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I am starting my first lease and I am looking into getting some of my own tack so I don’t have to use the lesson tack everyone else uses. I already have a halter, lead rope, and my own brushes. I am asking for a saddle pad and bridle for Christmas and may purchase my own saddle after a couple of months. However, I have noticed the other leasers at my barn have a flash on their bridle and use boots, wraps, and a breastplate when riding. I vaguely thought about getting these pieces of tack myself, but decided to look online to see how they benefited the horse before deciding. This is what I found: - The flash on a bridle stops a horse from opening its mouth which stabilizes the bit and prevents the horse from putting its tongue over it (my lease horse does not put his tongue over the bit)
- Bell boots are worn to prevent overreaching injuries and are often worn by horses who wear shoes (my lease horse does not wear shoes and is not prone to overreaching as far as I know)
- Splint boots protect a horse’s legs from interference, but can also protect a horse’s legs if a pole is knocked down while jumping
- Wraps offer support and protection to the tendons, but little research has proven their usefulness
- A breastplate stops the saddle from sliding down on the horse’s back
Despite the benefits these pieces of tack offer, I feel like the girls who lease at my barn are using them for looks rather than usefulness. Are boots and a breastplate helpful when it comes to jumping cross rails? And what about wraps when doing basic dressage work? Do people sometimes buy these pieces of tack just to make their horse look good? Should I get these pieces of tack to help my horse? |
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My experience with wraps is for polo, we always wrapped all legs and did front boots in official games to protect in case of their legs getting accidentally hit by the mallets. I don't have experience with jumping but I would assume they would be effective for protecting against cross rail bumps as well. |
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Trivia Team
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Talk to your lease horse's owner. Different tack suits and fits different horses, and getting something your horse does not need does more harm than good. I'm not fond of using wraps as they heat up the tendons, which can lead to bows and strains and other injuries. Choose boots carefully for the same reason, and talk to the owner about what that horse will need. If anything, use boots for jumping lessons (though if you're jumping under 2'3, I still wouldn't really bother) and nothing for flatwork unless you're in a dressage clinic. Breastplates are useful to help fit an ill fitting saddle to keep from sliding back. It may also help fit a good fitting saddle on a horse with large shoulders and powerful, forward movement that causes the saddle to slide back as well. Otherwise, it's used as a running martingale attachment. If your horse doesn't need one for any reason, you could get one for the looks, but if you're a hunter rider it's not a traditionally used piece of tack anyways. I don't like flashes at all. They're not hunter ring legal, and if you're a jumper, just use a figure eight. They distribute the pressure of the noseband more evenly across the face. But again, if you don't need it, then I wouldn't use it. Less is more in my opinion. Good luck with your new lease! It's a very exciting new stage in your journey as an equestrian. I know it's tempting to go out and buy so much stuff now, but I promise your horse will be happier if you just save that money for cookies and carrots. ;) |
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I'm more comfortable with a breastpiece. I don't like the saddle sliding. I usually use just a martingale though. But, I don't think you need one. |
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A breastplate is only necessary if the saddle tends to slip back. Wraps are more or less useless. Wrap it around your own leg and take a good whack at it with a pole. Doesn't do much does it? About the only thing it prevents are superficial cuts. I always wear boots for jumping (open front and bells on the front, galloping boots on the hind, galloping boots all around if x country) but default to the owner on this one. Your lease horse has no shoes, so he shouldn't need bell boots unless he overreaches. For cross rails, most horses don't hit their legs enough for boots to be worthwhile but they don't hurt either. But if the owner wants him in boots for jumping, then do it. I also but boots on my horse for flatwork, but that is just a personal preference ("protecting my investment" you could say). Most horses shouldn't need any boots or wraps on for flatting. For the flash noseband, again not necessary if your horse doesn't open his mouth. Some bridles come with a flash, and so some people just use it because it's there. In general, I'd recommend that you only buy what you think you really need. You never know when you might need that extra cash! |
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Honestly, the flash tends to be the first piece of tack I remove. My old boy that's now retired actually used to use the flash to resist, I was at a point riding him at him without any noseband as he was happier. When he had a noseband for competitions (We rode English so a noseband is a must) I just kept the noseband a few holes loser than normal. My mare has never been in a flash and she is quite happy in a normal cavesson noseband. I hate the new fashion of crank nosebands, they are just begging for inexperienced riders to make the noseband too tight. Boots, overreach (bell) boots are only needed for over reaching. Again my old man before retiring had them on 24/7 as he had a gift for pulling shoes (the record is twice in the same weekend), but he is now completely shoeless (by his own choice) and thus no more boots needed. My mare has always been barefoot and only briefly needed bell boots until she figured out her own body with being ridden. I do use tendon boots when I ride her, but that's really more just an incase for our dressage work. I did briefly use medicine boots (not sure if you use the same name in the US) at a point but was worried about her legs overheating. Tendon boots can be more expensive but are usually also worth the money. My Veredus boots cost me a pretty penny but have lasted twelve years and look almost new. Honestly, you don't need a breastplate with a well-fitted saddle unless the saddle fitter says otherwise. My mare has a killer wither with wide shoulders (WB) and she doesn't need a breastplate soo yeah that's my 2 cents on that one. I would definately agree with Emerald though, only buy what you really need and rather save the money |
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Silver Isle Eventing said:
If your struggling to find different tack items or would like some more help or info, feel free to PM me. |
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My take: Yes, a lot of these tack items, espescially in the hunter jumper world, are used for "look" rather than practical use at times. Unless you have an identified mouth gaping issue with your horse, you dont need a flash. Some people like them as decor for chunkier faces, as they tend to make them look a bit more refined in the showring. If thats your vibe, keeping a flash on but not keeping it taght will do nothing anyways. I turn my horses out with bells, because they have shoes on all fours and can be dumb. For me, they are a shoe-pulling preventative. Ive never used them to ride, but I suppose if your horse has a notable overreach problem they could be useful. If you want to boot your horse, go boots unless your horse disagrees. Wraps are too finnickey - if they are too loose they are useless, and if they are too tight you can ruin a horses legs. My only exception there is if you have a horse prone to boot rubs, wraps are a better option. My mare hates all boots and wraps, so she showjumps in nothing. My one gelding gets nasty rubs from boots (sensitive guy) but the other wears a full set with open fronts on his fronts and nice hind boots. Do whats best for your ponk in this dept. I see breast plates used for decor quite often. Its another one of those pieces that does nothing if your horse doesnt need it. No harm in using it if you like that look, (some horses look better in more tack) but also no harm in omitting it if your saddle doesnt slip. IMO: The basics you need are a bridle, a simple bit, a saddle pad, a decent half pad (protect that back), a girth, and a decently fitting saddle. Everything else is an accessory that you can build upon where you see fit. |
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