Info wanted on what tack is need for a horse!!!

louise1

New Member
Nov 4, 2006
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Farnborough, Hants
Hi, I thought i would give you something to think about to help me!!

What exactly do you need to keep a horse? ie rugs - what; type bridles etc stable gear etc. everything you need to make you and your horse happy:D . i have ordered some books off ebay hopefully they will give some ideas, but knowing the NR message boards i would get very detailed answers from all you experts!!!:p

I havent a horse yet.... but obviously would need to know what is required first!!!

thanks....;)
 
The list can be endless! And a lot depends on what sort of horse you get, what you do with it and how it is kept.

My horse (a 16hh cob in medium work, kept in a night out during the day) has.....

A bridle, with a cavesson noseband and dutch gag bit
A martingale, for hacking only
A General purpose saddle
Several Nu-med Hi-wither numnahs
Lunging cavesson, and lunge line
Hi-viz leg bands, for hacking
Boots, that she doesn't wear!
A cooler rug, which is used when she is hairy and sweaty
A fleece stable rug, for spring and autumn
A Thick stable rug for winter
A spare stable rug
A thin turnout rug, for autumn and spring
A thick turnout rug, for winter
A spare turnout rug
A headcollar and leadrope

Usually with these things, you start off with the basics and your collection grows uncontrollably over the years:eek:
 
Hi Louise!

So much depends on the horse, it's really impossible to say. Obviously, saddle and bridle - but you might get those with the horse. Quite often they are sold "with tack".

Rugs - all depends on the type of horse, how you're going to keep it, what type of riding you plan to do etc. etc. A native pony or cobby type stabled at night probably won't need any rugs at all, if you just plan to do leisure riding. A thin skinned Thoroughbred you're going to event with will probably need all sorts. Again, you may well find the horse comes with all the stuff it needs.

I think I'd look for the horse first, and then the previous owner will be able to advise you on what this particular individual needs.

My main tip would be - don't spend money on anything until you have found the horse and know what (if anything) comes with it. My last one came with a whole tack shop full of nearly new stuff (most of which I've never used!:D ) - but I've also had ones that have arrived without so much as a halter! Also research where you're going to keep it, and what they may supply automatically, and what you're expected to provide yourself. This varies enormously from one yard to another - so again, don't buy so much as a bucket until you know exactly what you will need for the stables you choose.

Good luck in your search!
 
Hi, thanks for that i know it was a type of general question 'like how long is a piece of string' I havent even started looking for a horse yet!!! but just was interested in how much kit you needed to keep a horse !! but i get the idea.
 
For my welsh cob I have;

Three bridles, 6 bits (only four of which are used - two snaffles, one full cheek snaffle and a pelham, all the same mouthpiece) and various reins, but not the pair I could do with right now. :rolleyes:

No saddle that I use, doesn't fit and I can't afford to replace it. As a replacement I have a thick pad and a surcingle to ride on.

He has his headcollar and leadrope. Lunging equipment (roller, lines, whip). Several pairs of boots for various things, a few pairs of bandages - he wears a fleece set in his stable, and a full grooming kit.

I then have a lot of rugs, the most important being his lightweight stable rug, and his lightweight and mediumweight turnouts, and a jersey cooler.
 
Hello Louise. It's great to hear that you're thinking of buying a horse, and good to see you're doing your research!

To give you an idea, I'll tell you what I have for my two horses. Most of it has been accumulated over the years rather than all being bought in one go, and lots of things have been repaired and reused for each horse!

