Tack & Equipment

Hi, I'm Abi from the Tallan School of Equitation and I'm going to show you how to clean a saddle. Okay, first of all, there are two ways you can do it. You can do the quick way, which is where you just simply take the girth off and run the stirrups down. Get your sponge under a little bit of warm water. You just want the sponge to be slightly damp, you don't want to wet the saddle because otherwise, it's bad for the leather. So justdamp your sponge in warm water and give it a quick wip...

Making sure that your riding helmet fits correctly is so important as it will protect your head if you were to have an accident whilst on your horse. First, place your helmet on your head so that the front sits just above the eyebrow line. Ideally, you should feel that the top of your helmet is touching the top of your head. To make sure you have a good fit, take your hands and place them on either side of your helmet and gently lift up. You should feel that the helmet doesn't w...

Tack Room Talk: Beat those winter blues and de-clutter your tack locker!   Oh winter, we do love your muddy fields, dark nights and frozen taps. However, this time of year is perfect to catch up on all of those jobs destined for 'later', such as sending tack for regular maintenance. My saddle arrived with a horse two years ago and having been checked by a qualified saddle fitter, I knew that it was in need of a holiday for re-flocking.  This ever-so-slightly filled me with ...

Horse rugs are essentially blankets for your horses designed for warmth and protection of insects, flies and also wind.   Turnout Rugs -   Turnout rugs are made to keep your horse clean and dry whilst they are out in the field, they are also designed to keep your horse warm in the winter.    Turnout Rugs also have a waterproof outer layer that is made out of synthetic material. Most newer and modern horse rugs are made out of ‘ripstop’ whic...

When it comes to horse rugs, Bucas is a name that horse owners’ world wide trust to ensure that their horses and ponies are suitably dressed whatever the weather or time of year, here are their top tips for winter rugging…   An ill-fitting rug will cost you more in the long run, through rips, wear and tear and even rug rubs and sores, as it slips, slides and pulls all over the place, than investing in a good quality rug, which should see you through many winters. ...

Horse rugs are a pricey essential and throughout the year, it’s necessary to have so many different types on hand to keep your horse comfortable. You're investing a lot into these products and you need them to last! To ensure your rugs last the test of time and remain in prime condition it’s essential to have care procedures in place!   For a quick and brief cleaning guide:   - Hang your rug up and use a hard brush to remove any dirt. Do the same with the r...

Comfort is one of the most important factors to think about whether you’re riding or your horse is in the stable, so choosing the right rug for you and your horse is essential. Sizes, weights and materials vary for every rug on the market so there’s certainly plenty to think about. We’ve compiled all the talking points into one guide, so that you no longer have such a pressing dilemma!   Check out Equine Superstores great range of rugs here, including Weatherbe...

There are many different horse boots to choose from and each is designed to do a specific job. Tendon Boots are commonly used for protecting and supporting your horse’s tendons and ligaments when show jumping. Horses do have a tendency (no pun intended!) to knock their front tendon with the hind hoof when jumping. The tendon boot can prevent injury and encourage him to clear the jump. Open fronted tendon boots are used for show jumping only. They are open fronted so that if your ...

The Sausage Boot is a protective leather ring that is filled with straw. When a horse lies down or gets up, the shoes on the horse’s hoofs may come in contact with the horse’s elbow, causing abrasions and pressure sores (capping).  The sausage boot of the stuffed leather ring variety is made to fit around the heel of the horse’s hooves, and is used to protect the horse from these abrasions and pressure sores. The stuffed leather boots are not made for training, they a...

There are three main types of martingales and each serves a specific purpose when it comes to the control of a horse or pony.    The standing martingale can be used in a variety of disciplines and it is an extremely good aid for riders whose mounts have a tendency to raise their heads too high. This is achieved through pressure on the nose.    A standing martingale is very simple to put on a horse. It has a neck strap, to which there is a front strap, ...

No one wants to invest heavily in a delightful pair of boots just for them to become worn and tatty after a few months. There are a number of ways in which you will want to keep your boots clean and well maintained so that they last you a long period of time and you get your money’s worth. Abbey has provided us with a guide on how to clean riding boots. Abbey are experts when it comes to leather care; they have been supplying quality leather to saddlers and other equestrian manufacture...