• Always check your equipment 3 times before mounting.
  
  
• When you unfasten the halter, refastened back around the horses neck even if you are holding the lead.
  
  
• Untie the lead from the post, and put it in your hand before unfastening halter.
  
  
• Stand back and beside the head to bridle. So the horse won’t bang you with his own head. REMEMBER DO NOT STAND IN FRONT OF THE HORSES HEAD.
  
  
• Always, Always, Always, check your bridle before riding. Make sure the horse is comfortable, make sure there are no weak points in the bridle, and it’s well oiled for flexibility.
  
  
• Open the horses mouth by placing your left thumb on the on the bars ( where there are no teeth ) and pressing down until the horses mouth opens and then gently put the bit in their mouth with your right hand and slip the crown piece over the ears. If your thumb is to far back and to far forward …… CHOMP…. CHOMP…. CHOMP..
  
  
• Check all keepers, to ensure you do not have anything flopping around on the bridle
  
  

Each horse has his own saddle and bridle and are in their designated spots in the tack room.

• Always check your equipment 3 times before mounting.
  
  
• Use only a saddle that has been specifically fitted for that horse.
  
  
• Check the pad and saddle for anything that can cause a soar. A simple piece of hay can cause back irritation and cause you to go flying while mounting the horse.
  
  
• Make an air passage under the pad, over the spine, by pulling the pad up into the gullet of the saddle. This keeps the saddle from drawing the pads tight across the withers later, which causes back soreness.
  
  
• Put saddle and pads too far forward at first, then settle them back into place, moving the pad and saddle in the direction the hair grows. If you pull them forward against the hair you can cause a sore place.
  
  
• Westerns Riders- When saddling front cinch first, rear sinch last. When unsaddling rear cinch first and front cinch last.
  
  
• Secure the cinches and off stirrups up over the saddle horn to avoid banging the horses belly or legs when swinging the saddle up.
  
  
• Do NOT let the saddle bang down on the horses back. Gently set the saddle on the horses back. ( If you need assistance ask a staff member to help you. )
  
  
• Back cinch should be snug against the horses belly do not let it hang but it also shouldn’t be tight. It is only there to keep the back of the saddle down.
  
  
• Cinch or Girth the horse in stages so he will not get in the habit of bloating
  
  

• Mount your horse in designated area. Never mount in the barn, Never near a vehicle.
  
  
• A rider should seat herself gently in the saddle and ask the horse to stand quietly for several seconds after mounting. So he will not get the idea of getting up means giddy-up and go.
  
  
• The rider’s foot should be either parallel to the horse or with the toe turned in to the girth or cinch. Make sure there is no rubber pads on the stir ups or on your boots or they will stick.

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