I have an assortment of bridles - all with cavesson nosebands, and a couple of double bridles. I have two sets of double bits, and lots of different types of bit; a hanging snaffle, a single-jointed loose ring snaffle, an eggbutt snaffle with a french link, a cherry roller, a Happy Mouth 3 ring gag, a rugby pelham with a ported mouthpiece.. - I like to try things out and see if they work for my horses. I have lots of spare leatherwork like nosebands, reins etc, just for emergencies! I have two synthetic girths each and two leather girths each, two numnahs each, sheepskin pads, lots of headcollars and leadropes, at least two rugs in every weight imaginable, lots of neck covers, travelling equipment for each one (boots and bandages), boots for working in the school and boots for hacking out, lunging equipment (a roller, lunging cavesson, two lunge lines and lots of side and draw reins), a bungee, a Harbridge, a first aid kit (very important!), hundreds of brushes and hoofpicks and so on and of course all the thousands of little things that seem to gather over the years!
 
My own horse has,
a saddle,
Leathers
Irons,
girth
saddlecloth.
Bit (snaffle)
caveson bridle
reins.

no rugs, no boots, nothing fancy at all.
 
My Fell pony has:

Bridle
Bit [although just going bitless]
Headcollar
Lead rope
Fhoenix Saddle
Girth
Stirrup irons
Stirrup leathers
Lambswool half pad for underneath the saddle
Grooming kit
Shavings for the field shelter floor
Feed bucket

That's it! He isn't rugged, he lives out 24/7 all year round. No rugs; he just grows his natural long shaggy Fell coat.

We feed ad lib hay from huge round bales in the field and have a big water trough out there for their water.

He thrives on this regime, but it does depend what sort of horse you buy. Generally, the more finer bred the horse, the more paraphernalia you will end up getting as it will need rugging and stabling! :D
 
Off the top of my head
My arab has
a dressage saddle (plus 2 girths, irons and leathers
no idea how many numnahs and saddlecoths
bridle
4 bits (two mullen (loose and eggbut ring) and a frenchlink brass and a steel eggbut.
2 rugs mw and heavier mw and an underrug
a sweet-itch rug
running martinggale
assorted boots hi viz and brushing
fleece exercise sheet
In hand arab halter (far too exoensive)
Arab training halter
velevet show rug
fleece rug
travel boots

Husbands cob has
Dressage saddle (irons keathers 2 girths)
several Numnahs and saddle cloths
Bridle with eggbut frenchlink
running and standong martingale
2 turnout rugs
exercise sheet
boots- brushing travel and hi-viz
fleece and travel rugs
summer sheet


Plus grooming stuff feed buckets hay nets feed buckets shavings forks shovels and halters headcollars and ropes!
Guess I spend more on mine than he does;)
 
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Hello Louise. It's great to hear that you're thinking of buying a horse, and good to see you're doing your research! i have to know what i am doing otherwise i get confused and unhapy!

with cavesson nosebands, and a couple of double bridles. I have two sets of double bits, and lots of different types of bit; a hanging snaffle, a single-jointed loose ring snaffle, an eggbutt snaffle with a french link, a cherry roller, a Happy Mouth 3 ring gag, a rugby pelham with a ported mouthpiece.. I think i have a lot to learn as the above names means nothing to me:D I have never heard of the above words!-
 
hmmm Curly has
GP saddle, leathers and irons
Girth x2
Numnah x3 (and one is a posh embroidered 'Curly Wurly' one for shows:eek:)
Bridle
French link eggbutt snaffle
Martingale
Tendon, fetlock and brushing boots
Grooming and 1st aid boxes
Lightweight Masta turnout
Weatherbeeta fleece (brilliant rug - you can NEVER have too many fleeces :D)
Lightweight stable rug (i layer up with fleeces in winter)
Medium weight saxon Turnout (again i layer up with the magic fleece!)
Travel boots
Headcollar and rope
lunge line, whip and sidereins

and then all the other bits i seem to have accumulated, like surcingles, about a million hoofpicks, hi viz (fat lot of use as i dont hack), show stuff (plaiting bands, hairspray etc)

and im off shopping on friday :eek:
 
Hi, well i have 15.1hh tb cross newforest mare, in moderate work at the moment. But she has lots of things that i have to consider when buying her tack, at the moment she has:
General Purpose saddle,
stirrup leathers and irons and spare stirrup leathers.
Girth, cottage craft one. . ,i think
over reach boots + many spare pairs as she has to wear them all the time.
brushing boots.
bridle, with flash noseband (only used on hacks with others)
dutch gag
martingale
lunge line
head collar
3 lead ropes
lightweight turnout,
med weight turnout
heavy weight turnout
lightweight stable rug
med/w stable rug
heavy weight stable rug
urm . ..im sure i have lots more around somewhere!!! i seem to accumulate it!!!
 
