Properly saddling a horse is one of the most important things you can learn in basic horsemanship. With a little practice and effort, you will find that a properly saddled horse will make horse riding more enjoyable for both you and your horse.
Step #1 - Place a saddle pad evenly on the back of the horse.
Step #2 - Before saddling the horse, practice lifting the saddle upward as if you were going to saddle the horse. A horse saddle tends to be a bit heavy and you want to avoid placing it on the horse in a harsh manner.
Step #3 - Once familiar with lifting the saddle, rotate it so that the side with the mount is facing you. Ensure that all the saddle parts are intact to prevent them from catching on another object or dragging on the ground.
Standing on the left side of the horse, lift the saddle and place it on the saddle pad on the back of the horse.
Step #4 - Walk around to the horse's right side to make sure that the saddle has been properly placed on top of the pad. Adjust if necessary so that it is even, and check to make sure that the cinch straps are hanging in place.
Step #5 - Walk back around to the left side of the horse, maintaining a bit of distance from the back of the horse just in case it moves or kicks its hind legs.
Step #6 - Begin to cinch the horse or tighten the girth. Start with the front girths first, not the back one because it will not hold the saddle in place if the horse moves quickly or shakes. If this happens, the saddle will most likely roll off and scare the horse, causing it to run away.
Step #7 - Start by putting the cinch strap from the front to the back. Continue to wrap it until you run out of strap. Buckle the strap in with the available hole.
Step #8 - Now go to the back cinch, bringing it underneath and buckling it in and allowing a little bit of room to put your hand between the girth and the horse's body, but not too much. You want to avoid the hind leg getting caught on accident.
Tip - Before mounting the horse, double check the tightness of the straps to be certain that the saddle is firm in place.
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