What is OK to have for your lesson horse

[Hej]

I admit to being an adult who loves buying horse 'stuff", but I’ll be an old fuddy-duddy here and second Skydy’s suggestion of books.

The nicest thing you can do for any horse you ride is to become a better rider.

Often, reading a description of what you’re working on in lessons will help you understand WHY you’re doing a certain exercise, or WHY your coach is telling you certain things. (Of course, reading is not a substitute for lessons, but it will definitely help you ‘get’ what you’re taught.)

Since you’re riding hunt seat, I reccomend getting a copy of Hunter Seat Equitation by George Morris. It’s available used for under $5 at various online sellers.

Not a book you need to read cover to cover, you can check out the parts that are relevant to you now and dip into other bits later.

Maybe not as immediately fun as stuff you can use on your horse, but it’s a book you can refer to for the rest of your life with horses.

Have fun and many happy rides!

[mmeqcenter]

When I lessoned on lesson horses, I had my own saddle and helmet, and that was it. The horses in the program all had specific pad set ups, boots required, etc. Having your own set of brushes would be fine.

[Equestrian24]

I would definitely ask the trainer first, but I think a saddle pad wouldn’t be a bad idea. I know a lot of people who don’t own who have bought themselves a colorful pad or two. I ordered a custom one with a monogram from Wilker’s and love it. They come in all sorts of different styles and patterns, and the one I have is a quilted square pad with piping and trim in different colors, and a monogram on the left side. Mine is the Hunter Jumper Schooling Show Pad, and you can customize the colors to whatever you want. I also like that these have a contoured spine (I find that these lay on a horse’s back better and don’t wrinkle/bunch up or rub the withers like many pads with straight spines tend to) unlike most of Dover’s pads, though Dover has very nice monogram options.

Roma makes some very nice pads in multiple styles as well, and I love the PRI Continental pads too. I also have a Dura-Tech from Schneider’s from years ago that’s lasted me well (though the new ones look different). I’ve also got Perri’s, Waldhausen, and Lettía, which all seem to be nice.

At the barns I’ve been to, the lesson horses have had their own brushes, bridles, martingales, girths, boots, and maybe even half pads, so I’d ask about those.

If your trainer OKs brushes, there are grooming kits you can get for a decent price from Weaver, Oster, etc. The wood backed brushes mentioned are very nice too. I have several, but don’t know many of the brands off the top of my head, as I’ve had them for years. I think Decker is one, and I think Val-A Co. and Saddleman Brand? I don’t know if those two are available any more, though.

If a halter and lead rope are something your trainer OKs and that you’d like to have, you can’t go wrong with a Weaver nylon set. I’ve been using them for years and they can be picked up for pretty cheap at almost any feed store.

Make sure to clean whatever supplies you get before you use them on a different horse.

I also second the suggestions to keep tack and supply spending that isn’t needed to a minimum and to use that money towards more lessons and maybe some books. However, a fun saddle pad might be fun to have and use!

[KingRocker4Life]

thanks everyone for you recommendations. I do have a ton of horse books that I always look up stuff in after my lessons, so I don’t really want to spend my personal money on that right now. however, I will check with my trainer on saddle pads, halters, and grooming supplies. I might just start off with some brushes or stuff like that and accumulate the rest over time. any other suggestions are welcome, I can use as many as I can get.

[KingRocker4Life]

Also, what is the difference between a saddle pad and a baby saddle pad? This has beffudled me…is a baby pad for pony/small horses? or is it for small barreled horses? plz help! The horse I am riding has a huge barrel as he is mostly Clydesdale with some TB in him, so not sure which one would be best…

[hunterrider33]

@KingRocker4Life

Also, what is the difference between a saddle pad and a baby saddle pad? This has beffudled me…is a baby pad for pony/small horses? or is it for small barreled horses? plz help! The horse I am riding has a huge barrel as he is mostly Clydesdale with some TB in him, so not sure which one would be best…

A baby pad is typically a thinner square pad, it can fit any size horse. Typically this pad is used with a half pad on top of it.

Check out smartpak and Dover saddlery to look through some brands/items and to see what you like. You can also sometimes personalize them with your initials if you’d like.