Hi Louise

When I bought my first pony 3 months ago he came with saddle, bridle and reins, 2 numnahs, 2 headcollars, 2 leadropes, about 8 rugs and 2 pairs of boots. I had my own stirrup irons so Sonny's previous owner kept hers, but i could have had them if I'd wanted them.

So far I've bought buckets, a snack a ball, hi-vis gear, lunging equipment, grooming brushes, first aid kit, tack cleaners, flyspray and hay nets. I always seem to be rushing off to the tack shop so I've probably missed something off the list.

If I was you I wouldn't buy too much stuff beforehand as you don't know sizes and your horse may come with all sorts of things, best to save up and then you can have a massive spending spree when the time comes.
 
My mare is in at night out in the day during the winter and out 24/7 during the summer. She is a hairy unclipped native ridden most days. for her I have:-

Treeless saddle,
2 x pads,
irons
leathers
Furry seat saver....homemade out of an old coat!!
Cavesson bridle with flash and snaffle
waterproof ride on saddle cover...homemade out of an old tent fly sheet
hi-vis sheet, leg bands, necklace
head collar and 2 lead ropes
lunge line and lunge whip
3 x sweet itch fly sheets....
fleece cooler rug
lightweight stable rug....never used
lightweight turnout rug....never used
mediumweight turnout rug....never used.
 
Well my 16.2hh ISH mare didn't come with ANYTHING except a new set of shoes which I promptly got rid of :cool: :p

Currently she has:

1 x Wintec 500 GP Saddle
1 x Leather girth
1 x pair of leathers
1 x pair of comfort irons
1 x pair of normal irons
1 x Black snaffle bridle with flash
1 x Loose French link bit
1 x Waterford Filet Baucher bit
1 x running martingale (which I don't use anymore)
4 x head collars
2 x lead ropes
2 x MW TO, one with neck one without
2 x MW Stable rugs
3 x Coolers/fleeces
1 x Newmarket rug
1 x Fly sheet with full neck
2 x haynets
2 x feed buckets
2 x water buckets
2 x feed bins
1 x feed container bucket with lid
3 x feed scoops
1 x feed stirrer (free)
A tack box FULL of brushes, combs, sprays, ointments, hoof pick, scissors etc etc etc
1 x set travel boots (which she doesn't need)
1 x set of reflective leg bandages for hacking
1 x lunge whip
1 x lunge line
1 x schooling whip
1 x riding whip

And probably loads of other things I've forgotten!

As someone else mentioned what you need does depend on the horse and what you want to do with it. For example I want to do some dressage so I will be purchasing a dressage saddle as well as keeping my GP.

It's quite scary when you write it all down :eek:
 
Ah, need or want?;) - they're not the same thing;)

All you really NEED is

saddle that fits well (with girth and stirrups and maybe a numnah)
bridle (with bit and reins)
headcollar and leadrope
two waterproof turnout rugs (and maybe a stable rug) (not even that if your horse is a hairy native)
grooming kit
feed buckets and haynets
first aid kit


everything else is extra. Sadly I have a LOT moe stuff:eek:
 
Alpi has...

