Saddling & Bridling
This page talks about saddling and bridling a horse. This is a must, for you usually sit in a saddle while riding a horse and you do use a bridle while riding, too. So, this page tells you how to saddle and bridle.
Saddling

Place the saddlepad evenly over the horse's back. The best types of saddlepads are made of sheepskin; nowadays, however, most people favor the man-made fiber types. Never use a foam saddlepad unless it's covered with some absobent material.

Lift the saddle up over the horse's back and lower it gently so it fits snugly over the saddlepad.

To keep the saddlepad in place, loop the tapes at the front around the girth straps under the saddle flap. If you don't do this the saddlepad will soon slip and will do more harm than good.

After fitting the tapes, pull the saddlepad up into the arch of the saddle so that it's not stretched across the horse's back. If the saddlepad is too tight across the withers it cad do as much harm as a saddle that pinches across the back. You should be able to get three fingers between the arch of the saddle and the horse's back at the withers.

Buckle the girth to the straps under the saddle on the off-side, then bring them under the horse's belly.

Buckle them quite loosely at this stage, and run your hand under the girth, to make sure the coat is smooth and the skin isn't being pinched.
TIPS: NEVER throw the saddle on a horse's back, for that will frighten them and worst, it probably will bruise the horse's back. And this is a sure way of encouraging a horse to kick you: standing behind the horse while putting the saddle on. NEVER do this or thumping on the saddle on the horse's back

Bridling

To put on the bridle, again stand on the horse's nearside and put the reins over the neck before taking off the halter. This gives you some means of hanging on to the horse should it decide to move away.

Holding the top part of the headpiece in your right hand, spread the fingers of your left hand along the bit and hold this up to the horse's mouth.

Use your fingers to open its mouth by applying pressure on the gums. Slip the bit in once it has opened its mouth.

Slip the headpiece over the ears, gently pulling them through above the browband.

Pull the forelock out so it lays flat over the browband.

Buckle the noseband so that ou can et two fingers between it and the horse's nose. It shoudl lie comfortably above the bit so that it does not hamper the bit's movement.

Buckle the throatlatch so that you can get the width of your fingers between it and the gullet. If it's any tighter than that, it can seriously impede the horse's breathing.

The bit should lie comfortable at the corner of the mouth with just a very slight crease at the corners.
TIPS: Make sure the bit lies comfotably in the horse's mouth. Make sure that the bit is the right size for your horse's mouth.

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