Gear
Gear, AKA Tack, is the equipment that can be put on the player’s horse to increase its stats and better its performance. Gear is sold in various shops all over Jorvik, and comes in a multitude of styles, models, and colors.
Horse Gear Sheet
Gear can be placed on the horse by either double-clicking the item in question while it is in the player’s backpack or by going to the horse’s character sheet and placing it in the appropriate slot on the interface. While the horse’s character sheet has nine slots, only four can be used for gear.
Buying Gear
When buying gear, a player simply needs to scroll over the item in question, and an infobox will appear depicting the item's name, type, and description as well as stats, the purchase price (or sell price depending on whether you own the item or are buying it), and restrictions.
Stats
Players can determine how much a piece of gear increases stats by scrolling over the item in question. Doing this will bring up an information box.
Gear can affect four of the five stats a horse has, these being:
Strength: How high and far your horse can jump
Discipline: How quickly your horse changes gaits
Swiftness: How fast your horse is
Agility: How fast and sharp your horse can turn
Gear can affect zero to all four of these stats depending on the item, and the points by which they increase can be between zero and five.
Price
While most gear can be purchased with Jorvik Shillings or Star Coins, some items will only be available for other currencies earned from Events, such as Rainbow Gold or Spring Tokens. Should a player not have enough money for the item they want, the price will be greyed out.
However, when selling items, players can only receive Jorvik Shillings, and gear is bought back at a considerably lower price. However, having enough money does not always grant players access to gear. Sometimes there are restrictions.
Restrictions
There are three types of restrictions a player can encounter when purchasing an item.
Star Rider: Sometimes, gear is highlighted a light yellow; this means the item can only be purchased while the player has a Star Rider membership.
Player Level: Items restricted by player level will not be purchasable by users under that level
Reputation: Most high level and performance items require users to have a certain level of reputation with certain factions. The higher a users reputation with a faction, the better items there are available.
Types Of Gear
Four types of gear actively affect the horse’s stats, Bridles, Saddles, Pads & Blankets, and Horseshoes. Gear comes in several different styles, colors, and varying stats, making it easy for users to optimize their equipment to fit their aesthetic and competition focus.
A comprehensive list of all of the equipment that has been released in-game can be found at The Star Stable Database.
Note: Combining riding gear of different disciplines does not affect how the player handles the horse or how the horse moves.
Bridles
| Name | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Snaffle Bridle | This is the most common type of bridle used in English riding and most other disciplines, called the Snaffle. The Snaffle consists of a typical headstall with a head band, throat latch, and noseband. This is because most English disciplines requires constant contact (not tugging) on the face, so the noseband keeps the headstall in place.
Note: It has an original form wearable by all horse breeds, regardless of generation, and an updated form only wearable by some Generation 3 horses. Additionally, the updated form comes in two variations: one with and one without a flash noseband. |
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| Common Western bridle | This is the most common type of bridle used in western discipline riding and is simply referred to as the Common Western bridle. The common western consists of the typical headstall, headband, and throat latch but unlike english bridles, it lacks a noseband. This is because western discipline only uses the bridle for signal riding rather than contact and so the headstall does not need to be kept in place by a noseband. While western bridles are typically used with split reins (reins that are not attached to one another at the ends) the bridles in SSO are equipped with looped reins.
Note: It has an original form wearable by all horse breeds, regardless of generation, and an updated form only wearable by some Generation 3 horses. |
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| Bosal | The term “bosal”, meaning “muzzle” in Spanish, actually only refers to the noseband on a hackamore bridle (but is sometimes used refer to the entire bridle or jaquima). The Bosal is a common noseband found in Vaquero style and is most often seen today in the "California" style of western riding. “ The bosal is usually made of braided rawhide and is fitted to the horse using a mecate (20-25 long rope made of horse hair) tied above the heel knot. The bosal is a commonly used noseband for young horses in western training as a young horse’s mouth can be considered too sensitive (with teeth growing in) to handle a bit. As the horse gets older, the bosal is made thinner and lighter until a bit can replace it, though some riders may choose to use one permanently. The bosal works in a manner that allows it to rest low on the horses nose until the rider uses the reins to give a signal. It acts upon the horse's nose and jaw, providing pressure until the horse can learn to take cues from the leg and reins. The bosal is only intended for use by experienced riders, never beginners.