[4LeafCloverFarm]

Baby pads (for hunters) are typically for schooling - come in all sorts of fun colors and patterns and can be customized with monograms and such. But they don’t go in the show ring - where you want a fitted (shaped like the saddle), thicker pad. Unless times have changed since I was last at a show, which is entirely possible!

[Didi]

I think you should buy some things. I love your enthusiasm, and I am certain your trainer will appreciate how much you care for the horse. Simple things like a saddle pad, wither pad, or polo wraps (if your program uses them) are great fun and not size dependent. Enjoy. You pay a lot of money to do this, so have fun!!

[Didi]

I advise you to go ahead a buy a couple of things. I appreciate your enthusiasm and think your trainer will be happy with how much you care for the horse. Things like a saddle pad, wither pad, or polo wraps (if your program uses them) are not size-dependent and are a lot of fun. You spend a lot of money to do this - ENJOY!!!

[skydy]

@KingRocker4Life

thanks everyone for you recommendations. I do have a ton of horse books that I always look up stuff in after my lessons, so I don’t really want to spend my personal money on that right now. however, I will check with my trainer on saddle pads, halters, and grooming supplies. I might just start off with some brushes or stuff like that and accumulate the rest over time. any other suggestions are welcome, I can use as many as I can get.

Can you tell us which books you have (the title and author) that you learn the most from when you read after your lessons?

[Always_WIP]

@KingRocker4Life

ok. any good brands of brushes?

Haas, William Leistner, or Winner’s Circle are my favorites.

[erinmeri]

I am an adult rerider, so I am new to the lessoning and leasing thing myself (I owned previously). Personally, I like the suggestions of saving your money for lessons and books and maybe a supply of (approved) treats. I would add to that investing in personal gear for yourself that will follow you throughout your career (helmet, breeches, boots, gloves, half chaps, etc).

While it is nice to have your own things and to feel “ownership”, if the horse you are leasing comes with its own tack and grooming supplies, then buying your own isn’t a good return on investment. I would say that is true of tack in particular (a halter may not fit the next horse you lease or buy, ditto a bridle or girth or even a saddle). If he or she has brushes, etc, then I wouldn’t invest in them myself unless there was a particular item you didn’t have access to.

As far as saddle pads are concerned, if you have access to appropriate, clean pads, then I don’t know that having your own would be a benefit, IMO… unless it was a “fun” one in a unique pattern (like the floral one I got in Europe). Baby pads are just white square pads. I don’t know that I would want the extra laundry work just to feel ownership over a schooling pad.

One thing you might consider is a saddle if the one you use doesn’t fit you well. Of course it has to fit the horse, but a saddle that fits you can make a big difference in your riding and many lesson saddles don’t fit the rider. I am tall, so I had my old saddle shipped out for me to use here on the East Coast. Always check with your trainer and/or a saddle fitter to make sure it is appropriate for the horse, of course. That said, the saddle you get may not fit your next horse, so it might not be a good investment right now. Saddles are expensive.

As I get back into this, I am focusing on the long haul. I want to go as far as I can in this sport but these days my budget is limited. So I will invest in things that can carry over to the next horse until I have my own, and I will only invest in things that are necessary unless they bring me great joy. Right now, for me, brushes or baby pads don’t make the grade.

Books I have found useful are:

• Hunter Seat Equitation
• Centered Riding
• World Class Grooming
• Riders Fitness Program

Hope this helps and enjoy your new lease horse!

ETA: None of this addresses what is “okay” as that is really up to whomever owns the horse… It just addresses how I’m going about things (i.e. investing in things that will serve me in the long run.)

[KingRocker4Life]

@skydy, I am doing schoolwork today and this week but I can check the titles when I am done today. I don’t remember the titles off the top of my head but I most certainly can get them and tell ya’ll which ones I have.

@erinmeri, I don’t own nor lease this horse, I just take lessons on him. the barn I am at has brushes and the owner supplies tack and pads. The problem is that the brushes that the barn supplies are close to 5 years old, falling apart, and are synthetic. It takes forever to groom a fairly lean horse because the brushes have barely any bristles left. The owners tack is fine and fits me pretty well so I am good there. So basically I am looking at buying a grooming set probably and maybe some saddle pads that are better looking and my style.Do you have any brand recs?

