Saddle Up! How to Groom and Saddle Your Horse Jessica Shumaker

Table of contents Getting Started…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Catching Your Horse …………………..………………………………………………………………………………………….4 Tack ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...4 Catch ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….5 Knot ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6 Grooming Your Horse ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………7 Supplies ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………7 Brush ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………8 Hoof pick …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9 Knowing Your Tack ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10 Putting on the Blanket …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..,11 Putting on the Saddle ……………………………………………………….…………………………………………………...12 Placement …………………………………………………..…………………………………………………….12 Cinch ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...13 Putting on the Headset ………………………………………………………………………………………………...………...14 Troubleshooting Guide ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….….15 Glossary ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...16-19 Index ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…………...20 Works Cited ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21

Getting Started This guide will provide you with the knowledge to safely groom and saddle your horse. It will help you remember each step between lessons so you can get more riding time. This information will help keep you and your horse safe and happy.

Catching Your Horse Know your tack! Halter Lead Rope 1 2

Catching Your Horse Follow these easy steps to catch your horse. Grab your horse’s halter and lead rope from the tack room Approach your horse from the front so he/she will not be startled Place the lead rope over your horse’s neck Put the halter over the horse’s nose Bring the top of the halter behind your horse’s ears Buckle the headpiece so it fits your horse comfortably Here is a great spot to tell more details and tell a story so that people will remember the directions. It does not have to be long. You could expand each item. The possibilities are endless. For example, I would like to know the reason for each step or it’s importance….. …Approaching your horse from the front is very important so that he will not be startled. He will be able to see and smell….

Catching Your Horse Refer to this picture. Let’s try that knot a few times. It is the only knot you should use. And here is a trick to remember…. Jessie – you can take pictures or use drawings for each step of the knot and paste them here.

Grooming Your Horse Know your supplies. Body Brush Curry Comb Mane and Tail Brush Hoof Pick 3 2 1 4

Grooming Your Horse Follow these steps to begin grooming. Use the curry comb in a circular motion to loosen up any dried mud Use body brush all over your horse’s body to clean off dirt Brush out tangles with the mane and tail brush Answer questions like – what should be in the grooming kit? What are the special tricks to using each? Best way to pick up the hoofs?

Grooming Your Horse Follow these steps to finish grooming. Place your hand at the top of your horse’s leg Gently run your hand down the hoof Pick up hoof and support it with your hand Pick out dirt and rocks from the hoof Pick carefully in the middle because it is sensitive

Knowing Your Tack

Putting on the Blanket Follow these steps to put the blanket on your horse. Check the blanket for anything that may poke your horse and remove it Place the blanket on your horse’s back Check that the blanket is even on your horse’s sides

Putting on the Saddle Follow these steps to begin saddling. Place the cinch over the saddle seat Place the right stirrup on the saddle horn Pick up your saddle and gently place it on your horse’s back Check that the saddle is not crooked Lower the right stirrup and cinch

Putting on the Saddle Follow these steps to finish saddling. Pull the cinch underneath your horse Put the latigo through the D-ring on the cinch Bring the latigo through the D-ring on the saddle Wrap latigo around as many times as you can Pull latigo to one side of the D-Ring, cross over the top, and run it up through the D-ring again Pull the end of the latigo down through the loop you created

Putting on the Headset Follow these steps to put on the headset. Unbuckle the halter and buckle it around your horse’s neck Place your left hand on the bit and your right hand on the crown Guide the bit into your horse’s mouth and chin chain under chin Slide crown over your horse’s ears Lift the browband out of your horse’s eyes Attach the reins to the bit

Troubleshooting Guide Always be careful around your horse. What if your horse has a cut? Report it to your helper, and they will show you how to take care of it. What if your grooming kit is missing supplies? Check neighboring grooming kits for your supplies or replace missing items with the extra supplies in the tack room. What if your tack is broken? Your helper can repair minor breaks. You may have to use different tack until yours is repaired.

Glossary Bit: the steel part of the headset that goes in the horse’s mouth Blanket: the pad used underneath saddle Body Brush: a soft brush used on a horse’s coat Browband: the strap on a headset that goes across horse’s forehead Cinch: the part of a saddle that goes underneath the horse to keep the saddle on Chin chain: the part of the headset that goes under the chin that helps stop the horse Cheek piece: the side of a halter or headset that goes on the horse’s cheek

Glossary Curry comb: rubber brush used to loosen mud off of a horse’s coat Crown: the top of the headset D-ring: the metal rings that attach to the cinch and saddle Grooming kit: the plastic carrier filled with grooming supplies Halter: nylon or leather straps with buckles used to lead a horse Headpiece: the top portion of a halter that goes through the buckle Headset: a harness fitted around a horse’s head to guide the animal

Glossary Hoof pick: curbed metal tool used to remove dirt from horse’s hooves Latigo: the long strap of leather on the saddle used to adjust the cinch Lead rope: nylon or leather rope that attaches to halter to lead horse Mane and tail brush: a brush with strong bristles used to eliminate tangles Reins: the long straps that attach to the bit used to control horse’s movement Saddle: a leather seat fastened to the back of a horse Saddle horn: the high pommel at the front of a saddle designed to help riders mount horses

Glossary Saddle seat: the part of the saddle the rider sits in Stirrup: the part of the saddle the rider’s foot fits into Tack: saddles, blanket, headsets, reins, halters, and lead ropes Tack room: the barn that stores tack

Index Blanket, 11, 16 Brush, 2, 7, 8, 16 Buckle, 5, 14 Halter, 4, 5, 14, 17 Headset, 2, 14, 17 Hoof pick, 2, 7, 9, 18 Horse, 2-9, 11-15 Saddle, 2, 3, 12, 13, 18, 21 Stirrup, 10, 12, 19 Tack, 2, 4, 5, 10, 15, 19

Works Cited Photo of Grooming Supplies: http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00SvZQUIgBAOqW/Horse-Grooming-Brushes.jpg Photo of Saddle: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvsdevOex91r2d0sn.jpg