Tack is the collective term for the equipment fitted to a horse to allow a rider to sit, steer, and communicate with the animal or to harness it for driving. Core riding tack includes the saddle, stirrups, girth or cinch, bridle, bit, and reins. Additional pieces — martingales, breastplates, boots, bandages, and blankets — are also considered tack in the broader sense, though some practitioners distinguish these as “equipment” separate from the primary riding set.
Saddle fit is among the most consequential tack decisions an owner makes. A saddle that bridges across the horse’s back or pinches the saddle bridge and pinch at the shoulder creates pressure points that cause pain, muscle atrophy, and evasive behavior. Saddle fitting should be revisited whenever a horse’s body condition or muscle development changes, and a saddle fitter can assess whether re-flocking or a different tree width resolves the issue.
Bridle fit and bit selection are equally critical to communication and welfare. An ill-fitting bit that presses on the bars, roof of mouth, or corners of the lips creates discomfort that manifests as head-tossing, resistance to contact, or refusal. The horse’s mouth should be checked by an equine dentist — a process called floating — before tack-related behavioral issues are attributed solely to training.
Tack maintenance — regular cleaning, conditioning leather, checking stitching integrity, and replacing worn billets or stirrup treads — directly affects both safety and longevity. Clean leather resists cracking; inspected stitching prevents catastrophic failure under load. The daily safety audit alongside tack care and the tack room share equal importance in the daily safety audit of any working horse.