Horse Checklist to Prepare for Your Ride

So the weather is getting nicer, and the days are getting longer. What does that mean to horse people around the country, why it's time to ride of coarse!! So before you head out after a winter hiatus, be sure you do some routine maintenance.

The first thing you need to check is the condition of that saddle. It needs to be clean on the outside, and the underside. Ever wonder why? Dirt can hide problems. If your D-Ring strapping is dirty, you might not notice that it is slipping from the tree. If that D-Ring is torn from the tree, you will end up looking up at your horse with no way to ride him back to the trail head. Dirt on the outside of the horn in a western saddle could hide the fact that there is a weakness just waiting to fall apart as you are holding on during a tight turn. Don't let dirt on the outside hide that thing that will end you up on your backside. Dirt on the underside of the saddle is easy to figure out why to remove. Everyone has heard that saying "a burr under my saddle". Nobody wants to ride that calm gentle bombproof horse once there's a burr under the saddle.

After the saddle is sure to be clean, and since you have that leather cleaner out, let's take a look at that headstall and bridle. Those need to be clean as well. Mostly for the same reason's that the saddle needs to be clean. Dirt hides faults. Is there any stitching coming out? Is the bit clean? Why should the bit be clean? Would you want to have something in your mouth for a few hours that tasted like last years grass? It'll take some elbow grease, but just use some warm water and scrub away. Don't use any soap on the bit, you don't like the taste of it, why should your horse? Make sure everything lays nice and flat. Wouldn't want something rubbing that horse the wrong way and creating a reason for the poor fellow to feel uncomfortable.