Floresta Elites said:
For question 1
i think you should go with what fits your horse and what allows you to ride at your best when looking into saddle-buying. I think saddles should be purchased after the horse is bought, so that it is properly fitted and doesn't cause sores/other problems.
About bareback riding:
i don't know of any horses that are trained only for bareback. All the horses I know are trained under saddle and can be ridden bareback every once in a while depending on how they react to the feeling of a rider directly on their back.
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question 2
boots and wraps depend on the discipline of the horse. Western is just a general category, no necessarily a discipline. Barrel racing needs overreach boots, but a western trail horse may not need boots or wraps at all. It also depends on how your horse moves and how likely it is to hit its front legs with it back ones. Of course, boots/wraps have more purposes than this.
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question 3
this depends on the horse, and what shoes it wears (if any).
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question 4
Bits depend on the horse, discipline, and rider. Hackamores aren't necessarily for beginners. There's no one bit specifically for beginners.
I personally very much like how they put things.
My trainer told me (just because i don't do it often, just for fun once in a while) that bareback pass are great, but aren't a necessity if you don't plan on riding it often/daily.
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I myself have a pair of splint boots, but I only use them during practice. (I ride western pleasure/horsemanship/ranch riding/show trail for context)
But they're right: it all depends on the discipline of the horse. That being said, a simple pair of sport or splint boots are probably fine for whatever riding you do, or at least that's how I've been taught.
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I know all of the horses at my barn can be ridden in side pulls (for the lesson kids) but it really does depend on what you want to ride. For me, I ride in a shank because of the discipline i ride and what's required in the show ring because of my horses age, and because she responds the best to my cues in that type of bit.
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