Welcome to General Horsemanship - the beginning of the journey if you love horses and want to learn all about them.

HORSEMANSHIP and Horse Husbandry
Horsemanship, along with horse husbandry, is the art of maintaining control over a horse while riding it (sometimes referred to as equitation), or while driving it from a cart or buggy. Horsemanship also means knowledge of the care of horses and the use of horse equipment, which is called tack.

Tack
The items of equipment needed for proper horsemanship are called tack and include the halter, bridle, saddle, and brushes, blankets and more. Tack is put on the horse from the left, or near side; the right side of the horse is called the off side. Additional items of tack are combs, hoof care supplies, lead ropes, and other items.

Halter
    The halter is used with a lead rope to control the horse from the ground. It consists of straps around the head of the horse and a ring under the chin to which the lead or tying line may be snapped. It is a good practice not to leave the halter on the horse when it is in it's stall or pasture because the halter can get caught on something and hang the horse up. Horses have been know to be seriously injured and even killed in these circumstances.

Bridle
    The bridle comprises the bit, the headstall, and the reins. The bit is a metal bar that fits into the horse's mouth. The skilled rider exerts control over the horse by means of pressure on the bit. The headstall, to which the bit is attached, is an arrangement of leather straps secured about the horse's nose, jaw, and head. The reins are leather lines attached to the bit on each side of the horse's mouth; they run along each side of the neck to the rider's hands.




Saddle
    The saddle is a leather seat that fits over the horse's back, with flaps extending down the sides of the animal. It is held in place by a cinch, or girth, that goes around the belly of the horse and fastens under each flap. The part of the saddle the rider sits in is called the seat, the front of the saddle is the pommel and the back is the cantle. On each side of the saddle are straps which hold stirrups that support the rider's feet.




    There are many types of saddles for a variety of purposes. The two most common general types are the Western, or stock saddle, and English saddle. The English saddle is fairly light and flat while the western saddle is heavier with a high cantle and pommel, a horn in the front on top of the pommel which is used to wrap the lariat around when working cattle.

Basic Equitation
The fundamental skills of riding include mounting and dismounting, riding in one or more of the various styles, or "seats," and using the appropriate signals for controlling and directing the horse's movements.

Mounting
    Mounting a horse involves several steps done in one flowing movement. The rider stands beside the left shoulder of the horse. He or she faces the horse's hindquarters or the saddle while holding the reins in the left hand, which rests on the horse's neck in front of the saddle. With the right hand the near stirrup is twisted toward the rider, the left foot is placed in it, the right hand is placed on the back of the saddle, and the rider rises from the ground, transferring his or her weight to the left foot and both hands. The right hand is then removed from the back of the saddle, the right leg is swung up and across the horse's back, and the rider settles lightly into the saddle.

Dismounting
    To dismount, the rider again holds both reins in the left hand in front of the saddle. Taking the right foot out of the stirrup, the rider shifts weight to the left foot, then swings the right foot backwards and over the horse's back, leaning against the horse's left side to transfer weight to both hands. Pausing to remove the left foot from the stirrup, the rider slides to the ground.

Seat and Hands
    The most important thing when riding is the maintaining of the rider's balance with that of the horse. This is done by the rider sitting directly above the horse's center of balance, which is different depending on the kind of riding being done. A rider must be relaxed and calm in the saddle, because any tension or fear can be felt by the horse which can cause it to become nervous.

Proper use of the hands is also very important in good horsemanship. Because any heavy-handedness may injure and ruin the sensitivity of the horse's mouth, light but steady hands on the reins are to be strived for.

    The usual seat for pleasure riding is the forward seat, used on the English saddle. In the forward seat, the rider stays on the horse's back by a maintenance of balance, rather than by gripping the horse with the knees and clinging to the reins. He or she sits erect in the middle of the saddle with shoulders back and with the small of the back arched slightly forward.

    The hands are held low in front of the saddle so that the reins and the rider's arms form straight lines from bit to elbow. One rein is held in each hand, and the horse is made to change direction by a light pulling of the rein on the side toward which the rider wishes it to turn. This procedure is called direct reining.

    The stirrup supports the foot at the ball, with the heel pressed slightly down, the knees bent, and the lower leg vertical. A properly adjusted stirrup reaches the ankle bone when the leg hangs freely from the saddle. For pleasure riding on a Western saddle, the rider sits back against the higher cantle, extended legs slightly forward and away from the horse's sides. The stirrup is placed at the ball of the foot with the heel pressed down. The stirrups are put at a longer adjustment than for the forward seat on the English saddle, so that the rider's legs and body are almost in a straight line. Both reins are held in one hand, and the horse is directed by neck reining; that is, by applying the pressure of the rein against the horse's neck on the opposite side of that toward which it is to turn.

General Horsemanship 1 - 2, 3

Click here to see the parts of the English Saddle

Click here to see the parts of the English Bridle