Saddle, various sets of stirrup leathers & stirrups
A handful of girths, leather, string, humane etc.
3 Bridles (2 normal & 1 bitless)
4 bits for different occasions (2 Happy Mouth, 1 Neue Schule & 1 Myler)
God knows how many Polypads, Numnah's & Saddlecloths.. though I mostly just use his Nuumed sheepskin numnah's for everyday use (if you wanted a good all purpose numnah they are fab - so comfy for the horse - though you do have to keep them clean or they can rub)
Travel boots
Brushing boots, over-reach boots, reflective road boots, exercise boots
Lungeing cavesson, roller, line, whip
Waterproof exercise sheet
Stacks of headcollars & leadropes (why?? You only ever need one! But I can't help myself...)
Dually halter
Grooming kit
First aid box
2 rubber feed skips & 3 feed buckets with covers (handy for making up sugar beet in or if you want to make up feeds in advance - rubber skips are great though as well as you can leave them in a stable overnight and are harmless whereas a horse could put his leg through a plastic bucket)
I use Trugs for water buckets in the stables and fields
Haylage nets (less wasteful than haynets. Get about half a dozen so you can fill haynets in advance)
Boredom breaker & Likits
Horslyx stable lick
Snackaball

Rugs..
2 Coolers
2 Fleece rugs
2 travel/all purpose rugs
2 LW turnout rugs
2 MW turnout rugs
1 HW turnout rug
2 LW stable rugs
1 MW stable rugs

God knows how much other stuff that I can't even remember.

The ponies on the other hand have...

1 headcollar between them :p

Maverick will have tack when I get around to backing him next summer but Alpi is just spoilt, his Xmas present is a Pessoa which he probably won't thank me for mind you :D
 
Frits has
Bridle with grackle noseband
saddle(he does not have his own saddle blanket, I nick Mus:eek: )
grooming kit (very basic)
halters - rope halter, halter for serving and everyday halter.
chiefney bit(this is his serving bit only)
winter rug
he had a fly mask and a summer rug but he destroyed them:rolleyes:

Mysty has
3 x grooming kits.
2 x bridles
saddle and blanket
paddock boots
5x rugs
plaiting kit
show halter
everyday halter
fly mask

Mushu has much the same as Frits:)

I then have lunge line, lunge cavesson, 12ft parelli rope. A show kit. clippers, twitch, first aid kit and a book on equine care first aid
 
my horse has more kit than i could possibly even list here. It took us 6 trips in a transit van to shift all my stuff when we moved yards, and that's not including my tack (which i took in my car, just to be on the safe side!). he's about 10 pads and numnahs, at least 5 sets of bandages/wraps, 7 sets of brushing/competition boots. he's about 30 rugs all in all. 2 saddles, 2 bridles, umpteen bits gathered over the years. travel boots, travel bandages and pads, a whole trunk of reflective gear including 3 exercise sheets, tail guard and reflective breast plate. lots of odds and ends such as fly masks, fly veils for when he's ridden, bandage pads, stud kit, several old headcollars, many, many old leadropes.......... all my lungeing kit, lungeing roller, bareback pad.

But as PL mentions, he certainly does not NEED all this. it's accumulated extras over the 10 years i've had him :rolleyes:
 
Salsa started off with nothing except a headcollar, leadrope and saddle! :D So I promptly went shopping and bought...

Black leather bridle
French-link snaffle bit
Running Martingale
Over reach boots
Tendon boots
Grooming kit (body brush, dandy brush, 2x hoofpicks, plastic curry comb, metal curry comb, rubber curry comb, mane comb) and box
Pair of stirrup leathers and irons
2x bucket covers
2x feed buckets
1x waterbucket
1x Leather headcollar and new leadrope
2x haynets
1x Saddle rack and bridle hook
First Aid kit.

Fortunately, Jacob had come with various rugs that he didn't need, which although they were a little big, got Salsa through his first winter until I could afford new ones. I also had to make do with Jacob's spare girths and numnahs! Now he has around 13 rugs, various boots, masses of buckets and haynets, dozens of hoofpicks, five headcollars and matching leadropes :rolleyes:, etc etc.... Don't forget that (depending on where you stable) you may need feed bins, scoops, wheelbarrow, shovel, fork/shavings fork, broom, etc. as well.
 
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