How to Put Weight on a Horse's Back to Get a Riders Feel

Some horses take quite naturally to the weight of a rider on their backs, walking off calmly the very first time a rider climbs aboard. Others react quite violently to that first ride, bucking wildly and exhibiting other dangerous behaviors. Unfortunately it is not always so easy to determine ahead of time which type of horse you are working with. That is why it is so important to get the horse used to the weight of a rider before you actually get in the saddle.

Things You'll Need

  • Old saddle
  • Sandbags
  • Longe line
  • Longe whip
  • Halter
  • Lead rope
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the halter and lead rope on the horse. Walk him around a few minutes to warm him up and loosen his muscles.

    • 2

      Place an old saddle on your horse's back and allow him to get used to wearing it. Turn the horse out in a safe enclosed area like an indoor arena or a round pen, and simply allow him to walk around with the saddle on his back. Use an old saddle to avoid potential damage to an expensive piece of equipment.

    • 3

      Attach the longe line to the horse's halter and longe him with the saddle on his back. This will get him used to the feel of the saddle moving up and down on his back. When longing the horse simply stand in the middle of the circle and ask the horse to move around you. If you have a round pen to work with you can dispense with the longe line and simply use the longe whip to keep your horse moving in a forward direction.

    • 4

      Tie a piece of baler twine to a pair of sand bags and tie that twine to the saddle horn. Make sure that the sandbags hang so that one bag is on each side of the saddle. Longe the horse to get him used to the weight on the saddle.

    • 5

      Put your foot in the stirrup and carefully bounce up and down. Do not get on the horse yet. Simply bounce up and down to get the horse used to the weight in the stirrups. Take your time introducing the weight of the rider. Watch your horse's body language and only move forward when he is paying attention to you and being respectful.