# New to horses and forum from Ohio



## jules083 (Jan 19, 2010)

Hi everyone I'm new here. I was born and raised on a beef farm but never ended up getting any horses. When I moved my girlfriend in with her horses I ended up buying a mare I liked and got into trail riding about a year ago. She has moved out and i decided to keep my mare, so I joined up here to try to learn more about her. My ex did most of the caretaking and, while I do know the basics, I really don't know a whole lot about the little stuff. She's an 11 year old half paint, half perchon. She's big. lol.


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## jesredneck98 (Dec 11, 2009)

Welcome. Feel free to ask anything that you have questions about you can get alot of great help with everything from training to the small things. Don't be afraid to ask the simplist questions because chances are someone else will have the same questions. Plus there are all sorts of levels or riders on here. GOOD LUCK! You have a beautiful horse!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Howdy and welcome to the forum. This is an awesome place to learn new things and there are tons on knowledgeable people here. Your girl is absolutely gorgeous. I love her blue eyes with her dark coat.


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## Plains Drifter (Aug 4, 2009)

Hello and welcome! Your horse is lovely!


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## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

firstly welcome! and your horse is beautiful, blue eyes!
how big is she?

oh and i too am new to horsecare lol, i have owned my 1st horse for 3 months (near enough) and have been riding for 10 years.


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

OMG! She's beautiful. I'm in Ohio, too. If she's missing from your pasture you know who has her, lol.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Welcome, I'm sure you will find lots of folks here to help you on your horse knowledge journey


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## jules083 (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks. Those eyes are even brighter in person, they're something else. I just measured her and she's 15-3 if I measured right. Tallest part of the bone above the sholders right? She seemed bigger than that by looking at her. The ex had just quarters and one paint though, I'm used to being around them. I'm only 5'9" and about 150 pounds, so she's big to me. lol. 

First dumb question. How would I be sure a saddle fit her right without trying it on? The one I used to use fit her alright but I no longer have access to any of the tack. All I have is a halter and lead rope for her. I'm guessing for a headstall I would just look for something in a large horse size, they all seem pretty adjustable to me. I've always ridden her with either a hackamore or just clip a lead rope on each side of her halter. I was going to get another hackamore for her, I don't see any need to put a bit in her mouth. Any thoughts on all of this? Thanks again.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

If you wish to ride her bitless, then there is nothing wrong with that. For now, you can just stick with the halter and lead if she is responsive enough in that. Though in my honest opinion, there are much better options out there rather than a mechanical hackamore. When I want to go bitless on my horses, I either use a soft hackamore (a rope halter with mecate reins) or a bosal hackamore. Again though, if she responds well in the mechanical hack and doesn't seem to have any issues with it, then it will work fine to keep her in that. She probably would need tack designed for a large horse, the best way to know what size bridle she would need is to get one of those soft measuring tapes and measure over her poll to each corner of her mouth, across her forehead where the browband would lay, and then behind her ears and around her throatlatch. You should be able to take those measurements to the tack store and find a bridle that will fit her. Some tack stores will allow you to bring the horse to them and try saddles on them until you find one that fits. However, if that isn't an option for you, given her size and breed, she would probably need a saddle with Full Quarter Horse Bars (those are about the biggest you can easily find without going to draft sized tack) and the gullet would probably need to measure 7 1/2 inches.

Here is a good site that will teach you all about western saddles, their parts, and how to size them.
Saddle Gullet - Gullet Sizes

Wow, sorry for the novel.


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## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

jules083 said:


> Thanks. Those eyes are even brighter in person, they're something else. *I just measured her and she's 15-3 if I measured right. Tallest part of the bone above the sholders right?* She seemed bigger than that by looking at her. The ex had just quarters and one paint though, I'm used to being around them. I'm only 5'9" and about 150 pounds, so she's big to me. lol.
> 
> First dumb question. How would I be sure a saddle fit her right without trying it on? The one I used to use fit her alright but I no longer have access to any of the tack. All I have is a halter and lead rope for her. I'm guessing for a headstall I would just look for something in a large horse size, they all seem pretty adjustable to me. I've always ridden her with either a hackamore or just clip a lead rope on each side of her halter. I was going to get another hackamore for her, I don't see any need to put a bit in her mouth. Any thoughts on all of this? Thanks again.


yes measure to the 'withers' you got it right!
and yeah ride her bitless if that is what she used to. if you ride western then i have no idea how to answer the second question but if english then have the saddle professionally fitted or wear a sheepskin saddle cloth with it (thats what im doing as i havnt has my horse long and he needs a temp, saddle until he looses his belly! i have another, fitted, saddle waiting for him.


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## Krystle F (Jan 3, 2010)

*Welcome!!!!! I have a 1/2 Bel. 1/2 Per. so if you have any questions just feel free to ask as well *


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## jules083 (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks for all the advise. I e-mailed my ex about fitment of her old saddle but I'm not expecting anything in reply. I'm going to ride to the saddle shop today to look around and talk to someone up there. I ride western BTW. I'm thinking I might go to a few tack auctions and find something used, that way if it doesn't fit right I should be able to get my money back out of it. The closest tack shop is about an hour or so away, I don't really want to haul her that far if I can help it. My truck gets about 5 MPG with the trailer and doesn't have much life left to be honest. I was going to look at the abetta synthetic tack while I'm up there, it seems like it requires less care, is cheaper, and should last just as long if not longer. My neighbor has a pile of headstalls he said I could dig through and find something already set up with hackamores on them. I might try a bit while I'm there to see how she takes to it. I don't know her history before the last few years, she might do well with one.


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## jules083 (Jan 19, 2010)

Alright went and looked around and checked out some prices. The lady that workes there came up with a good idea, she said to bend a wire around where the front of the saddle will sit and bring it in, that will help. Probably beginning of next week I'll head in with that and go from there. She said also if I buy something and it doesn't fit I can bring it back and try another one, so no worries there.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I used a piece of wire to get the basic shape, then traced it onto a piece of cardboard and cut it out. Thats a lot easier to take to the store and keep in shape than a wire. Just FYI ;-)
Do just behind the shoulder where the saddle will sit in the front and one across the middle where your butt will sit.

Here's a site that has some templates if you're interested http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/easy-saddle-recommendation.html
That site also has some great saddle fitting examples and other great info.


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## jules083 (Jan 19, 2010)

Alright got everything. Met up with a friend of a friend that came out with a van load of stuff. She sold me a saddle that fits perfect for $75. It's a synthetic Weaver, seems to be good quality and like new condition. She's letting me borrow a lot of her stuff, she has a friend a few hours away selling stuff and when she comes in town I'll pick up the rest of it then. I don't have a camera, I'll try to get pics when I can. Took her for a ride today for the first time in about a month, I forgot how good she is. Acted like a perfect lady. Ended up putting a bit in her because that's all we had, she must have worn one with a previous owner. Never complained once and acted just as good, so I'm going to go with it.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Great to hear! Its so much better when you can get a deal on your tack. 
I started out with a synthetic saddle. I would still have it if it had fit one of my girls. 
Between weather and the flu, its been about 3 weeks since we have ridden. My mare is like yours, she's a sweety whether its been a day or a month since she has been ridden.


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