HORSIN' AROUND WITH VAN HARGIS
"Saddling Your Horse"

We've previously covered how to select and purchase a saddle that properly fits your horse. Today, we'll discuss putting the saddle on your horse and adjusting it for a proper fit.

First, make sure your horse's back is clean. A good brushing should take care of this. Next, place your pad on the horse's back, making sure it is properly fitted and positioned. The pad should fit squarely on the horse's back; it should never sit skewed. If the pad is crooked, you'll have problems keeping the saddle itself adjusted.

With the pad in place, swing your saddle on to the horse's back. Again, you want the saddle to fit nice and square -- it should never rest crookedly. You want the saddle to fit snugly over your horse's withers; you don't want it up on his neck. Adjust the placement of the saddle along the horse's back so it fits over his withers, and the cinch falls over the heart girth area.

No matter how gentle your horse is, always have your face toward the horse's shoulder as you reach under to grab your cinch, as opposed to bending over with your head under the horse. Even if he's just swatting at a fly, your horse might accidentally hit you, so it's always a good idea to keep your head in an area where it's protected. Even if your horse has never so much as swatted at a fly around you, don't take this step for granted.

The cinch should fit behind the shoulder so it is comfortable for the horse and allows him plenty of room to move. Checking again to make sure your saddle is set squarely, cinch the saddle snugly, but only as much as the task requires. If you're going to be roping a cow or participating in a roping event that's going to put extra pressure on the saddle, you'll obviously want it cinched a lot tighter than if you're taking a pleasure ride. For a pleasure ride, you need only make sure the saddle won't be sliding back and forth as you ride.

You want the saddle loose enough to be comfortable for the horse, but tight enough to be safe for whatever activity you're undertaking.

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