Tack Flashcards
Tongue
The pressure point required for flexion and yielding of jaw, chewing, activation of the salivary glands and production of foam.
Tongue sensitvity
More sensitive along the edges than the center
Bars
Pressure points that lead to flexion and yielding of the jaw and flexion of the poll. The bars are the most sensitive structures of the mouth
Corners of the mouth
Encourages extension of the head and neck and sometimes raises the head. The skin is flexible and
less sensitive than the tongue.
Palate (roof of the mouth)
Encourages the horse to open the mouth, tip the head or tuck its chin into its chest. This area
is less sensitive than the bars
Curb groove or chin groove
Located on the underside of the horse’s head where the lower lip meets the jaw. It is the location
of the mandible nerve, which is a large and very sensitive nerve that runs down the edge of the under part of the jaw and goes into the bone just above the chin.
Sides of jaw
Encourages the horse to turn away from lateral pressure
Bridge of nose
Encourages poll flexion. The bridge of the nose is a very complex, sensitive structure of bone and cartilage
that is easily damaged.
Poll
Encourages the lowering of the head. The poll area needs to be handled with care as all mechanical control relies on some form of bridle fitting partially or fully to the poll region.
Poll pressure by itself is not very significant.
Direct pressure
One pound of pressure on the reins equals one pound of pressure in the mouth
Leverage
This multiplies the pressure.
Factors include length of shank, tightness of curb chain and ratio of upper shank to lower shank.
The greater the leverage, the more severe the pressure
Mouthpiece
: A thicker mouthpiece spreads pressure over a wide area while a thinner mouthpiece concentrates the pressure
Mouthpiece surface
Smooth mouthpieces are the gentlest. Twisted, corkscrew, wire or sharp edge mouth pieces are more
severe
Auxillay equipment
Nosebands and martingales make bits more severe by limiting the horse’s options
Snaffle bit
Direct pressure, non-leverage bits.
Snaffle action
tongue, lips and bars.
Common snaffle cheeks (4)
D-ring
Eggbutt
Full
Loose
D-ring snaffle
Has slight lateral pressure.
Fixed mouthpiece
Eggbutt snaffle
Prevents lips from being pinched.
Fixed mouthpiece
Not seen much in hunter ring
Full snaffle
Helps with lateral guidance.
Fixed mouthpiece.
Loose-ring snaffle
Mouthpiece is loose and rotates on ring
Can pinch
Allows horse to set the mouthpiece for its comfort level
Corkscrew mouthpiece
Tight corkscrew twist.
Stronger than a twist
Double wire mouthpiece
Two mouthpieces made of thin twisted wire
Each mouthpiece has a joint and the joints are asymmetrical
Dr. Bristol mouthpiece
Rectangular plate in center of mouthpiece
Plate is at 45 degree angle, rests on tongue
Two joints
French link mouthpiece
Small bone-shaped plate in center of mouthpiece
Plate is not at angle
Two joints
Hollow mouth
Mouthpiece is hollow and wide.
Also extremely light
Keys mouthpiece
Used to accustom young horses to the bit
Several keys dangling from mouthpiece for horse to mouth and consequently accept the bit
Mullen mouthpiece
No joints.
Curved to follow inside of horses mouth
Port mouthpiece
Mouthpiece with hump in the middle
Low port can relieve tongue pressure
High port can act as fulcrum and sometimes hit in the palate
Roller mouthpiece
Rollers on the mouthpiece move with tongue pressure from the horse.
The rollers encourage a horse to mouth the bit and make it difficult for the horse to grab hold of the bit
Generally single joint
Single-jointed mouthpiece
Can exert a nutcracker effect on the horse’s palate.
Horses with a low palate may be more comfortable in a
multi-joint bit
Single wire mouthpiece
A thin twisted wire with one joint
Twist (slow or sharp)
A bit with either a gentle or sharp twist to the mouthpiece.
The slow twist is stronger than a plain
snaffle and a sharp twist is stronger than a slow twist.
