{ - Western Riders United - } Open! CONTEST!

[Actually.A.Herondale]

I need a fast answer...I'm starting to buy the mandatory riding things, like saddle, bridle, ect. as well as the not-mandatory-but-still-good-to-have stuff. We don't have the horse set, but we're still looking and going to try a few out on Sunday. I'm terrorfied of getting a saddle that doesn't fit the horse or the seat isn't the right size for me.....this is the saddle I'm getting: http://www.chicksaddlery.com/Merchant2/ ... ode=NS3016 and it says it fits most stand quarter horses, but the seat size...I was told that 15" to 15.5" would be a good size, but I'm not sure....

besides from that though, we're planning on buying (for now in this shopping run)
A saddle
bridle
halter
breast strap
headstall
reins
cinch (A 6 foot one isn't too big, right?)
girth
and the billet thing.


I already have a grooming kit and a lead rope so that's out of the way....

What kind of a bit would be good though? Also, is there any other things that are absolutely needed right away? We're going to get de-wormer, fly spray, sore cream stuff, and that kind of stuff after we get the horse...

[sam sam]

Re: Do You Ride Horses? ~ Fresher Thread ;D

Postby sam sam » Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:24 pm
On Saturday, I got the most ribbons I've ever gotten at one show! Eeep! I got three! Two sixth, and a fifth. Considering I've only been riding for about a year, I'm incredibly happy! I got the two sixth in poles and barrels. I got a fifth in pylons.

We had a terrible warmup alone, but as more people came in, we started FLYING around the arena! It was awesome! I love that horse. She were able to gallop around in a controlled manner. Without getting dirty looks~ It was so amazing, he is so, so, so smooth.

HE did stepped through his reins though! Yikes! I went and tied him to the trailer, with the halter of course. When I went to bridle him for a run and turned around for seconds to put my halter up. Stepped through them going for the grass. OF COURSE. I had to get close to him, at which point a was so scared I was shaking. I was shaking so badly I couldn't hardly push the thingy down. It was times like that that I wished I still used leather reins.

And then I lost a spur before a run and ran with only one spur. I ride with the cheap slip ons. It came off while I was getting on after he stepped through his reins. Ohmigawd. He is just to sweet to me.

But yeah...if you read this all, I appreciate it. Sorry for any typos, I'm on my Thunderbolt.

[Hooligan.]

I need a fast answer...I'm starting to buy the mandatory riding things, like saddle, bridle, ect. as well as the not-mandatory-but-still-good-to-have stuff. We don't have the horse set, but we're still looking and going to try a few out on Sunday. I'm terrorfied of getting a saddle that doesn't fit the horse or the seat isn't the right size for me.....this is the saddle I'm getting: http://www.chicksaddlery.com/Merchant2/ ... ode=NS3016 and it says it fits most stand quarter horses, but the seat size...I was told that 15" to 15.5" would be a good size, but I'm not sure....

besides from that though, we're planning on buying (for now in this shopping run)
A saddle
bridle
halter
breast strap
headstall
reins
cinch (A 6 foot one isn't too big, right?)
girth
and the billet thing.


I already have a grooming kit and a lead rope so that's out of the way....

What kind of a bit would be good though? Also, is there any other things that are absolutely needed right away? We're going to get de-wormer, fly spray, sore cream stuff, and that kind of stuff after we get the horse...

On the saddle, you want it to fit you snug, if you are planning to barrel race anyway. You don't want any room to bounce around. What is your usual saddle size? On cinch, are you meaning the latigo or the actual cinch? If you mean the latigo, you can get whatever length you want. Usually saddles come with billets and latigos. The actual cinch will depend on your horse, you can measure them for it, or you can buy one and try it. If the cinch hangs at least to the horse's knee it will go around their belly. If it hangs a lot farther past their knee, either shorten it up on the billet or get a smaller cinch. If it doesn't hang to the horses knee, lengthen it on the billet. Don't use a cinch that has to be on the last billet hole. One rule in barrel racing is that you don't want your cinch on the last billet hole because it is a lot easier to break the billet. You also might want a back cinch. You don't have to have one, but it is good to. If you do get a back cinch, you should have it snug against the horse's belly. It isn't any use to have it if it isn't snug, plus the horse could get a leg through it, you could get a leg through it, bushes could get caught between it and the horses belly, etc. On the part about bits, it really depends on the horse, some horses can run in a snaffle bit. Some use gags. It is really depending on the horse. I like to use snaffles, but it really depends on the horse. Remember to ask the horse's owner what type of bit the horse works best in, and how severe it is. Remember that the smaller, skinnyer the mouth peice is, the more severe it is. If the horse can only use a little twisted wire snaffle, and you don't know how to use a twisted wire, either don't get the horse, or do some serious training and bring the horse down to a regular snaffle or a curb. Also remember barrel horses love to run and are kind of crazy because of it. You won't be able to do as much with a barrel horse as you could an all around horse. Another thing I see really often is people get a horse they can't ride, if the horse is too much for you to handle, don't get it. There are better horses.

