‘Oh Crap’ Monday: Tack Malfunction Edition

Hey, it happens to the best of us.

Tack failure can be irritating and unhelpful as well as downright dangerous — fortunately for this tough cowgirl, her strength and instincts kept both her and her horse unhurt to fight another day.

There’s a small and inconspicuous piece of western tack called the hobble strap — the role of this humble little piece of equipment is to keep the back cinch on a working western saddle from slipping back to become a flank strap, also called a “bucking strap” by those who have experienced what happens when a back cinch goes back a little too far. If you’d like to see what can happen with the tamest, most well-broke roping horses when the modest little hobble strap breaks in a moment of stress, simply watch the video below:

According to the video description:

So you think you’re pretty handy? Check out this cowGIRL, Shayla Howell from Belle Fourche, SD! The hobble strap between her front and back cinches broke as she left the box during a recent jackpot. The way she handled it was was nothing short of gritty, tough, and just plain spectacular. Shayla is a multiple event state champion in track and her athleticism and determination is pretty apparent right here.

Well done, Shayla, for sticking to the saddle like a burr. Someone’s #NoStirrupNovember is clearly paying off in spades.

Have an “Oh Crap” moment to share? Email your photo/video and a brief explanation of what is going down to [email protected]! Instagram users, tag your moments with #OhCrapHN (your photos need to be set to public or we won’t see them!)

Go forth and tackle your Monday, Horse Nation. Go Riding!