RE: Help needed, English saddle slipping sideways
This message is from: "Skeels, Mark A (MED)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi Eileen: We had a similar problem. A couple suggestions we did. The first is we got a Wintec girth, the one we got is sorta soft rubbery type. Second, one of our instructors was using a rubber saddle pad they made on their Tennessee Walker. She loaned it to us and it worked great. Where we got the material was at Farm and Fleet. They use it in tool boxes to keep your tools from rattling around. It looks like very soft rubbery large mesh screen, about 3/8 inch thick foamy rubber that when you hold it up it has holes all over it about 1/4 inch in size. The mesh is also approx 1/4 inch cross hatch type stuff, sorta looks like a bunch of black rubber beads. Anyhow they have a piece about 2 foot by 6 foot. We folded it over on itself so the pad is 2 foot by 3 foot. Then my wife and daughter sewed them together with some sort of edging she got at Joanne's Fabrics. It was sorta hard to sew they said, as the rubber would want to stick to the machine and stretch some, but with a little patience, it only took a hour maybe to make and turned out real nice. The other thing we found is when we started riding the horse every day, and trotting or cantering about 10 minutes or so each day so the horse worked up a light sweat, the horse actually started to muscle up and trim down, lost maybe 150 pounds. That also helped the roundness factor. Gave my daughter a good workout too, and she toned up. A positive side benefit. Could also ride bare back some trotting and cantering if your saddle rolls, until the horse gets into shape. We leave the last inch or two of the main hairs long just in case you loose your balance so you can grab onto something while riding bare back, the last couple inches right over the whithers. If you ride bare back, your balance while riding will greatly improve, which would also help you in the saddle. That's about what we learned about the saddle slipping issue. I think sometimes we all have similar problems, and go about fixing them in various fashions. Sometimes what we do don't work, so we try something else. And it also helps to share ideas, which can help someone else go thru the learning curve a little faster. Mark Skeels Any suggestions? (PS sorry if this is a repeat - I tried to post twice before and didn't see my message). >Eileen and 'Jane', the beautiful barrel with legs
Re: Help needed, English saddle slipping sideways
This message is from: "Ruth Bushnell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Hello All, >I'm in desparate need of some advice. For the past month my vet and I have been both having problems with my saddle slipping sideways on my classic barrel-shaped mare. Any suggestions? >Eileen Dear Desperate, Tell that vet to vacate your saddle, one per saddle is quite enough! HAH, just kidding! =))) We don't like the newer neoprene (sp?) cinches and feel that they are inclined to slip more, on the other hand... our son prefers them. (maybe it's a generational thing =)) but my husband says that he thinks they are also more likely to gall. It usually doesn't hurt to tighten the girth very soundly as horses seem to deflate within the first few hundred yards. Some claim they deliberately inflate in anticipation of the tightening girth, whatever the case... it's always wise to readjust the tension a short ways out. Sometimes people pull the saddle off center as they mount, if they use the saddle as leverage for hoisting themselves up... and from there it's on the way. (use a stepping stool instead if necessary) Could it also be that you are seated off center by maybe favoring one side (maybe you're reaching for the brake =))) Ruthie, nw mt
Re: Help needed, English saddle slipping sideways
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 5/27/2004 6:04:54 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I'm in desparate need of some advice. For the past month my vet and I have been both having problems with my saddle slipping sideways on my classic barrel-shaped mare. ** Welcome to the world of Fjords ;-) I'm using a wide tree (38cm) all purpose saddle which seems to fit her well. ** Most of us use something super wide or treeless or gullet-less to fit those lovely round bodies. After searching the archives, I tried the Professional Choice girth, per Gayle W's suggestion. I also use one of those "non-slip" rubber pads you put under throw rugs. ** Those girths are great, as is anything with felt which works especially well in the winter, bonding to all that fur. These have helped, but the sideways slipping is still really dangerous. I know it's not just me because my vet is an excellent 3-day event rider, skinny and *way* more fit than I am, and she's having problems. ** I'm curious as to when the saddle slips? Is it while mounting, or actually riding? Technically (and I know we can all ride this well!) you should be able to stay in a saddle with no girth at all. It's all about balance and staying over the center of gravity. Sometimes the deep seated saddle and big pads riders use to feel more secure actually make matters worse, lifting you higher away from the horse. Now, I must loudly say that being skinny is not a prerequisite for being a good rider ;-) Also, you may be impressed with your vet's perfo rmance, but she may actually have balance no better than yours. If she's been riding razorbacked Thoroughbreds, she can get away with more weight shifting and less saddle slippage. My vet has been cranking up the girth, which I hate to do. And that doesn't solve the problem. Yikes, we haven't cantered my mare yet, 'cause trotting is still such a challenge. ** Sounds very much like a balance issue. Without seeing the horse in action, I can only guess that she is stiff and falling forwards in the trot. When this happens, you have no bending and the horse turns "like a bus" as a friend once said of her Standardbred. These sudden lurching turns will upset just about anyone. Good for you for not cantering till you feel safe. My suggestion would be to work on softening and bending for the horse and balance for yourself. / )_~ /L/L Brigid Wasson SF Bay Area, CA www.Brigid.Clickryder.com
Re: Help needed, English saddle slipping sideways
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 5/27/2004 6:59:56 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Could it also be that you are seated off center by maybe favoring one side (maybe you're reaching for the brake =))) Ruthie, nw mt Yes, Ruthie! My left hip is higher than my right, due to an old injury in the heyday of aerobics. When I ride, I can look down and see my left foot, but not my right foot. Back to the chiropractor... / )_~ /L/L Brigid Wasson SF Bay Area, CA www.Brigid.Clickryder.com