[Hooligan.]

Good job sam sam! I've had my reins flip over my horses head while we were running the barrels before. Not fun. lol

[Hooligan.]

Oh yeah! Freestyle reining in 2 or 3 weeks! Queso and I are going to do it to Poker Face by Lady Gaga. I am attatching cards to his breastcollar and saddle pad, and I am painting the club, heart, diamond, and clover on each side of his hip. I have a mask and a boa to wear. All I need is the clothes I'm going to wear. I have poker chips but I'm not sure what to do with them. Any ideas? I still have to come up with my pattern so it works with the music as well. We might also do a team freestyle. My friend and I are thinking about squaredancing on our horses, I don't really know how that is going to turn out, but I geuss we will try lol.

[Actually.A.Herondale]

On the saddle, you want it to fit you snug, if you are planning to barrel race anyway. You don't want any room to bounce around. What is your usual saddle size? On cinch, are you meaning the latigo or the actual cinch? If you mean the latigo, you can get whatever length you want. Usually saddles come with billets and latigos. The actual cinch will depend on your horse, you can measure them for it, or you can buy one and try it. If the cinch hangs at least to the horse's knee it will go around their belly. If it hangs a lot farther past their knee, either shorten it up on the billet or get a smaller cinch. If it doesn't hang to the horses knee, lengthen it on the billet. Don't use a cinch that has to be on the last billet hole. One rule in barrel racing is that you don't want your cinch on the last billet hole because it is a lot easier to break the billet. You also might want a back cinch. You don't have to have one, but it is good to. If you do get a back cinch, you should have it snug against the horse's belly. It isn't any use to have it if it isn't snug, plus the horse could get a leg through it, you could get a leg through it, bushes could get caught between it and the horses belly, etc. On the part about bits, it really depends on the horse, some horses can run in a snaffle bit. Some use gags. It is really depending on the horse. I like to use snaffles, but it really depends on the horse. Remember to ask the horse's owner what type of bit the horse works best in, and how severe it is. Remember that the smaller, skinnyer the mouth peice is, the more severe it is. If the horse can only use a little twisted wire snaffle, and you don't know how to use a twisted wire, either don't get the horse, or do some serious training and bring the horse down to a regular snaffle or a curb. Also remember barrel horses love to run and are kind of crazy because of it. You won't be able to do as much with a barrel horse as you could an all around horse. Another thing I see really often is people get a horse they can't ride, if the horse is too much for you to handle, don't get it. There are better horses.

Thanks. I'm not really sure what my normal saddle size is, because I've always used the barns cheap synthic saddles. It was old trainer who suggested a size 15, because she's about the same size I am. Even if it doesn't fit, the website has full refund return within 30 days....From what the saddle looks like, I don't think any straps come with, and if they do....well, now I'll have extra in case something breaks. One horse we're going to go look at is a 4 year old gelding named Skittles who they say can go in any direction with his training now, but I'm not sure with him. Then there's a mare named Jimmering Jewel who they say does poles, barrels, and Gymkhana but what I'm not so sure with her is they she's great for beginners and advanced riders...
Then there's Doc, who we're going to go see this week for sure, who does barrels and looks like for now, he's a barn horse..He's apparently a very promising horse, according to the person we have finding the horses...

[Hooligan.]

With Skittles you will probably be putting in more training than anything. You could try him out, but because he is young and doesn't have specialty training yet, you will need to desensitize him to everything that will be going on, and you are going to have to deal with his stress moments. He will most likely get really stressed out around his first races, and you could end up taking him home instead of racing him. Then again, he might not end up being a good racer anyway, he could end up better as a roper or something. If you are going to get a horse and what to start out racing it, you want a seasoned horse. If you want a horse you can put time into and train it for whatever you like, get a young horse. The other two horses sound good though. A horse that can go both ways beginner-advanced is good to have because that horse can teach you a lot. And the horse can be with you at each step of your career, while a beginner only horse will need taught the advanced stuff as you learn it.

[Actually.A.Herondale]

They say he's calm, but I'm very un-trusting with online advertising because it's so easy to lie. Like a 2 year old gelding being a good barrel racer that's fast and calm and a great childrens horse. -_- I saw an ad like that once, and it's too hard to believe that a 2 year is safe for small children and next to a pro barrel racer.
This is the page with Skittles...http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.ph ... id=1808810
I know for sure that the older gelding, 14 years old, is who I'm going to go look at on sunday and try him. We're waiting for the other two to call back still

[sam sam]

Good job sam sam! I've had my reins flip over my horses head while we were running the barrels before. Not fun. lol

Thanks! I bet that wasn't good!

[Hooligan.]

I am the same way, its hard to trust people anymore. I also would try to stay away from ads that don't provide a picture of the horse. Make sure that if you go to look at the horse, you have the owner do everything with the horse first, then you try.

Here is thoroughbred in New Jersey. It says he can go Western or English.
http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.ph ... id=1813782