In order to saddle break a horse, trainers must consider all aspects of horse saddles and tack. What type of saddle will be used most often? How well does the saddle fit? What other tack will the horse wear on a regular basis?
Although most trainers talk in terms of how to saddle break a horse, there is far more to the process. In addition to the saddle, the animals must also learn how to accept a bridle, saddle pad, martingale and other types of tack.
Saddle Pads for Horses
Most horse trainers attempt to use saddle pads for horses before they actually throw the saddle over a horse's back. This allows the animal to get used to minimal weight without the additional complications of girths, stirrups and heavy leather. The best saddle pads for horses are thick and absorbent, and are always larger than the saddle itself.
Trainers should start by allowing the horse to sniff the saddle pad. If a rider simply walks up to the horse and tosses the pad up, the horse will learn to fear the pad rather than accept it. The trainer should then rub the pad all over the horse, from nose to tail, for desensitization.
Trainers should put the saddle pad on the horse from many angles and from both sides. Although traditional wisdom dictates that horses be tacked up from the left side, there is no reason not to handle himfrom the right side as well.
Fitting the Saddle
Once the horse has accepted the saddle pad, the next step to saddle break a horse is to introduce him to the saddle. Trainers should let the horse sniff the saddle before trying to toss it over his back. He should exhibit no fear of the saddle before moving forward.
If the horse seems calm, the trainer should make sure both stirrups are secure. In an English saddle, this means running them up the leathers or removing them entirely; in a western saddle, the right stirrup should be hooked over the horn while the left stirrup can dangle. The trainer should then gently lift the saddle up and place it lightly on the horse's back, over a saddle pad.
When the horse accepts the saddle, the trainer should then move it around on the horse's back, gently lifting it and replacing it to check the fit. If the saddle seems to pinch the withers or the spine, it should be immediately removed and exchanged for a saddle with a wider tree.
Girthing a Horse
Perhaps the most difficult part of breaking a horse to saddle is the girth or cinch. Girthing a horse is often a surprise to the animal and represents something he has never felt before. Consequently, this process should be slow and gentle to avoid startling him.
The first step to girthing a horse is pulling the girth or cinch under the heart girth and holding it snug against the horse's skin. It should not immediately be buckled or knotted because, if the horse shows any sign of anxiety, the trainer must immediately remove the pressure and try again until the horse is calm and accepting of it.
If the horse is not bothered by the pressure of the girth, the trainer can then cinch it up lightly. Trainers should then check the saddle fit again to avoid saddle sores.
Lunging in a Saddle
When a person puts on a backpack or carries a heavy purse, he or she moves differently than when unencumbered. Horses move the same way. Adding the weight of a saddle means the horse has to adjust to the difference in what he is carrying, and therefore takes time to adjust.
Lunging in a saddle is the next step to saddle break a horse. He should be lunged in both directions at the walk, trot and canter/lope until he seems calm. This might take several sessions of tacking the horse up and lunging in a saddle; trainers should not attempt to rush it.
Adding Other Tack
Once the horse accepts the saddle, the next steps to saddle break a horse can commence. This includes wearing a bridle and martingale (if applicable), and should be just as slow and forgiving as saddling the horse.
Other things trainers can do to desensitize horses for a saddle include:
- Dropping the stirrups so they hang while lunging
- Ground driving the horse
- Patting the stirrups against the horse's sides
- Trying different saddle styles and sizes
- Manipulating the reins from the ground
All of these exercises will make it easier to saddle break a horse and will further prepare him for a rider on his back. The more a trainer can do with a horse on the ground in terms of horse saddles and other tack will make subsequent training attempts run much more smoothly.
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