This message is from: "Jeanne Zuker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Olaf and I made our second trip to Richard Shrake's seminar this past week and had a great time (I will go more into it) but the question I have is this: I use a Wintec Isbell saddle with the wide gullet and it fits Olaf but I have trouble getting the Wintec girth tight enough. I am wondering if any of you who ride in the Wintec's use the Wintec girth or a regular English girth that has the normal elastic buckles on one end??
Tuesday at the seminar after almost 2 hours of walk-trot-walk the saddle suddenly slipped to Olaf's side and I was on the ground. Olaf bless his heart just stopped and stood there, I love this horse he is so steady, doesn't spook and takes little mishaps like this as if it is just a normal part of the day.....but it has shaken my confidence as to getting the saddle tight enough. I had saddled Olaf, walked him around, checked the girth again, did some ground work, rechecked the girth before mounting and like I said it was almost 2 hours later but the girth was loose at this point. One thing that was suggested was to get a regular girth so I could get it tighter and possibly another saddle pad, I currently use a wool pad. I know someone here sells pads, but I cannot remember who. Okey, so back to the seminar after the fall I cannot ride for a couple of afternoons but I do all the groundwork and get a chance to help out in the arena while others ride, which was very beneficial so I could observe how riders use their hands, feet and other things Richard emphasises. Well one morning Richard has us take our horses over a pole laying on the ground then he has one end raised about 2" off the ground, Olaf does a cute little "hop" over the jumps, then Richard has one end raised again to the top of the mounting block and Olaf actually does a full jump, immediately after he does a small buck and canters a couple circles, then gets back in line to jump again. Richard has the other end of the pole raised so it is straight across and the height of the mounting block off the ground, I will tell you Olaf jumped it and you could tell by the way he held his head the look in his eyes and the way he trotted off he was proud--he also LOVED the clapping and whistles that he got. That afternoon Richard had me take Olaf out to the round pen where he had two jumps and we started out small again taking each new jump and height slowly. Finally Richard had the jumps moved up to about 2 1/2' and Olaf jumped it as though he had been jumping all his life. Richard then took Olaf off the lead line and just by moving the lunge whip Olaf made the jumps, then as Richard was talking Olaf made the complete circle taking both jumps without any prodding or direction. He tucks his legs brings his feet under him, people said he looks like a natural and I have to tell you he looked like he totally enjoyed himself. I do not want to jump, but I do plan on starting slowly and letting him do some jumping as part of his ground work. I wish I could think of the words to fully describe the change in Olaf's attitude after he "showed off" his jumping debut. On Friday when I rode him for the final day of the seminar he was so much easier to handle, he was more responsive to my legs and hands, he was totally alert (probably looking for those darn jumps again) and everyone commented on the change in his demeanor.......someone said that I should start looking for a jumping saddle--ha ha, sure, right, at almost 57 yrs. I don't think I want to start jumping. I know this is not winning a competition but for us this was a great moment and I wanted to share. Anyway, we had a great time but it was HOT, this year again people commented on what a nice horse he is and how social he is. We even had someone driving a cart in the indoor arena while we rode, some people and horses were upset but Olaf thought the cart was neat and a couple of riders rode behind us until their horses got used to seeing the cart. Ok, so if any of you can help me with my girthing situation I would appreciate it. Sorry this got so long. Tired but happy, Jeanne and Olaf hot, humid MI