Note: Only Generation 3 horses can wear this bridle |
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| Western Show Stock Halter | While halters (called a headcollar in the UK) are not made for use as bridles, an experienced rider may occasionally choose to ride with one rather than a bridle in a controlled environment. Halters consist of a noseband and headstall that buckle around the horse’s head. They are looser than bridles (hence why riding in one offers insufficient precision and control) and are made for a horse to be led or tied. Some owners may choose to use leather or breakaway halters to turn their horses out with for easier capture later on. The western Stock show halter is made out of premium leather and is embellished with silver or gold colored metal with engraved plates and buckles. As the name suggests, these halters are not built/used for everyday work but are specially designed for use in stock shows to enhance a horse's look.
Note: Only Generation 3 horses can wear this halter |
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| Nylon/Leather Halter | The leather or nylon halters available in-game are variations of the Western Show halters without the buckles and metal. They both use the same model, however the nylon halters come in colorful variations and the leather halters come colors such as black, white, and brown.
Note: Only Generation 3 horses can wear this halter |
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| Rope Halter | The rope halters available in-game come in two variations: one with reins and one without. They are made of strong rope and have knots. They are often used for training horses, made for putting pressure on a smaller area.
Note: Only some Generation 3 horses can wear this halter |
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| Show Halter | The show halters available in-game come in two variations: one has additional decorations, and one does not have the decorations and has a slightly different shape. These show halters are traditionally used for showing Arabian Horses and other related breeds, with a thin shape to display their refined head.
Note: Only some Generation 3 horses can wear this halter |
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| Drop Noseband Bridle | The drop noseband bridles available in-game come in two variations, one with and one without a throatlatch and browband. The drop nosebands are worn lower on the horse's face than any other noseband, sitting underneath the bait and fastening under the horse's chin. It keeps a horse's mouth closed. Although they are declining in popularity, with other nosebands such as a flash noseband becoming more popular, they are useful for training a horse to accept a bit.
Note: Only some Generation 3 horses can wear this bridle |
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| Forester Hackamore | The Forester Hackamore is a fictional hackamore bridle traditionally worn by the Foresters Jorvik Wild Horse herd in Northern Wildwoods. It is a bitless bridle made of vines with white flowers. Forester horses like to wear this hackamore to adorn their head with the bounty of the forest.
Note: Only Jorvik Wild Horses, Embermanes, and Soul Steeds can wear this bridle |
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| Mystic Hackamore | The Mystic Hackamore is a fictional hackamore bridle traditionally worn by the Mystic Jorvik Wild Horse herd in Northern Wildwoods. It is a bitless bridle made of silver medal and decorated with blue gemstones. It also has a matching leg accessory which is worn along with the bridle when equipped. Mystic horses wear this bridle to become closer to the Sentinel Tree.
Note: Only Jorvik Wild Horses, Embermanes, and Soul Steeds can wear this bridle |
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| Medieval Mechanical Hackamore | A mechanical hackamore is a bitless bridle that has shanks. Instead of putting pressure on the mouth like with a bridle with a bit, these bridles put pressure on the horse's nose and head. They cannot make a horse turn easily, and are primarily useful for their stopping ability. They are used in pleasure riding, trail riding, and some western riding. These bridles in-game have a decorative medieval style.
Note: Only some Generation 3 horses can wear this bridle |
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| Medieval Bridle 1 | This type of medieval bridle in-game comes in two variations: one with three horns on it and one without. They are decorated with engraved roses and have a frentera. Frenteras are rarely seen in many modern countries, however are in use in some parts of the world.
