Even if you’re not quite ready to display your skills before a panel of judges, it’s still important to have a fundamental understanding of the horse equipment you must buy. Towards that end, we’ve compiled the following list of facts about English horse tack that we hope you’ll find useful as you stock up at TheEquestrianCorner.com.

Saddles and saddle pads
Saddles and saddle pads come in a variety of styles designed to facilitate riding in different disciplines. For example, a close contact saddle, which gives the rider a better feel for the animal and therefore greater control, is suitable for hunting and show jumping, while a deep seated saddle with a raised cantle is the norm for dressage. If you’re unsure which discipline you will specialize in, an all-purpose saddle would be your best bet.

A saddle pad is another critical piece of horse equipment. This item not only protects your horse’s back from possible irritation caused by contact with the saddle, but also provides essential comfort. Saddle pads are available in dressage, all-purpose, and pony varieties.

Saddle accessories
Basic English horse tack also includes a number of saddle accessories that no rider should be without. Stirrups, stirrup leathers, reins, and a girth are indispensible regardless of your discipline. On the other hand, horse equipment such as breastplates and martingales are generally used for high-speed events such as hunting or show-jumping where rider safety is a primary concern.

Bridles
Bridles, which are necessary for controlling horses, may appear to the untrained eye to be pretty much the same. But upon closer inspection, the differences become more apparent. Dressage bridles are often made of finely stitched black leather and come with noticeable padding, whereas a hunt bridle is more utilitarian than decorative and features minimal padding. Other types of bridles you may consider while shopping for English horse tack include figure 8 (for show jumping), snaffle, and event.

Halters and leads
Halters and leads are used for handling, leading, or tying up the horse as opposed to actually riding it. You can complete your English horse tack package by purchasing a padded leather halter and lead from our online store. We even have plaid halters designed to match turnouts of the same pattern so your animal can match from head to shoe.

Optional horse equipment
Whips, bats, and crops are optional items that are used in various riding events and should be considered if you plan to compete in any shows. Furthermore, a responsible owner takes care of his or her animal by performing routine grooming activities on a regular basis.  Practical grooming supplies include a mane comb, pulling comb, body brush, curry comb, hoof pick, and hoof brush.

There’s no question that high-quality horse equipment represents a significant investment for most people. But as with other investments, you can expect to get a nice return on your money—only this time, instead of more profits, you’ll get more enjoyment out of each and every riding session!

Choosing a saddle, on the other hand, is a bit more complicated. At first glance, all English saddles look basically the same to an inexperienced eye, so you might be inclined to select the cheapest or most stylish one without considering anything else. But each saddle has important differences in features such as seat depth and location, as well as flap length and shape. These differences directly affect your ability to ride effectively in certain events, so just as you choose equestrian boots based on how you intend to ride, you should do the same thing when it comes to saddles.

The three most popular English saddle styles are dressage, jumping, and all-purpose. Here are a few basic characteristics to keep in mind as you try to figure out which style to purchase from TheEquestrianCorner.com.

English Dressage Saddles

• Deep seat with long, straight flaps
• Higher pommel and cantle
• Helps riders maintain a straight-backed, upright posture from their riding helmets down through their equestrian boots
• Allows rider’s legs to stay closer to the horse’s body
• Available with or without knee rolls
• Appropriate for beginners, pleasure riders, and dressage events
• Top brands include Henri de Rivel (HDR), Germania, Jorge Canaves, Pro-Trainer, and Shannon

English Jumping Saddles

• Deep seat with short, angled flaps
• Lower pommel and cantle
• Helps riders to lean forward into jumps
• Available with knee rolls to provide more security and stability during jumps
• Available with Grip-Tac leather for improved grip
• Appropriate for jumping or cross-country eventing
• May not be suitable for novices or pleasure riders
• A leading manufacturer is HDR

All-Purpose English Saddles

• Essentially a cross between dressage and jumping saddles
• Medium-depth or deep seat with mid-length flaps
• Rounded or square cantle
• Available with knee rolls for extra support
• Provides riders with balance and security for participation in different disciplines
• Appropriate for pleasure riding , foxhunting, and competitions
• Suitable for novices and intermediates
• Top brands include HDR, Germania, Pro Am, and Jorge Canaves

Though these are the most popular English saddle styles, they are not the only ones available. Here at TheEquestrianCorner.com, we also carry close contact, event, and young rider saddles, so be sure to browse our entire collection. For your convenience, we also carry all the apparel, riding helmets, equestrian boots, and accessories you’ll need for training or your next event.

Choosing an English saddle comes down to your purpose for riding, skill level, and personal preferences. Your saddle has a direct impact on how well you ride and how quickly your horse responds to commands, so take some time to try out a few different models appropriate to your discipline to see which one feels the most comfortable.

Horse saddles are made for different riding styles. Some are designed for jumping, while others are designed for closer contact with your horse. The knowledgeable product reps at The Equestrian Corner can help you decide which saddle fits your needs.  They have a full selection of saddles and riding accessories to get you started. Our saddles are made of the finest quality leathers from France, stitched for long-lasting use, and are designed to give you many comfortable rides. They also stock a leather care line of saddlery products to maintain the life of your tack.

Close Contact Saddles

When choosing a retail shop or an e-commerce site  to purchase your saddle, you’ll need to  make sure that you will be able to return the saddle in the event it does not fit properly. A professional saddle fitter will help by making adjustments to the saddle to get the fit as accurate as possible for you and your horse’s safety and comfort.   When horse saddles are fitted properly, they will allow the horse to move freely and without  pain or irritation.   Horse saddles that do not fit exactly perfect can be improved with the use of saddle pads.  Saddles and saddle pads as well as fitting and measuring expertise are available to you when you purchase online at The Equestrian Corner.com.

Equine Couture Monte Carlo Saddle Pad