Friday, September 27, 2013

A Brief Account Of Saddlery

By John Peterson


When you get the chance, have a look at how saddlery is defined in the dictionary. It is much more than the equipment used to control and guide horses whilst riding. It also states that it encompasses the making and fixing of these items. Lastly these operations are all carried out in a place that bears the same name.

The vast majority of these items are manufactured from leather. So it is a highly specialised field, and not something that can be done by the average person. This also includes the repairs to things like the stitching.

The main part that everyone thinks of is the saddle itself. This is the seat that the rider sits on whilst riding a horse. It is positioned on the horse's back, and is secured by use of either girth or cinch straps.

Ideally it should be fitted to both the horse and the rider. This will make it more comfortable for both horse and rider, and possibly help to prevent injury. A badly fitting saddle could produce pressure point sores along a horse's back.

There are two major forms of saddles. These are the English saddle or the Western saddle, and are fitted depending on the requirement. There are other forms of saddle, which are more specialised and don't really fit into either category.

Suspended from the saddle you will find the stirrups. The purpose of these is twofold. The primary purpose is to provide the rider with a better sense of stability. The secondary purpose is that they can be used to assist with the control of the horse.

The reins are used to mainly control the horse. These are the leather leads which a rider grasps while riding. The ends are fixed onto the harness that a horse wears round its head. Depending on the horse and rider the appearances of these harnesses can alter

The head harness is designed so that the horse can be guided whilst being ridden. It will also allow a person to lead a horse while walking. Some designs will used a bit, whereas others will omit this part.

As you can see there is more to saddlery than first meets the eye. This is why it is so important that any purchases or repairs are done at a proper place by a qualified person. It makes sense to you, and it makes sense to your horse, to have things done properly.




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