Note: Only some Generation 3 horses can wear this bridle |
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| Medieval Bridle 2 | This type of medieval bridle in-game has a frentera, in this case called a testera because of the silver disk in the center. It has metal on its sides that are decorated with a swirl pattern.
Note: Only some Generation 3 horses can wear this bridle |
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| Traditional Decorated Bridle | These bridles are similar to the traditional tack of breeds such as the Marwari and Arabian, used today for special occasions such as parades and shows. They are highly decorated, with jewels, tassels, and a breastplate. The breastplate piece in-game is animated while the horse is in motion, and the plates feature Aideen's harp. |
Saddles
| Name | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| General Purpose Saddle, AKA Eventing Saddle | The general purpose saddle is the most commonly used saddle in the English Discipline, as it’s name suggests, it used used for many different styles of english riding, mainly pleasure, and is most often used for training and teaching of both horse and rider. The General Purpose saddle is small and consists of a large seat, high cantle, large panel. The short round flaps and a thick kneepad are placed farther forward on the horses back for more control of the shoulder, but placing the rider farther back from the withers. The small light structure of the saddle is designed to tighten up a rider’s legs, giving them much closer contact with the horse. This is because it is more inclined to a jumping saddle than simply a riding saddle. Like english bridles, english saddles are made with the idea of keeping constant contact with the horse, as both legs and hands are used as aids in the horse’s movement. | |
| Dressage saddle | As its name suggests, the Dressage saddle is used for the dressage discipline. The saddle depicted in SSO is specifically for English Dressage. The main difference most player’s will notice between the English and Dressage saddle is it has a much longer flap. This is to accommodate the rider’s leg wich is positioned further down the horse’s barrel and less inclined forward as the knee does not need to be as forward for contact. Because of this the saddle is placed closer to the horse’s wither to keep the rider’s center of gravity. The higher cantle allows for a much deeper seat as well because Dressage is dependent on hip and thigh movement rather than leg. The saddle is designed to allow a rider to easily give leg signals and comfortably move with the horse’s gaits during difficult dressage maneuvers.
Note: It has an original form wearable by all horse breeds, regardless of generation, and an updated form only wearable by some Generation 3 horses. |
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| Jumping Saddle | This saddle is sometimes called a "forward seat" or "close contact" saddle. As its name suggests, it is designed for showjumping, but also serves a purpose in foxhunting, hunt seat equitation, and cross-country eventing. It is on the smaller side of saddles and its most noticeable feature is the forward-cut flaps and deeper, further back-balanced seat. The forward flaps allow for much shorter stirrups than other english saddles (except for racing saddles). The seat is generally flatter than other saddles, with a lower pommel and cantle as to not hinder the rider’s jumping position (aka "two-point position" or "half-seat”) The supportive padded knee rolls on the flap allow for better grip for the rider without digging into the saddle. Jumping saddles are often accompanied by a jumping girth also called a “stud girth” or belly guard. These girths have an oval shaped panel in the center that is supposed to prevent the horse from hitting its belly with its forefeet when jumping.