The edge of the twist can make either bit more severe
Pelham
work from a combination of leverage and pressure
Pelhams action
corners of the mouth when the snaffle rein is used
on the poll and curb groove when the curb rein is used
Curb bit
Leverage bit.
When used with small bridoon (snaffle) they form a full bridle (Weymouth)
Gag action
When pressure is placed on the gag rein, the bit rotates and slides upward, causing pressure on the poll and the corners of the mouth.
Hackamore action
pressure on the bridge of nose and the chin groove
Leverage/mechanical hackamore
Noseband, curve strap, and metal shanks
Encourages poll flexion but not good at turning horse
Non-leverage hackamore
Noseband with rings attached for reins
Only works on pressure on bridge of nose
Better at turning
Bell boots
Used on the front legs to protect the horse from an overreach or grab.
These rubber or plastic boots come in pull-on or Velcro varieties
Galloping boots
Used on the front legs to protect the splint and tendon areas. They offer more protection than splint boots. They
may be made out of leather or synthetic materials
Hind boots
Used on the hind legs to provide the hind ankles with protection from the opposite leg interfering and traveling too close.
May be made out of leather or synthetic materials
Open front boots
Used on the front legs to protect the horse’s tendons and provide support while jumping. The front of the leg is
left unprotected so the horse can feel if it rubs the jump
Scalper or grab boots
Used on the front feet to protect the horse from an overreach or grab. These rubber boots pull on and
have a narrow piece of rubber across the front of the foot. They fit much more tightly than bell boots
Shipping boots
Used on all four legs to provide protection without support. They are suitable for short trips
Splint or tendon boots
Used on the front legs to protect the splint and tendon areas. They can be made out of leather or synthetic
materials.
Hunting breastplate
Features a yoke and girth strap, which attaches to the girth between the front legs.
Straps attach from rings on either side of the withers to the saddle “dees” or to a nylon and leather strap around the stirrup bars
Breast collar or polo breastplate
A strap that runs from one side of the girth to the other across the horse’s chest. A strap
across the withers stabilizes the breast collar and stops it from slipping down
Elastic breast girth
Similar to a breast collar except it attaches to the saddle “dees” or stirrup bars by means of a nylon
and leather strap. It should fit snugly but not tightly across the base of the horse’s neck
Irish martingale
A short strap with a ring at either end. This martingale is worn under the neck. The reins are passed through the
rings. The martingale prevents the reins from coming over the head. This martingale is usually seen only in racing
Bib martingale
Usually used in racing, it resembles a running martingale with a solid piece of leather between the branches. It keeps the horses from getting caught on the branches of the martingale
Cruppers
used on mutton withered horses and very fat ponies to keep the saddle from slipping forward over the withers.
The strap passes around the dock and back to a “T” that fits into the saddle gullet or a fastening point on the cantle of the saddle.
Gullet
The channel that runs down the length of the underside
of the saddle
Saddle flap
The wide piece of leather where the rider’s legs rest
Stirrup bar
The piece of metal riveted to the tree for the purpose
of attaching the stirrup leathers
Saddle skirt
The small flap of leather just below the pommel. The stirrup bars are located under the skirt
Tree
The structure on which the saddle is built.
Saddle panel
The under part of the saddle that sits on the horse’s back.
The panel may be stuffed with wool or foam. Wool stuffing (flocking) can be customized to a horse’s back. Foam cannot be customized.
Pommel
The front arch of a saddle
Cantle
Back of saddle
Seat
Place where rider sits
Twist
The narrowest part of the seat, where it meets the pommel
Knee roll
The extra padding on the front face of the flap
Blocks
The small pieces of leather under the knee roll or behind
the rider’s thigh to aid in stability when riding
Point pocket
The place where the tree inserts into the leather of
the saddle.
Kineton noseband
Used for hard pullers, this noseband resembles the drop noseband when seen from the front but has the
addition of two metal loops on the side