[tipzythegreat]

I ride at a huge lesson facility. When I started, the first thing I got myself was a lead rope and my own brushes. I bought a brush bag and fly spray, and also a riding crop. This way I had everything all in one place, and it was all mine.

From there I started buying square pads and matching polo wraps. These are pretty generic IMO, barring a pony vs horse.

At that time I started catch riding horses. I got myself a lunge line and a lunge whip. I started buying more apparel like winter vests and nice riding gloves.

I next bought a cheap horse sized bridle – this was because the owner of the horse I was riding wanted to ride another of her horses… and I had been using her bridle at her riding time. So it was awkward, and it became easier to just get my own cheap bridle for this mare. Otherwise I’d have kept using hers. I also bought a bit or two.

The same thing happened with the saddle. She didn’t like the way I rolled up her stirrups. So – I also got my own saddle.

When I then bought my first horse, I already had some basics. My horse-sized bridle worked and I had a lot of bare bones equipment to get by. My saddle did not work, so I did have to get a new one. But I still have that bridle as my spare! The bit also fits my horse and I’m glad to have pieced everything together

[Jackie_Cochran]

KingRocker4Life, just a warning, you are going to end up with a LOT of tack if you buy for each horse you take lessons on.

I have A LOT of tack now, more tack now than I ever had when I owned 7 horses.

I have MS, I am too crippled to own my own horse now even though I own land. I started my accumulation from what I had accumulated as a horse owner, and the sky is the limit.

I ride at two different stables. One is a small private stable and I just go ahead and give them whatever new grooming tool, bridle, and sometimes bit that the horse I ride needs. Lets see, I’ve given this stable an Amigo Fly Rider exercise sheet, a BOT exercise sheet, several bitless bridles, some bits, a treeless saddle (I did not have the balance for it) saddle pads, girths, reins, bridles etc., etc., etc… I am just about the only outside rider at this stable and the lady who owns it mostly rides Western, but several of her horses also have Hunt Seat training. I owe this lady a lot, when I was broke I did not have to pay for my riding (it is sort of a handicapped program) and now she gives me a ride both ways just so I can ride at her stable the one day she takes off from her family business. I have been “re-payed” several times over as far as I am concerned. I have ridden with her over a decade.

The other stable I ride at is a big boarding and lesson stable (also training at times), again for over a decade. My riding teacher there is absolutely wonderful, without much experience teaching people with MS she has always listened to me, believes me when I say I just cannot do something (my body just does not work all the time), and keeps an eagle eye on my position in the saddle. She accepts it when I have an MS attack and can only walk the horse slowly around the ring, and when I am better she gently stretches out my abilities. It is due to riding the horses that I can walk at all with two canes, it is due to this riding teacher that, when I have to, I can walk securely for a several hundred feet without any mobility aids.

Except for my saddle (Pegasus Butterfly Claudia Jumping saddle, it adjusts to fit many horses) which I use at both stables, I have separate grooming tools for each stable, separate riding pads for each stable, separate bridle/reins for each stable, different bits for each stable, different girths for each stable, separate BOT pads, horse boots, exercise sheets, poll caps for each stable, on down the line. I also gave the big stable some bitless bridles just in case someday I really, really, really need to use one.

BUT you are not in my situation, crippled with an incurable disease. Starting off (before you own your own horse) it really is not necessary to buy a lot of stuff if the stable has lots of horse equipment already.

I would say yes to your own saddle pad IF you are religious about at least brushing it off thoroughly after each ride and washing it occasionally. That way you can rest assured that the horse does not have a dirty saddle pad irritating its back when you ride. Your own grooming kit can be very useful (label EVERYTHING with your name), especially if you keep the brushes clean. You might also consider your own fly spray (label it with your name) and some type of thrush medicine just to save you time of searching and trying to figure out where in the world the last user put it. If the stable uses synthetic girths you could ask if it was alright for you to get your own girth to use on this horse just so you can keep it clean. ALWAYS ask the horse owner’s permission to use your own stuff on the horse!

