The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!

[HairOfTheDog]

Free Republic has a lot of horse people that have found each other on other threads…. And since we all like to talk horses, how about a thread where it is not off-topic, but is THE topic?

A few of us thought it would be interesting and informative to have a chat thread where we can share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share. In the last thread we had a great time and were a great help to each other working through lessons and training, horse lamenesses and illnesses, questions and challenges and always just our stories we like to tell.

I always have a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts… look for it there and wake the thread up!

I also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and Becky pings everyone most mornings. Let Becky (Paynoattentionmanbehindthecurtain) and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in…. There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics… land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news…. Legislation that might affect horse owners.

So... like the last thread, this is intended as fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.

[CindyDawg]

That's it

[CindyDawg]

It's Abeta synthetic also but has some leather on it and a bigger seat. 3 lbs heavier than mine.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

That's what I call a Tom Thumb snaffle.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Let me guess....It's NOT purple:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Hey, totally off the subject, but did you guys see/read about the people that built the space craft and had their second flight yesterday, won $10,000,000. Mack filmed it for me to see. It was really interesting.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Question about Western saddle fit....

This saddle we bought because it had a lot of 'rock' in it and would best fit Bay's sway back. It is an Arab tree and Arab cut skirt. Question is, does it have too much 'rock' for this mare? When I press down on the seat with my hand under it, it seems to apply pressure pretty evenly, but without weight in it, it seems to ride up in the air and bounce quite a bit when she's moving. Question... is this OK? Is this what people use a back cinch for? To hold down the back of the saddle? Is a back cinch necessary in this case? With ecurbh's weight in it, will it sit flat? We haven't sat him in it yet because those bite marks were pretty ouchy still.

English saddles don't move and flop like this and this is the first saddle (and second horse) I have ever tried to outfit western. My question is, is this an OK and normal thing or is the saddle a bad fit? Or is that not enough information and I should have the saddle guy out?

Here, it's bouncing and getting air on each stride.

[HairOfTheDog]

We watched part of that live... it's pretty cool alright!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

The back cinch's main purpose is to keep the back of the saddle from coming up WHEN roping and dalling up. IF you have a back cinch, you never pull it tight. It should JUST be right up againt them or even a fingers width loose. It is not to hold the saddle on with. You would not need one for what you say you're going to do with your horses, and even if ecurbh did ever decide to rope that saddle would not work, it would break when he dallied. So I wouldn't get one if I was you. It's just that much more to do and undo. I have a back cinch simply because when I had the saddle made I wanted all the bells and whistles, it's carved to match the rest of the saddle.

Just because that saddle is coming up in the back when cinched down does not mean it doesn't fit. As long as it sits evenly on her when he is in it it is OK.

This is all JMO:) (Mack agrees:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

OK - Just wondered because it doesn't naturally want to sit down flat.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I like the rounded back and small pad. Lets so much more of the horse show. If I had it to do again, I'd get a smaller saddle. But I like the one I have, feels good, fits all the horses I've had, so there is no sense in starting over.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

With the back coming up tho, I would make sure that her withers are not rubbing in the swell. If not, I'd say you're good to go:)

Becky

[CindyDawg]

Tom Thumb? Is that good? :') Not purple even though that's Okies color:') It's brown and black. I also bought a SL a leather head stall and reins and a contoured pad that has "air grips" and extra padding in pressure sites.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Sorry for so many posts, but I keep thinking of this stuff after I hit the post button.

You may know this, I don't know if English saddles require this, but after you have set the saddle on the pad, before you cinch, be sure to pull the pad up off the withers and into the swell. You should be able to put your fist inside a cave like space there. If you don't do that the pad can get pulled real tight across their withers when you pull the cinch tight and that can be uncomfortable.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

Ah huh. NASA probably cringing. I didn't get to see this one but just reading about the guy talking that went up the first two xs made me grin.

[HairOfTheDog]

The rounded back is supposed to give some hip relief for Arabs with their short backs. I wouldn't want a lot more skirting on this mare, she's too small. I like that pad that fits the saddle shape too. The one we had made for Bay is square, but he's bigger and it doesn't look too big on him. But I figure, the less extra pad, the cooler they'll be too.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

It will be fine. It's not much more then a regular snaffle really, but you will get some curb action, which I think you need. Once you put it on her, make sure you can put one maybe 2 fingers width between the chain and where it makes contact with her. If you leave it too loose, you might as well not put it on at all. Alot of people leave them way to loose, which doesn't do anything then.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

The saddle I had before this one was round backed, and I had a pad like that. Liked it alot. I just got carried away with wanting a really fancy saddle when I had this one made. I wanted my mare to look as pretty and western as I could:).

I'd really like to get a smaller one, just for the coolerness (is that a word) of them, that's why I'm still thinking of an English Saddle, just haven't gotten around to looking seriously tho. I like the one you have so far from what I've seen.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Yeah, they were really coming down on NASA weren't they, I liked the play on Nasa when he said Naysay:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

The pad we got has a built-in rise for the wither. I think you can see that here. If you can't see it I can take a picture of it on the rack. She has a good sized wither. Bay does too, and for him we got a cutaway pad.

You have to pull the pad up so it doesn't ride tight in English gear too, though there is less clearance or 'well' than in Western. I think it sits down on her without being too low or too high, what do you think?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I don't mean this in a harpy way, but I was looking at your pictures and it looks like you may not be pulling the pad up into the swells. It may have just settled back down, but I wanted to be sure you understood what I mean, if not I can take a picture to show you. It's kind of important. They can get sore there if the edge of the pad is pulled tight across there.

Becky