forelegs. Some western saddles will also have a second strap known as a flank or back cinch that fastens at the rear of the saddle and goes around the widest part of the horse's belly.
It is important that the saddle is comfortable for both the rider and the horse as an improperly fitting saddle may create pressure points on the horse's back muscle and cause the horse pain and can lead to the horse, rider, or both getting injured.
Saddle accessories:
* Breastplate or breastcollar: a piece of riding equipment used on horses. Its purpose is to keep the saddle or harness from sliding back.
* Surcingle: a strap made of leather or leather-like synthetic materials such as nylon or neoprene, sometimes with elastic, that fastens around a horse's girth area. A surcingle may be used for ground training, some types of in-hand exhibition, and over a saddle or horse pack to stabilize the load. It also is a primary component of a horse harness.
* Pack saddle: any device designed to be secured on the back of a horse, mule, or other draft animal so it can carry heavy loads such as luggage, firewood, small cannons or other weapons too heavy to be carried by humans, etc.
* Crupper: a piece of tack used on horses and other equids to keep a saddle, harness or other equipment from sliding forward.
~Halter : consists of a noseband and headstall that buckles around the horse's head and allows the horse to be led or tied.
~Bridle: usually has a bit attached to reins and are used for riding and driving horses.
~ Hackamore : a headgear that utilizes a heavy noseband of some sort, rather than a bit, most often used to train young horses or to go easy on an older horse's mouth. Hackamores are more often seen in western riding. Some related styles of headgear that control a horse with a noseband rather than a bit are known as bitless bridles.
~Longeing Cavesson: a special type of halter or noseband used for longeing a horse. Longeing is the activity of having a horse walk, trot and/or canter in a large circle around the handler at the end of a rope that is 25 to 30 feet (9.1 m) long. It is used for training and exercise.
~Reins consist of leather straps or rope attached to the outer ends of a bit and extend to the rider's or driver's hands. Reins are the means by which a horse rider or driver communicates directional commands to the horse's head. Pulling on the reins can be used to steer or stop the horse. The sides of a horse's mouth are sensitive, so pulling on the reins pulls the bit, which then pulls the horse's head from side to side, which is how the horse is controlled.
~Bit: a device placed in a horse's mouth, kept on a horse's head by means of a headstall. There are many types, each useful for specific types of riding and training.
~Curb bit : a type of bit used for riding horses that uses lever action.
~Snaffle Bit:the most common type of bit used while riding horses. It consists of a bit mouthpiece with a ring on either side and acts with direct pressure.
~Pelham Bit: a type of bit used when riding a horse. It has elements of both a curb bit and a snaffle bit. In this respect a pelham bit functions similar to a double bridle, and like a double bridle it normally has "double" reins: a set of curb reins and a set of snaffle reins.[1] Because it has a bit shank and can exert curb-style pressure on the horse, it is considered a curb bit.
~ double bridle: also called a full bridle or Weymouth bridle, is a bridle that has two bits and four reins (sometimes called "double reins"). One bit is the bradoon (or bridoon), is a modified snaffle bit that is smaller in diameter and has smaller bit rings than a traditional snaffle, and it is adjusted so that it sits above and behind the other bit, a curb bit. Another term for this combination of curb and snaffle bit is a "bit and bradoon," where the word "bit" in this particular context refers to the curb.
~Horse Harness: horse harness is a set of devices and straps that attaches a horse to a cart, carriage, sledge or any other load.
~Martingale: a piece of equipment that keeps a horse from raising its head too high. Various styles can be used as a control measure, to prevent the horse from avoiding rider commands by raising its head out of position; or as a safety measure to keep the horse from tossing its head high or hard enough to smack its rider in the face.
~Saddles are seats for the rider, fastened to the horse's back by means of a girth (English-style riding), known as a cinch in the Western US, a wide strap that goes around the horse at a point about four inches behind the forelegs. Some western saddles will also have a second strap known as a flank or back cinch that fastens at the rear of the saddle and goes around the widest part of the horse's belly.
It is important that the saddle is comfortable for both the rider and the horse as an improperly fitting saddle may create pressure points on the horse's back muscle and cause the horse pain and can lead to the horse, rider, or both getting injured.
Saddle accessories:
* Breastplate or breastcollar: a piece of riding equipment used on horses. Its purpose is to keep the saddle or harness from sliding back.
* Surcingle: a strap made of leather or leather-like synthetic materials such as nylon or neoprene, sometimes with elastic, that fastens around a horse's girth area. A surcingle may be used for ground training, some types of in-hand exhibition, and over a saddle or horse pack to stabilize the load. It also is a primary component of a horse harness.
* Pack saddle: any device designed to be secured on the back of a horse, mule, or other draft animal so it can carry heavy loads such as luggage, firewood, small cannons or other weapons too heavy to be carried by humans, etc.
* Crupper: a piece of tack used on horses and other equids to keep a saddle, harness or other equipment from sliding forward.
~Halter : consists of a noseband and headstall that buckles around the horse's head and allows the horse to be led or tied.
~Bridle: usually has a bit attached to reins and are used for riding and driving horses.
~ Hackamore : a headgear that utilizes a heavy noseband of some sort, rather than a bit, most often used to train young horses or to go easy on an older horse's mouth. Hackamores are more often seen in western riding. Some related styles of headgear that control a horse with a noseband rather than a bit are known as bitless bridles.
~Longeing Cavesson: a special type of halter or noseband used for longeing a horse. Longeing is the activity of having a horse walk, trot and/or canter in a large circle around the handler at the end of a rope that is 25 to 30 feet (9.1 m) long. It is used for training and exercise.
~Reins consist of leather straps or rope attached to the outer ends of a bit and extend to the rider's or driver's hands. Reins are the means by which a horse rider or driver communicates directional commands to the horse's head. Pulling on the reins can be used to steer or stop the horse. The sides of a horse's mouth are sensitive, so pulling on the reins pulls the bit, which then pulls the horse's head from side to side, which is how the horse is controlled.
~Bit: a device placed in a horse's mouth, kept on a horse's head by means of a headstall. There are many types, each useful for specific types of riding and training.
~Curb bit : a type of bit used for riding horses that uses lever action.
~Snaffle Bit:the most common type of bit used while riding horses. It consists of a bit mouthpiece with a ring on either side and acts with direct pressure.
~Pelham Bit: a type of bit used when riding a horse. It has elements of both a curb bit and a snaffle bit. In this respect a pelham bit functions similar to a double bridle, and like a double bridle it normally has "double" reins: a set of curb reins and a set of snaffle reins.[1] Because it has a bit shank and can exert curb-style pressure on the horse, it is considered a curb bit.
~ double bridle: also called a full bridle or Weymouth bridle, is a bridle that has two bits and four reins (sometimes called "double reins"). One bit is the bradoon (or bridoon), is a modified snaffle bit that is smaller in diameter and has smaller bit rings than a traditional snaffle, and it is adjusted so that it sits above and behind the other bit, a curb bit. Another term for this combination of curb and snaffle bit is a "bit and bradoon," where the word "bit" in this particular context refers to the curb.
~Horse Harness: horse harness is a set of devices and straps that attaches a horse to a cart, carriage, sledge or any other load.
~Martingale: a piece of equipment that keeps a horse from raising its head too high. Various styles can be used as a control measure, to prevent the horse from avoiding rider commands by raising its head out of position; or as a safety measure to keep the horse from tossing its head high or hard enough to smack its rider in the face.