RE: Laura: another question
This message is from: laura fisher ...It took a few days...( I like to reread my stuff) but once I thought about it you are right- she is unbalanced. I have seen so much improvement in her but I have a tendency to expect too much too quickly. When I think about her movement when I am on her back I think it is precisely that. Thank you. > Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 20:33:15 -0500 > From: coy...@acrec.com > To: fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com > Subject: Re: Laura: another question > > This message is from: "coy...@acrec.com" > > > ...I thought that a fjord might have special needs > > ...my mare has a trot ... with a break-neck -like speed > > ...it feels like I am going to topple over her... > > Well, I don't know that Fjords have "special needs" in the saddle fit > department, more than other breeds. They do tend to be stockier through > the body and often have rounder withers, but some Morgans and Quarter > Horses have a similar body type. > > I am guessing the wither pad you refer to is a pad meant more for use > with horses that have prominent withers and little or no muscling or fat > right below the withers. > > As you describe it, your mare's "break neck" speed sounds more like she > is unbalanced and is "falling forward" in the trot, rather than a saddle > fit problem. Hard to say without seeing her -- and I'm not a trainer, so > I can't offer any suggestions to help her. > > DeeAnna > > Important FjordHorse List Links: > Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e > FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw > Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f > > _ Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/171222984/direct/01/ Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
Re: Laura: another question
This message is from: Melinda Schumacher Laura, I also have a fast trot fjord. I have been very satisfied with my Mountain Horse saddle, draft tree. They made a flex tree draft-size in the past which I was lucky enough to get before their machine broke! I assume the regular draft tree would have the same size and shape, which was almost perfect for my ever-so-slightly withered (when she is not overweight) 14.2 fjord. They sent me a tree to try on my horse and photograph for their evaluation. They ended up shortening the bars a bit. Here is their website: http://www.montanamountainhorse.com/draft-horse-and-friesian-saddles/ Very reasonably priced, and Melissa was very handy at answering all questions. Melinda in Pittsburgh with Mirakel and Norrman. On Sun, Oct 4, 2009 at 9:15 PM, laura fisher wrote: > This message is from: laura fisher > > Dear DeeAnna, > Thank you for your response. I did not know there were that many trees. > Considering the breadth of them I am afraid I would have to travel the > entire > United States, with my horse in tow, to find a saddle that would fit me and > my > horse. Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
Re: Laura: another question
This message is from: "coy...@acrec.com" ...I thought that a fjord might have special needs ...my mare has a trot ... with a break-neck -like speed ...it feels like I am going to topple over her... Well, I don't know that Fjords have "special needs" in the saddle fit department, more than other breeds. They do tend to be stockier through the body and often have rounder withers, but some Morgans and Quarter Horses have a similar body type. I am guessing the wither pad you refer to is a pad meant more for use with horses that have prominent withers and little or no muscling or fat right below the withers. As you describe it, your mare's "break neck" speed sounds more like she is unbalanced and is "falling forward" in the trot, rather than a saddle fit problem. Hard to say without seeing her -- and I'm not a trainer, so I can't offer any suggestions to help her. DeeAnna Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
RE: Laura: another question
This message is from: laura fisher Dear DeeAnna, Thank you for your response. I did not know there were that many trees. Considering the breadth of them I am afraid I would have to travel the entire United States, with my horse in tow, to find a saddle that would fit me and my horse. I printed your reply for future reference. Out in the boon docks as I am, up until I became active on the internet,( yuck) I have had to rely on personal experience. (or my reaching out to a forum). My experience with saddles, is with dressage saddles, and circle y flex 's ( and other saddles over the years-no named). I thought that a fjord might have special needs because unlike any other horse I have ridden- my mare has a trot that goes with a break-neck -like speed I have never seen or experienced... it feels like I am going to topple over her while she tries not to canter. I would have to really exaggerate my position backwards to not move forward. I have owned horses since I was a kid and I hope I have improved from the fetal position by now, especially with all those darn dressage lessons. I would say I am an intermediate rider. I have an independent seat. I do not know much about western saddle padding, having moved out here from the east coast, but in the dressage and three day event barn I boarded in, I saw many kinds of padding placement to compensate for saddle and rider. In the western world I have seen what is called a wither pad. I assumed it was to raise the saddle off the withers. I could be wrong because I never asked anybody I just read the label. I guess I was really asking whether anyone else experienced this, and if they had what did they do. I do not mean to hurt my horse, but you are right, done poorly any saddle /rider combination if not fit right, can go badly. I didn't give it a thought that it would go badly because I know how to fit a saddle. But I have never owned a fjord. If people are telling me there is no anatomical difference between a fjord and other "horses" then I will toss my lists of questions into the air and figure she is like any other horse. I was just trying to explore and come up with a solution to a wonderful animal that behaves and handles differently. She is fantastic! Otherwise, I will spend however long it takes me to get her supple enough to make clean trot /canter transitions and hope that will make the problem go away. But in the meantime, on the trail, with other horses that may get her excited, I was hoping I could position the saddle ( or buy a saddle) so that I could ride out that trot as I would any other horses I have owned: Arab, quarter horses, appy/draft, morgan, - and feel more comfortable in the saddle, riding at what might potentially be a break neck trotting speed. Safety stops aside...Accidents do happen. Happy trails :) Sincerely, Laura ;) > Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 18:39:42 -0500 > From: coy...