Note: Only Generation 2 and 3 horses can wear this saddle |
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| Ranch Saddle | As its name implies, the Ranch Saddle is designed for all types of Ranch and Farm work. The most noticeable feature is the large horn on the high pommel, deep seat, and high cantle. The horn is used for roping cattle. The Ranch saddle is a heavier, sturdy saddle with wide seat, and jockey, sitting atop a large rectangular skirt. Rather than a flap, the western saddle has long fenders that follow the length of the leg down to the large stirrups to prevent chaffing for both horse and rider. The Ranch saddles’ fenders hang directly below the rider for added comfort. Unlike English style saddles, which are light and are made for close contact with the horse for short spans of time, the Ranch saddle is designed as a working saddle. It’s large size evenly distributes the weight of the rider on the horse’s back so that both horse and rider are comfortable for long spans of time. As the Ranch saddle was designed for cattle herding, the distributed weight allow the rider to follow and protect their herds for weeks on end. Because the western discipline relies more on leg contact rather than hand, the stirrups are long and the deep seat of the Ranch saddle frees up rider’s hands for tasks such as reigning, and lasso work. While the ranch saddle typically has both a front cinch and flank cinch, SSO’s version does not. | |
| Reigning Saddle | The Reining saddle is built for competition and reining events. They are typically lighter than the Ranch saddle and are designed for fast leg work.The horn is typically medium height (or doesn’t exist at all as not all western saddles sport a horn), with a deep seat that sits low on the horse’s back. Unlike the Ranch saddle, the Reining saddle’s fenders are forward hung, allowing riders to sit back and deep into the saddle for fast starts and stops. The pommel is wider than the ranch saddle, allowing riders to hook their knees under for fast turns. The design of this saddle also sets the rider up in an extremely balanced position allowing for close contact with the horse, making it great for use as a training saddle as well.
Note: Only Generation 3 horses can wear this saddle |
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| Iberian Saddle | Iberian Saddles (sometimes called Baroque saddles) were originally built for Spanish horses, specifically, those bred in and around the Iberian Peninsula. Iberian horses (Sometimes just referred to as Baroque breeds) typically have shorter backs, wider rib cages, and very well-developed shoulders. These attributes can make it difficult to fit them in other more common saddle types. While these saddles are believed to have originally been designed for bullfighting, allowing the rider to have well-planted seat should the horse need to move in any directly quickly, today they are considered by many European dressage academies to be the best dressage saddle for both horse and rider. The saddle is also considered very versatile, being excellent for gaited horses and other riding disciplines, especially working equitation. The exact Iberian saddle portrayed in game appears to be a mix of Portuguese and Spanish leather tree saddles, with a long square-shaped skirt, and both a high cantle and pommel.
Note: Only some Generation 3 horses can wear this saddle |
File:Image coming soon.png Iberian Saddle |
Pads
| Name | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Round Pad | This pad is most commonly used in conjunction with English style saddles. The Pad is contoured to fit the extended flaps on and english saddle, to prevent rubbing between the leather and the horse’s skin. The small size also prevents it from interfering with the horse's movement. This contouring also allows the pad to focus more on protecting specific areas that are more commonly rubbing against the horse and saddle rather than just overall coverage. This pad is typically seen on horses with short backs. | |
| Straight Pad | This pad is the oldest form of padding for horses and is used in most riding styles, though it is more commonly seen in the western disciplines as it fully covers the skirt. It is a simple, straight rectangle. Straight pads and blankets are not contoured and thus are not focused on padding a specific area of the saddle but rather simply pad between the saddle and blanket. This is usually used for horses with normal, straight backs, with no specific back or saddle needs. | |
| Full Pad AKA Dressage Pad | This pad is used in all disciplines, not just dressage but has found more popularity in the style, hence the name. The large coverage of this pad keeps the long flaps on dressage saddle from chaffing against the horse. Blankets used in the western discipline may also utilize this style for the same purpose but fenders are less likely to rub against the horse if the saddle is fitted properly.
Note: It has an original form wearable by all horse breeds, regardless of generation, and an updated form only wearable by some Generation 3 horses. |
Horseshoes
| Name | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Shoe AKA Fullered Keg Shoe | The type of shoe being presented in game, is the most common type of shoe, and is commonly used for regular riding circumstances.
While horseshoes in reality come in a number of different styles and materials to suit each individual horse’s needs (in fact some horses don’t need them at all), the most common use is to protect a horses’s hoof from being worn down too far or damaged on tough terrain such as man made roads. |
Trivia
- Despite allowing players to choose between English and Western riding gear, the player character will always ride English Style.
- Many of the older horse models also tend to move as if they are being ridden in an English style. The first horse to move in a Western style was the G3 American Quarter Horse.