If you think of riding as a hobby or buying a horse for yourself, you will do yourself a great favour by purchasing the right equipment. Horses are pretty big animals, and there are lots of things you need to buy for you and your new dear equine friend. Without further ado, let’s dive into it!
You Need To Choose The Right Tack
Let’s begin by covering the horse equipment you first need to purchase. The very first thing to consider is horse saddles made up of leather or synthetic materials. Noted horse riding equipment specialists ayrequestrian.com point out that saddles are essential and have a telling effect on the health of a rider and the comfort level of the horse. Getting your saddled fitted by specially trained professionals is a good idea, but you can also choose one yourself. If you opt for the latter double check on your measurements. You can get pony saddles for a hundred dollars, while a high-end jockey saddle may set you back by several thousands of dollars. There is also a flourishing second-hand market for horse saddles, and you might want to check the same.
The essential equipment you need to prevent the saddle from rubbing against the horse or slipping from its sides and backs is the saddle pad. This will cost you anywhere between $25-$250 or even more. Saddle girths are especially useful to keep it in place. Other necessary animal equipment are the reins and the bridle besides stirrups and a bit. Each will cost you around $25.
Other additional necessary equipment depends on the horse itself and your horse riding’s exact nature, i.e., hacking, dressage, leisure riding, or showjumping. While your tack is likely to cost you significantly, it might be helpful to know that horse insurance covers the tack.
Tack Care And Maintenance Equipment
It is essential to groom your horse properly. Horses are beautiful creatures, and seeing one in full gallop is quite a sight to behold. But to maintain their free movements and ensure a glossy coat for your horse, the proper horse care and grooming equipment is essential.
Essential horse grooming equipment includes curry combs to loosen off the dirt from the coat of the horse. Additionally, you will need a pair of brushes for the face, body, tail, and horse mane. A hoof-pick is also essential to get rid of dirt or stones from a horse’s hooves before they can result in infection or discomfort as a result of decay. Metal is the preferred type of hoof pick you choose.
For mud-covered horses, washing is essential. Accordingly, you need specialized shampoos meant for horses. The high sensitivity levels of horse skin make this necessary. Horse grooming kits contain all essential horse grooming items and will typically set you back by $40-$65.
Horse Riding Clothing Items
The first piece of riding equipment that you need necessarily has a potential lifesaver hat. Safety hats are essential safety equipment. There are several quality assurance marks and certifications that your hat should preferably have. While purchasing one, you don’t want to compromise on quality for the hat to be affordable.
An additional safety item that you can potentially buy is a body protector, which gives you the necessary cushioning which comes into play should you fall. Expect to shell out about $250 for a light and flexible body protector for adults. Some body protectors are additionally equipped with airbags that spring into action as you leave the saddle.
The best footwear while riding is riding boots furnished with a smooth sole and a slight heel. You can check shop for muck boots, which are great for all weather conditions. They look great and fabulously swish too. Pair them with a couple of riding gloves which are both comfortable and warm. They look great and fabulously swish too. Pair them with a couple of riding gloves which are both comfortable and warm.
Now that we have essential safety equipment out of the way, any comfortable attire would work fine as your comfortable clothing. But there is plenty of specialized attire meant for riding in the form of jodhpurs, jackets, and other types of clothing attire. They are intended to complement the type of riding activity you want to do, like showing, hacking, or jumping. And they let you do the same in a pretty stylish way!
The last piece of information you need to know is about insurance. Horse riding can be dangerous. Accordingly, horse rider insurance that gives you adequate coverage for personal accidents is necessary.
To end this article, it would be helpful for you to know that while there are plenty of big brands and high-profile horse-riding equipment stores, it is indeed costly. In contrast, equipment sourced from online shops is likely to be cheaper. Additionally, a large majority of online stores selling horse riding equipment do indeed have provisions for returns. However, experts will advise you to get some items measured and fitted accordingly. Hope this helps!
Published by HOLR Magazine.