Tack up!

This season’s new tack and strap goods are designed to provide comfort and durability for both you and your horse.

This season’s new tack and strap goods are designed to provide comfort and durability for both you and your horse.

Shopping for new tack can feel like seeking a new long-term relationship. Getting it wrong can mean the difference between a blissfully calm and willing mount and a bucking, fussing, headtossing nightmare.

What you want is tack that helps you connect comfortably with your horse and over time feels as familiar to you as your horse himself---how the pommel looks over his withers, where the girth is just tight enough but not too much. The bit sits in his mouth at that sweet spot, and the reins fit in your hands just right. When you’ve taken the time to thoroughly consider the best options and your tack is well suited to both you and your horse, its very existence becomes an afterthought. You can forget about everything but the ride itself.

Many factors will influence which choices are best for you, including your sport, personal preferences and your horse’s conformation. To help you narrow your search, we’ve profiled a varied selection of the most up-to-date saddles, bridles and other gear available. Happy hunting.

Shaped to follow the contours of a horse’s head without applying pressure to sensitive areas, the Rambo Micklem Competition Bridle (suggested retail, $205), from Horseware Ireland, is made of hand-finished leather lined with soft padding on the...