Getting Betty ready.

There's a lot do before hopping on a horse. Chloe and Betty will show you the ropes.

Betty needs grooming from her ears to her hooves. While Chloe grooms her, she will be on the lookout for injuries or other problems.

Chloe rubs Betty's coat in circles with a curry comb to loosen the scruff--dirt and dried sweat. Then she brushes the scruff off with a dandy brush. Betty loves to take dirt baths, so there's often a lot of scruff. It makes Chloe sneeze.

Horses have sensitive ears, so Chloe uses a soft brush to clean them. She bends them forward gently.

The last job before saddling up is cleaning Betty's hooves. Chloe faces Betty's hindquarters and holds the lower part of her leg. Betty lifts her hoof.

Chloe holds the hoof in her hand. She uses a hoof pick to carefully scrape dirt from around the frog (the bottom of the hoof). The frog is the foot's cushion.

Saddling and mounting are always done from a horse's left side. The saddle blanket goes on first. It absorbs sweat and stops the saddle from rubbing against the horse's skin. Chloe checks to make sure it is hanging evenly on both sides.

Chloe sets the saddle gently on the blanket. She walks to Betty's right side and lets the right stirrup down. The stirrups are for the rider's feet. Chloe also lets down the cinch, which is a strap that goes underneath Betty and is fastened to the other side of the saddle.

The last step is to put on Betty's bridle. The bridle is a strap that holds the bit. The bit is a metal piece that goes in the horse's mouth to let the rider steer and move the horse safely.

In the practice corral, Chloe checks Betty's cinch and tightens it a little more. Then Chloe puts her left foot in the stirrup and pulls herself up. It's a long way to the ground, but Chloe trusts Betty. And after all the care Chloe has given Betty, she knows that this horse trusts her, too.

Riding is fun, but the work isn't done when the lesson ends. After unsaddling and grooming Betty again, Chloe walks her to the "turning out" field. Then Chloe returns to the barn to shovel and sweep the stable floor. Now everything is clean and tidy for the next rider.