Animaroo | Breeder Business

Tacking Up and Mounting Up - Getting Ready to Ride a Horse

So, it's time for your very first horseback ride and you just can't wait to jump on that horse's back so you can gallop off into the sunset. However, before you ride off on your horse, you will need to tack him up and then you will need to figure out how to actually get up there.

When you tack up a horse, you should start by fastening his halter to the crossties before you do anything else. Once he is properly secured to the crossties, it is time to move on to the next step, using your body brush and your hoof pick. Lift up each foot and clean it to be sure that there are no pebbles lodged in the hoof. Then, brush your horse's back and sides to be sure that there is no dirt on his body. Once the horse is wearing a saddle blanket and saddle, even a little dirt can create sores on his back. These two simple grooming steps are extremely important, since they help you make sure that your horse is comfortable while you are riding him. After all, an unhappy or uncomfortable horse is not a safe horse.