@acrec.com > To: fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com > Subject: Re: Laura: another question > > This message is from: "coy...@acrec.com" > > Saddles with different tree widths don't necessarily look especially > different. And even if you could see the difference from the front or > back in a photo, that doesn't tell you anything about the fit in the > middle of the saddle. Trained hands are required to correctly evaluate > saddle fit. > > And, on that note, it's not "regular" tree vs. full quarter horse bars. > The term "regular" is not used in the saddle industry, as far as I am > aware. There are Arab trees, full quarter horse bars, semi quarter horse > bars, draft trees, wide trees, extra wide trees, etc. -- no standardized > terminology and no standardized tree shapes. You have to evaluate the > fit of a particular tree on your specific horse, rather than trust to > the names. > > > Also, considering the regular bar saddle fits, can a wedge be put in front... > > Think about it -- you have a pair of shoes that fit great. If the shoes > fit without an insole, they fit WITHOUT THE INSOLE. Pretty much the same > for a saddle. Yes, you can pad a too big saddle to fit better, but it > makes no sense to put more padding under a "just right" or too small saddle. > > If you feel like you are falling forward, saddle fit might ... or might > not ... be the problem. Assuming it's the saddle -- look at where your > saddle is placed -- too far back perhaps? The low part of the seat > should be about where the lowest part of the horse's back is. > > Is the saddle the right size for you? If the seat is too big or too > small or if the shape is not right for your anatomy, that can affect how > you sit. > > Another issue is stirrup placement -- they might be placed incorrectly > for you. Stirrup placement is usually fixed and probably won't be
Re: Laura: another question
This message is from: "coy...@acrec.com" Saddles with different tree widths don't necessarily look especially different. And even if you could see the difference from the front or back in a photo, that doesn't tell you anything about the fit in the middle of the saddle. Trained hands are required to correctly evaluate saddle fit. And, on that note, it's not "regular" tree vs. full quarter horse bars. The term "regular" is not used in the saddle industry, as far as I am aware. There are Arab trees, full quarter horse bars, semi quarter horse bars, draft trees, wide trees, extra wide trees, etc. -- no standardized terminology and no standardized tree shapes. You have to evaluate the fit of a particular tree on your specific horse, rather than trust to the names. Also, considering the regular bar saddle fits, can a wedge be put in front... Think about it -- you have a pair of shoes that fit great. If the shoes fit without an insole, they fit WITHOUT THE INSOLE. Pretty much the same for a saddle. Yes, you can pad a too big saddle to fit better, but it makes no sense to put more padding under a "just right" or too small saddle. If you feel like you are falling forward, saddle fit might ... or might not ... be the problem. Assuming it's the saddle -- look at where your saddle is placed -- too far back perhaps? The low part of the seat should be about where the lowest part of the horse's back is. Is the saddle the right size for you? If the seat is too big or too small or if the shape is not right for your anatomy, that can affect how you sit. Another issue is stirrup placement -- they might be placed incorrectly for you. Stirrup placement is usually fixed and probably won't be something that you can change. Going away from saddle issues, have someone evaluate your posture in the saddle -- do you sit in your saddle like you do in a chair? Do you curl your body forward due to inexperience and tension? If so, your posture is probably at fault. Ears, shoulder, hips and heels should all be in a line. If you are an inexperienced rider, it's a pretty safe bet that some -- and maybe most -- of your "falling forward" feeling is coming from your posture. A good instructor and time in the saddle are the best fix for this issue. --DeeAnna Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
Re: Laura: another question
This message is from: I'm certainly not qualified to answer others saddle-fit questions as my experience is limited to my own. With that being said, there's no way I'd buy a saddle that's uncomfortable for ME or the horse. I think I'd keep looking. Shawna in OR Subject: Laura: another question This message is from: laura fisher ,can a wedge be put in front, (under the blanket) so I don't feel like I am going to fall off my horse at a fast trot, let alone a canter? > Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
Laura: another question
This message is from: laura fisher Hi! :) Is it possible to put a photo on the forum of a regular tree saddle on my hosre verses a fqhb saddle for forum input, so I know what to buy? Also, considering the regular bar saddle fits ,can a wedge be put in front, (under the blanket) so I don't feel like I am going to fall off my horse at a fast trot, let alone a canter? Without withers or shoulder? there doesn't feel like anything is there. Is it just my lowly riding abilities? (don't worry- it won't hurt my feelings) :) is there a different solution or is that it? _ Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/171222985/direct/01/ Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
