Stupid question about untacking

[Nossie]

Is it better to take the saddle off first or the bridle off first? I am horrendously inconsistent about this, and was wondering which way is best.

By the way, the horse is normally in a stable and not tied up.

 

[giggles mum]

I think the BHS would say take the saddle off first so they you have control of the horse (with the bridle) for longer.

 

[xxcharlottexx]

taking the saddle of first is probs the correct/safetest way, as giggle's said so you still have control of the horse

but i always take bridle of first with my horse

 

[Patches]

I always tie a head collar around Patches neck when I get back to the yard, or if I've tacked up over the field. Take her bridle off and do up the noseband of the head collar.

Then I do the saddle. I always figure that she can't mess about and get her reins caught or rub her bridle on the wall (when in the yard) and damage it.

 

[Chex]

It depends - if I'm using a martingale I take the saddle off first. If I'm not then I take the bridle off first

. He just stands still anyway though, so doesn't really make a difference.

 

[aimeerose]

personally im naughty and take her bridle off, give her head/chin etc a good scratch then leave her dozing while i take off saddle boots etc and brush scratch the rest of her.

generally shes just stood in the barn untied!

 

[sleepingdragon10]

I always take the saddle off first....but then that's just force of habit, not sure there is a 'best' way to do it to be honest.

xx

 

[UKa]

If I tie her up outside stable I take the bridle off first - if she goes into the stable I take the saddle off first for longer control -

 

[JoBo]

I personally always take the saddle of first but that’s just my routine.

 

[vicijp]

Undo everything, and take bridle and saddle off in one flowing movement.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

[ QUOTE ]
Undo everything, and take bridle and saddle off in one flowing movement.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pah...smarty pants

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Sorry........but does it really matter?

 

[asbo]

i put up stirrups,undo bp & girth then take saddle off, then undo bridle & take that off

 

[Twiglet]

I tend to give him a carrot, then undo a couple of boots, probably stop to give him a scratch......then take the other two boots off, maybe pick out his feet.......have a chat with someone at the yard.......then retrieve him from wherever he's wandered to.....undo the girth (has to be both sides, drives me mad when people leave one side on and loop it over!!).....stop him wandering off again.........decide it's a good idea to put a headcollar on so take bridle off.....put bridle away......then stop him from untying himself......then think about taking the saddle off!

This must be why i'm always at the yard so long, I can never do anything the simple way

 

[catembi]

I thought I took the saddle off first, but then I read the rest of the replies & realised that I do exactly what Patches does!! Must be going senile if I can't even rem what I do...

 

[CentrestageSHS]

I run the stirrups up, loosen the girth even more than before I got off, take the bridle off and put the headcollar on, get a cooler, take the saddle off and put the cooler on immediately if the horse is a bit hot. Apparently if you take a saddle straight off a hot horse and his back is steaming it can cause the muscles to tighten and become stiff. Read it off a dressage website, dunno how true it is but I can't stop doing it now!!! lol!!

I only take the bridle off first because my horse rubs his face up the wall and scratches it if I don't!

 

[MagicMelon]

Well I usually untack in the stable but tied up. I'll take the bridle off first and put the headcollar back on (tied up), then take the saddle off. This is the way I always do it.

 

[druid]

Bridle off first as she scratches it on the wall otherwise,

 

[najat]

Aren't we all creatures of habit! lol!

I always do everything the same.....Undo his girth and put over saddle. Take boots off and then remove bridle and lift off saddle.

if I am taking tack off outside I do head collar up round neck and then take off everything in my normal order