What Equipment Do I Need?
What should we buy first? What are the most essential tools we need with horses? Should I buy the best or is “economy” good enough? What will I need next? Western or English? These are questions we’ve all had and I hope to answer today. Growing up on a farm, we always had ropes and halters. But, it was when I got my first mustang that I realized I needed some quality tools that were made for communication. This article will share some things I learned.
Our number one need in working with horses is communication. However, the tools we use to communicate can be a terrible hindrance or a great asset. I’ve seen people with thousands of dollars in tack who cannot communicate with their horse. I’ve also seen people ride horses and do complicated maneuvers with no bridle or saddle. I’ve seen people ride a horse that’s never been ridden and their only tools to get this done were a couple lengths of rope. So if you think you could be a better equine communicator if only you had this equipment or that equipment, you’re wrong. The items we talk about in this article are only tools to aid in communication. They aren’t the communication itself. For example, our voice isn’t what communicates our ideas, the words we say are what communicates our ideas.
The important part is how you use the tools, not the tools themselves.
I would first recommend getting a quality rope halter and lead rope. I prefer the ¼ inch rope halters. This gives me more precise communication with the horse and a more distinct release of pressure. I also prefer the halter to be a little stiffer for the same reason. I like for the nose of the halter to hang “open” when on the horse, that way when I pick up on the lead or rein to cue the horse, it’s a completely different feel for the horse. This gives more clear communication which is what we want.
When selecting a lead rope I want one that is somewhere around 12-15 feet long and has a good weight preferably with a leather popper on the end. Most of my ropes are ¾ inch double braided solid ropes. These have good weight and usually very little stretch. I like the heavier ropes because they also provide better communication. When you take the slack out of a cheap “economy” lead rope the horse doesn’t feel any change until the rope is completely taut. With a heavier rope, the horse will feel a change immediately when you pick it up. The reason I like the extra length on the rope is that the tail can be used to create energy to drive or block the horse when training. If you buy a quality rope and lead and take reasonably good care of them, they will last for many years. I still have and use the “Professionals Choice” rope halter and lead I bought for my first mustang, Cochise. That was over 10 years ago. So spend the extra $15-$20 and buy quality. If all you have is a good halter and lead and you really work on yourself and your horsemanship, you can surpass 75 percent of horse owners with your horsemanship so don’t rush to spend a ton of money on other stuff.
After the halter, you might want to get a few grooming tools. These aren’t completely necessary, but most horses enjoy getting scratched and brushed and the more positive interactions you have with your horse the better the relationship will be. I’d start with either a metal or rubber curry comb, either one works. These are used to get any large clumps and dirt or mud off. Next, you need, one bristled horse brush. This will lift smaller bits of dirt and dust off the horse. You could expand and have softer brushes as well, but one is enough to give the horse a good experience before or after working. You also need a hoof pick to clean out hooves and evaluate hoof health. A simple metal one works fine. The curry comb, bristled brush, and hoof pick would complete the minimal grooming kit. You could expand to have mane and tell brush, other bristled brushes, mane and tail conditioner, fly spray, hoof conditioner, hoof polish, etc.. The list goes on. But those first three items can suffice for starters.
If you plan on riding your horse (of course you do) I recommend a good riding helmet. Of course it makes you look weird and John Wayne never wore one in his movies. But it’s only a matter of time before you fall off a horse and if you do, an impact to the head could send you to the ER or worse. So get a helmet and wear it.
Next, you’ll need a saddle. This is when you’ll have to make a decision on what style of tack you want. The two main types are western and english. I grew up riding western and I still ride western a majority of the time. However, if you’re just beginning and are just going to be doing basic arena riding and basic trail riding consider using an English saddle. The reason I say this is that western saddles tend to hold the rider in place more than an English saddle. If you learn to ride in an English saddle, you develop your riding seat and balance much quicker and if you decide you want to switch to western riding later, your balance will be there. That said, good riding position is the same no matter what style you ride so ultimately it doesn’t matter. Either way, I recommend buying a quality leather saddle that reasonably fits the horse with which you’ll use it. Buying used is usually fine, but be weary of the $50 Facebook Marketplace find. Oftentimes you end up having to repair them. Sometimes, there’s dry rot which can be unsafe. So, inspect well. If you aren’t sure what to look for, ask someone more experienced to go with you. Again, if you buy quality and take care of it good tack will last you years. My siblings and I grew up riding a saddle that my dad’s mentor gave him when he was young and we still use it at times today. You don’t need a custom saddle, but if you buy quality, you won’t regret it.
You’ll also need a good saddle pad. For western, I like the 1 inch thick felt/wool pad. In my experience, for the cost, these tend to distribute the weight from the saddle tree to the widest area. Later you can upgrade to fancier pad if you feel the need.
When it comes to headstall/bridle, again I recommend quality leather. You actually could ride and get and very responsive horse with just the rope halter and rope. So if you’re truly on the horsemanship journey consider developing your ridden communication using the rope halter before you begin using a bit. This is a point that often brings up differing opinions, but I recommend using a snaffle bit that won’t pinch the sides of the horse’s mouth and has a smooth broken mouthpiece. Riding with good hands can offer a soft cue with a bit like this while giving you the ability to refine your cues with a bit.
If you acquire all these items you can go very far with your horse. But remember, it isn’t the tools that make the horseman or horsewoman, it is the knowledge and experience of how to use those tools that make the horseman or horsewoman.
Apprentice of the Horse 