Horse Tack: A Brief and Partial History

Copyright 2019 by Gary L. Pullman

We often take things for granted, without investigating their origins or the history of their developments. Western dramas and narratives provide us with glimpses into the past—mainly that of the late-nineteenth-century American West—but, of course this late Victorian period is itself predicated upon earlier times and their inventions.

In this post, we'll look back at the origins and developments of some of the items of horse tack, the articles of equipment used in riding horses. Specifically, we'll consider the bit, the bridle, reins, the saddle, and stirrups.

For horses, the earliest bits must have been uncomfortable to say the least. They were made of whatever material was handy, including “horn, bone, wood, sinew, rawhide and rope” (“History of Bits, Evolution of the Double Bridle”). It wasn't consideration for the horse's comfort that led to the replacement of such materials by metal, but the fact that the other materials “tended to wear out rather quickly.” The earliest metal bits have not changed much from those first used by the Luristans of Iran, as “bas-reliefs as well as paintings of riding and chariot horses in Assyrian and Egyptian tombs and temples show.”

The bridle's history is also ancient. Its inventor is unknown, but an archaeological discovery has allowed scientists to date the use of this item of tack to 2,700 BC. “Dental analysis of the teeth” of a donkey shows that the animal's remains are 4,700 years old. The dig also provides evidence that the bridle and the accompanying bit found at the site date from a period 600 years earlier than had been thought and “predates the arrival of horses to the region,” leading the researchers to conclude that bridle and bit were introduced to the area long before the arrival of the first horses.

Although no one knows when reins were first used, history does indicate their ancient employment. They were used for more than guiding one's mount; both the Scythians and Native Americans ornamented their reins with the scalps of their enemies. The Japanese gave the reins themselves an aesthetic twist by fashioning them not of hemp or leather but of silk (Knight'sAmerican Mechanical Dictionary 1915).

Although some believe that the saddle originated in 365 AD as an invention of the Sarmations of Iran (“History of the Western Riding Saddle”), others contend that the first saddles were those of Egypt and Persepolis; however, the earliest saddles “were not for riding”; “they rested on the withers of the horses and were held in place by belly and collar bands” (Knight's American Mechanical Dictionary, Volume 3 2009). The true saddle is believed to have been introduced during “the time of Theodosius” and is described in a code that this emperor “published about the year 385 [AD], specifying that the saddle and bridle together should not weigh more than 60 pounds” (Knights 2010).

Spanish vaquero's working saddle

Prior to the introduction of the true saddle, horses were ridden bareback. The Huns introduced the true saddle to Europeans, but “the Western saddle as we know it today is an evolved version of the Spanish Vaquero’s working saddle.” Over the years, saddles continued to change to meet the needs of riders, especially those of the American West, and “specialized jobs, such as roping cattle, resulted in specialized saddle types” (“History of the Western Riding Saddle”).

It seems that stirrups date to about the third century AD. Sketches of riders during this time show that the stirrups were rings that “fit round” riders' “big toes” (“Giddyap! How the Stirrup Revolutionized Horseback Riding and Helped Build Empires”). Prior to the appearance of the stirrup, cavalry warriors rode barefoot, clamping their thighs against their horses' sides to maintain balance—a difficult feat when launching a spear or fending off an attacker with one's shield.

Modern stirrups were in use by the fourth century AD; the Chinese are recognized as their inventor. However, modern stirrups weren't used in Europe until four centuries later. As in the ancient world, this invention greatly aided combat by mounted troops. Later, stirrups would make riding easier and more comfortable for the men and women of the Wild West as well.

Note: For other interesting historical tidbits about horses and horse tack, try “Horse Facts.”