The most important elements of horse equipment are saddle and bridle. Horses are subjected to tremendous stress during training, competition or work. And therefore, such animals, of course, need the highest quality ammunition.
Modern saddles and bridles have such a design that they allow you to control the horse without causing it any particular discomfort. It is believed that such accessories for a horse should be made to order or carefully selected individually. The structure of the saddle and the size of the bridle must exactly match the physiological characteristics of the body and head of the animal.
Appointment
A saddle is called equestrian equipment designed to ride a horse or transport goods. In ancient times, such devices were a regular blanket held by belts. Modern saddles have a complex structure and are often very expensive.
The main purpose of the bridle is to control the horse. Its main parts are holding belts for various purposes and a bit (most often metal). Such ammunition is put on the horse’s head.
There are several varieties of saddles and bridles, each of which is intended for use in special cases. The design of both of these horse accessories, as already mentioned, are quite complicated.
The main elements of the saddle
The saddle and bridle for horses consist of a rather large number of elements for various purposes. The first attribute, for example, has in its design:
lenchik;
bows and seat;
stirrups;
pillows;
putlishers;
Fender
companions;
girths;
martingales;
props;
Waltrap.
The shape and size of some of these elements may vary depending on the purpose of the saddle. The structure of the ammunition of this variety should be such that when it is used during riding, neither the rider nor the horse itself would feel any discomfort.
Main elements
Saddles for horses are made in our time on a solid frame called a lenok. The shape and dimensions depend on the parameters and configuration of this particular element. Different materials can be used for making lenoks in modern workshops. But most often, saddle frames are made of wood or durable flexible plastic.
In the upper part, the saddle for any purpose has a concave shape. This is necessary so that the rider was comfortable sitting on a horse. Bent up the edges of the saddle are called bows. The height of different types of such ammunition, they may have unequal. The place where the rider is located during riding, that is, the lowest plane of the concave part of the saddle, is called the seat.
Stirrups are special metal staples on which the rider rests with his feet while riding. This element also has one more purpose. The rider rests on the stirrup with his foot while riding a horse.
A saddle is attached to the back of the animal using straps. The lenchik, bows and seat can be called the main elements in the structure of the saddle for a horse. But such ammunition has another very important part of the design - fenders. With long horseback riding, riders, unfortunately, very often rub their inner surface of their legs. In order to prevent such a nuisance, fenders are also used. In another way, these elements are called wings. They are located on the sides of the saddle below the seat and bow. Their thickened arched edge forms a pillow.
Properly selected ammunition, among other things, in no case should touch the spine of a horse. To exclude this possibility, a pillow is provided in the structure of the saddle. Fill such rollers on the edges of the wings with wool or synthetic materials.
Types of belts
There are several such elements in the saddle design. Belts are intended to be used both for fastening the equipment of this variety on the horse itself, and for fixing its individual parts. For example, a prong is called a belt located under the wings of a saddle. The cinch is in turn designed to prevent the harness from slipping.
Another variety of belts included in the design of the saddle are putlis. These elements are threaded through special rings called snappers. Putischi are located on both sides of the saddle and are intended for fastening stirrups to it.
Additional items
The design of the modern saddle was designed in such a way that when riding a horse the horse experienced a minimum of discomfort. However, even the most expensive and high-quality accessories of this variety can, unfortunately, rub the back of animals. To prevent this from happening, the saddles are supplemented, among other things, with a saddle strap. In another way, this element is called sweatshirt. Whatever the structure of the saddle — Turkish, Russian Cossack, universal, etc., a saddle strap in its design in most cases is a must.
It is a sweatshirt, a small bedspread or rug, a kind of gasket for the horse’s back. A saddle is mounted on a horse over a treadmill. Modern sweatshirts can be made, among other things, and from special synthetic gel materials.
Also, quite often, a special kind of belt called martingale is included in the design of the saddle for horses. The nature of some horses can be quite obstinate. During riding, such horses often bully their heads. This, in turn, greatly complicates the management of the horse.
If the horse throws his head too far back, it can even injure the rider and throw him to the ground. To prevent this from happening, martingale is also used. A belt of this variety is passed between the front legs of the animal and is attached to the girths and headband of the horse’s bridle.
What are saddles
There are many varieties of such horse harness. For example, saddles can be used for riding horses:
drill with steel ribbon;
Cossack with a special stand designed for riding on straight legs;
female, allowing you to position the legs on one side of the horse;
competitive with wings extended forward.
The most common form of horse saddles are universal. This ammunition has a classic design and can be used for walking, hunting, training, playing sports, etc.
Dressage saddles are also very popular with horse lovers. Their structure has the feature that they are equipped with long narrow wings. In such a saddle, the rider can fully straighten his legs for better contact with the animal. Upholstery in such equipment is reduced. Therefore, the rider has the ability to control the horse in one body.
There are also saddles and quite an original design. For example, with such an accessory, bows can be raised so high that outwardly it resembles a chair. In antiquity, for example, Turkish saddles, Moorish, and Arabic had just such a structure. Today, this design differs mainly only in cowboy and Australian ammunition of this type.
