Feed Stores & Tack Shops
About Tack for Your Colorado Horse and Ranch
By Coloradohorseproperty.com

Whether you plan to ride for pleasure across your ranch in Denver or to compete in the plentiful equestrian events near Denver real estate, you’ll need to procure the right tack.  Speaking to the young or new rancher, the right tack allows you to control your horse and helps protect you.  That being said, it makes riding more enjoyable.  The basic outfit includes the halter, lead rope, horse blanket, bit, bridle, and saddle,  

Halter:  The first piece of tack to introduce is the halter, which will be used during the entire life of the horse.  Very young horses learn about the halter before they are weaned and can be easily led from their stalls to the pasture or tied for grooming.  There are many choices among popular leather halters and nylon halters.

Lead Rope:  Along with a halter, buy a lead rope to attach to the halter.  This combination allows you to safely lead your horse.

Horse Blanket:  These blankets shelter horses from bad weather, keep them warm, and can help protect them from horse flies.

At this point, there is an important decision that must be made about whether to procure the Western or English style of bit, bridle and saddle.  Western saddles are very different from English saddles and they are not interchangeable.  What do you plan to do with your horse?  Use the English style tack if you plan to compete in horse shows or do dressage work.  Use Western tack for barrel racing and trail rides.  Why?  The Western saddle sits in a more relaxed position than the English counterpart.  It has a high pommel and saddle horn that provide a measure of extra support over uneven trails.  So, deciding on Western or English is step one. 

Choosing a Saddle:  There are several types of saddles in each style.  Show and competition saddles are more elaborate than saddles for riding so you will find a large variety of designs in the types.  The most important thing now is fit.  Saddles come like shoes for people—with narrow, medium and wide backs.  And, like shoes, sometimes the brand will run tighter or looser—it’s not one size fits all!  So, it is important to try the saddle on the horse and for you to sit on top to be sure that there is a good all around fit.  

Bit:  The most common bit for both Western and English tack styles is the snaffle and you will find snaffles in different styles.  The major difference between Western and English is that the Western snaffle bit has a curb and a more ornate appearance.

Bridle:  The basic difference between English and Western bridles is that the Western bridle usually has fewer pieces than English styles.  Since most horses have heads that are roughly the same size, choosing a bridle to fit your horse is relatively easy and a matter of choice.

These items are available at tack and feed stores, online, and second hand.  So, one by one you can lead your little ponies into happy lives as disciplined horses!