Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in April 2012
As with points of the horse, the nomenclature of the saddle and bridle varies from the obscure to the obvious. Item #6 on the Horsemanship 1 test is:
Identify simple parts of saddle & bridle
While it may seem a nuisance to memorize these terms, it is fairly important to know your billet strap from your browband, and your pommel from your panel. This website, http://theorythursday.com/3_Tack.htm, covers most of the terms for level 1, and pages 275 & 295 of your Manual of Horsemanship (of which there are a few copies still available in our store) covers the rest. The terms you need to know are:
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Saddle: |
Bridle:
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Question of the week: What fault would you find in the fitting of this pony’s bridle?
Answer to last week’s question, ‘What is quartering and when is it done?’:
Although I enjoyed the creative responses to this question very much, here’s the boring answer: Quartering is a quick grooming, generally done before a ride, to ensure the horse’s comfort. To quarter, pick the feet, give a quick once over with curry comb & dandy brush, paying attention to the saddle & girth areas, and rub the dirt off the legs and face with your hands. You would also want to pick out any bits of shrubbery from the mane and tail before you’re seen in public.
A full grooming is best done after a ride, when the pores are open and the scurf comes to the surface of the coat more easily.