What saddle sizes can be
Many companies now produce such equipment. In almost every country today there are domestic most popular horse breeds. Therefore, firms from different countries usually produce saddles of varying sizes. For example, similar accessories:
There is also a standard classification of the sizes of saddles 1, 2, 3, 4 - respectively, narrow, medium, medium-wide and wide. Most foreign companies in the labeling of such ammunition for indicating sizes, use, therefore, 4 digits. Moreover, most often these are numbers 31, 32, 33, 34. At the same time, only two companies are limited to one number - “Centaur” and “Pfiff”. Labeling of products from these manufacturers is under one of the wings.
The design of saddles of some brands may include, inter alia, interchangeable forks of lenoks painted in different colors, each of which corresponds to a certain size:
N is narrow;
NN - medium-narrow;
M is medium;
W - wide;
MW - medium wide;
EW - extra wide.
Blankets
The saddle, which has a rather complicated structure, is, of course, almost the main part of the horse’s ammunition, both sports and working. However, an accessory and a slightly different variety can be worn on the back of these animals. During training, competition, or simply moving for a long time at high speed, the horse, like any other living creature, begins to sweat a lot. After a stop, due to a sharp cooling of the body, the horse, of course, can simply catch a cold. To prevent this from happening, after considerable exertion the horse is often put on a blanket. They call it a veil of a special variety made of absorbent fabric.
Bridle Design Elements
The saddle for a horse has a structure such that during competition or work it does not get too tired, less suffers from prolonged contact of the heavy rider with his back and does not feel discomfort. The bridle, of course, also should have the design most comfortable for the horse.
Outwardly, such horse harness resembles an ordinary dog muzzle. The main element of the bridle is a metal or plastic bit. This detail is located in the horse's mouth. It is the bit that allows during the movement to rotate the animal, stop it or increase the speed of movement.
Design elements of a horse bridle are also belts, which are components of the head:
The angle belt in the design of the bridle is necessary so that it rests on the horse's head. In this case, the head piece is called a part that carries mainly an aesthetic load. This element can be decorated with braid, ribbons, stones, rhinestones. After all, both the saddle and the bridle on the horse should not only sit comfortably, but also look good. This is especially important for horses participating in races with a large number of spectators.
Chin straps in the bridle design have been widely used in the past. Their main purpose was once stabilization of the product on the head of the animal. In the bridles of a new type, the chin strap is almost never present.
What is a capsule
This mechanism in the design of the bridle plays a very important role. Its main purpose is to fix the fishing rod in the horse's mouth. Such an element, of course, gives the animal certain inconvenience. The drill bits prevent the horse from swallowing saliva, moving his tongue and chewing. Therefore, the horse, of course, tries at the first opportunity to spit them out of his mouth. To prevent this, a capsule is used in the design of the bridle. This strap is located on the nose of the animal.
Reins
This part, along with the bit, is the main control element in the design of the bridle. The reins are two belts of the same length. At one end they are fixed to the bit. Their other ends are held by a rider.
Varieties
Belts, drill bits and reins are the main elements in the design and construction of bridles. Saddles for these animals can, as we found out, be used in different types. The same applies, of course, to the bridle. Products of this type are:
The most common type of such ammunition is trenzelny. Standard bits in such bridles are changed to tensel. Also a design feature of this type of equipment is that sometimes it may not use a capsule.
Mouthpiece bridles are, in fact, one of the varieties of snaffle. Their difference lies primarily in the fact that they have in their design additional mounts for one more reins and fishing rod.
A feature of bridles for walking is the simplicity of design. A bit of ammunition of this type can be pulled out of a horse’s mouth in just a couple of seconds. In combination with a good saddle, such equipment can be actually very convenient, including for a rider. The design of such a product allows, for example, to quickly water the animal after a long transition.
Cowboy bridles are distinguished by the fact that they do not have a snaffle, capsule and mouthpiece. Also in the equipment of this type slots are provided (one long or two short) for the ears of the animal.
A bridle, also not having a fishing rod in its design, is called hakamor. Management of the horse when using such an accessory is done by exposing the chin and back of the head. Bridles of this type are usually worn on horses with diseased teeth.
What can be made
Of course, one must pay attention to the structure of the saddle and bridle for the horse, as well as their dimensions when choosing. But no less important are what materials were used to make such equipment.
In order to choose a good bridle, first of all, it is necessary to measure the horse's head. The color of such horse accessories may have different. Most often, bridles are selected for horses that contrast with the shade of their coat. In this case, a similar accessory on the horse’s head looks especially impressive.
Also, when choosing a bridle, of course, pay attention to its strength. This parameter, in turn, depends on what material the accessory is made of. In this regard, on sale today there are mainly two varieties of bridles - made from synthetics and leather. Products of the first type are inexpensive, but at the same time they do not look too solid. The price of leather bridles is high. However, they look on horseback, of course, very presentable.
What is a Halter
The main purpose of the bridles, therefore, is to control the horse during its movement. However, there is a special kind of such ammunition, used at a time when the animal is standing. Such bridles have a simplified design and are called halters. Accessories of this type are not equipped with jigs.
Such equipment can be very useful, for example, when the horse needs to be bathed. Halters are also used in vaccination of horses, their treatment, scheduled examinations. They put the ammunition of this species on animals and when they want to overtake them for a short distance, for example, from one stall to another or to pasture.