My riding teacher often jokes that I could open a tack store with all my stuff. She uses me as a “bit bank” whenever she decides a horse needs a change of bit, that way she can try different bits at her leisure before coming to a final conclusion about which bit that particular horse needs (confession, I am a rabid bit collector.) Right now I am finally at the point that, when the stables change the horse I ride, I will be able to have clean tack in good repair on the horse, and I can change the tack enough to take into account the times my MS gets horribly worse (bitless especially, sometimes to save the horse I have to go bitless.)

Have fun riding!

[NC001]

Im surprised by the answers here. I know our barn is more casual than most but many of the students buy their own pads and other accessories including halters and lead ropes for their favorite horses.

We don’t own a horse, never have. My daughter has half leased her horse for 2.5 yrs and I sometimes ride the same horse in lessons. We have 2 saddles for her, about a dozen saddle pads, 2 bridles, grooming stuff, halters, lead ropes… pretty much everything. One of our saddles is used by everyone who uses her in a lesson (my preference since I have had it check by a saddle fitter). I know its not typical but it works for us and the barn (and most importantly for the horse).

[findeight]

@KingRocker4Life

ok. I looked. I don’t particularly care for them. The patterns are a little too babyish for me right now, especially since the hore I will be using it on seems to look more sophisticated. The price isn’t too great either. but I will keep them in mind.

Might need to put on the brakes a bit and do more research on products that would be the most sensible to buy and window shop the Internet to understand pricing plus remember you get what you pay for, especially in regards to ease of care and durability so it lasts.

Have bought Wilkers and used them forever. Can assure you they come in plain old white and many solid colors. They also take monogramming well while cheaper brands can pucker around the stitching. No idea why you got the idea Wilkers is not appropriate because of childish prints other then guessing you are in too big a hurry. Slow down and make more informed choices.

Frequently remind poster here not to get too involved with horses you don’t own, they can go poof in a heartbeat. Really, best suggestion here is take the money for supplies that are a,ready provided anf buy more lessons with it. Natural fiber brush is nice but would help your two point and the horse doesn’t care.

Also concerned about your statement you want natural fiber because it’s hard to groom this horse because it’s thin??? Maybe time to check out some other lesson barns.

[Scribbler]

OP you don’t need a grooming kit. Maybe you need one good body brush if everything at the barn is worn out. Buy the stiffness of brush your horse likes and that works in this environment (is he muddy?). It should cost under $10. Synthetic is not a problem but you can get cheap wood and coir that last forever. No one uses all the gadgets in a grooming kit on a daily basis.

I personally would stay away from buying gear for a lesson horse and would invest in a good helmet first ( did you ever get one?), then boots or half chaps, and books or DVD s.

How much grooming have you done up to now? You get faster as you get stronger.

[Hej]

Also concerned about your statement you want natural fiber because it’s hard to groom this horse because it’s thin??? Maybe time to check out some other lesson barns.[/QUOTE]

That stopped me for a minute too, but the word was ‘lean’ not ‘thin’ so I’m thinking it was a typo and she meant to say ‘clean’ - which makes more sense in context anyway.

[Spud_amp_Saf]

I don’t know about most of the posters on this thread, but for me, some of my favourite memories of the time in my life when I took lessons/part boarded involve trips to tack shops to buy horsey items. It was so fun and exciting to get my own grooming kit and things like saddle pads, polos, boots in fun colours or matching sets, bright patterns, etc., as well as halters, lead ropes, my own bridle, and so on.

If you buy things in a full horse size, they are likely going to fit a ton of horses. Items like leather halters, saddle pads, bridles, polos and boots can all be used on a variety of horses over time. I don’t think are ever a bad idea to start your tack collection, you don’t want to own nothing at the time you decide you are ready to lease or own and then be stuck having to buy everything all at once. This way, you can add in quality items one at a time, as you can afford them. You could even buy your own stirrup leathers and stirrups and switch them on and off the horse you ride’s saddle each time you ride if you wanted. If you get your own bridle, just make sure you get the same kind and size of the bit the horse currently goes in, and have your instructor help you adjust it properly.

In my experience, it is totally common for a lesson student to do these things once they have been riding for a while or get attached to a certain horse.

Have fun with your tack shopping adventures, OP!