A basic snaffle bridle with a D - ring snaffle bit. This bridle also has a decorated brow band.
A horse's tack is its saddle, stirrups, bridle, saddle cloth (or blanket), bit, reins (which are attached to the bit) and aid (martigale, etc.). A horse's tack will need to be cleaned and polished and stored in a dry room that doesn't get full sunlight during the day (and no rats in the night - yes, rats chew through all materials and often will 'nest' in a pile of rugs or saddle blankets).
The Saddles
There are many saddle designs today, and all are made especially for a certain sport, although there is also the general purpose saddle which can be used for all the basic horse sports. There firstly is the dressage saddle. It has straight cut saddle flaps to help keep the rider's legs straight and long - just how they should be for dressage. A jumping saddle (also a 'close contact' saddle) has very forward cut saddle flaps and a very long seat (the part on a saddle were you sit). A general purpose saddle is a combination of both the dressage and jumping saddle. A Western saddle has a 'horn' on the pommel (the front of the saddle before the seat) and long wide stirrup straps. The stirrups themselves are made from wood and are thicker than the metal English riding stirrups. This saddle is designed for the rider's comfort when out riding for a long time and was created in America. The stock saddle is Australia's version. It doesn't have a tall horn on the pommel or wide stirrup straps and wooden stirrups.
The Artificial Aids
The artificial aids are the equipment that help us, but are not 'natural' to the horse. It is best to avoid using artificial aids unless there is nothing else you can do the fix the problem. These aids include the martingale and gags. Designs of martingale are the running and standing martingale, which are commonly seen on cross-country and show jumping horses, the Irish martingale, which is just a strap with two rings at its ends that keep the horse's reins together, and then there is the German martingale (otherwise called the Market Harborough), which is quite a harsh martingale. Please note that all types of martingale must be properly fitted if you do decide to use them, otherwise your horse could be terribly damaged over time.
Halters & Headstalls
Halters and headstalls go about the horse's face and help restrain him/her - like a bridle. On the bottom of the halter/headstall there is often a metal ring or loop which you clip the lead rope to. The difference between a halter and headstall is quite small - both are the same shape, though one is made of strong black or brown material (leather is the traditional material, though mock leather varieties are now available) and the other (the halter) is made out of nylon (or similar materials) or rope. Both the headstall and halter are adjustable by buckles or loops (for a rope halter).
Saddle Cloths/Blankets
Saddle blankets are the material put under the saddle to make the horse more comfortable under saddle. Saddle cloths are most commonly made out of fabrics and filled with soft material. Western saddle blankets are in a square shape when placed on a flat surface and are made out of colourful, strong, thick material. They appear a bit like mats. For English style riding, there are three shape types of saddle cloth: the normal rectangular shape (that is filled with soft material), the numnah, which is the shape of the saddle and fits neatly around it once put on (this is also made of soft material), and the shabrack design of saddle cloth, which is quite thin and so is used just for decorative purposes and is put over the top of a 'proper' saddle blanket.
Rugs
Rugs are a bit like clothing; they have many purposes, such as keeping the horse warm, clean or dry. Common horse rugs include the stable rug - a thick, warm, doona like blanket, the New Zealand rug - a weatherproof canvas rug, and the show rug - a big cotton rug that covers the horse's neck, body and often poll/head, and which is often used to keep the horse clean before shows.
Rug Sizes
Here is a basic rug size chart to help you get the right sized rug for your horse.
Horse's Height Rug Size (measured in feet/inches) 9 hands high & below 4'0" 9.2 - 10 hands high 4'3" 10 - 11.2 hands high 4'6" 11.2 - 12 hands high 4'9" 12 - 13 hands high 5'0" 13 - 14 hands high 5'3" 14 - 14.2 hands high 5'6" 14.2 - 15 hands high 5'9" 15 - 15.2 hands high 6'0" 15.2 - 16 hands high 6'3" 16 - 16.2 hands high 6'6" 16.2 - 17 hands high 6'9" 17 hands high & above 7'0"
Rugs & When to Use Them
Horses/Ponies in Paddocks all Year Round - light weatherproof rug (for all months when the weather is bad) and a warmer fleece rug to put underneath in cold months should be all that is needed for a paddocked equine.
Stabled Horses/Ponies & Partly Paddocked - a fleece rug for when it is cold in the stable and a light weatherproof rug for when the weather is bad in the paddock (the fleece rug can be put underneath if the paddock is cold).
Fully Stabled Horses/Ponies - these unfortunate equines need lots of exercise from their owners, even in cold weather, so an exercise sheet would be a good rug to get. The exercise sheet is put under the saddle like a saddle blanket but it is longer and reaches past the rump. In cold weather in the stable your pony/horse will need a stable rug; these are thick, warm rugs that are not weatherproof - so don't keep your horse outside with one on.
Note: horses & ponies should not be rugged every day - only when the weather is bad or it is cold. Both horses and ponies naturally get a winter coat in the cold months that helps them keep warm, though many owners clip their horses, so in this case your horse/pony will need to be rugged much more often.
A general purpose saddle & saddle cloths - there is also a 'riser' which helps the saddle fit the pony