Comments on: Does your saddle fit? https://teddiezieglerhorsemanship.com/does-your-saddle-fit/ Horsemanship and horse training the partnership way Thu, 16 Jul 2020 01:18:49 +0000 hourly 1 By: Teddie Ziegler https://teddiezieglerhorsemanship.com/does-your-saddle-fit/#comments/1832 https://polaritytraining.com/?p=9069#comment-1832 In reply to Maude.

Maude, the first thing I would do is to have his back checked out to make sure it’s ok and there are no pain points. Even press your hands around to see if he moves or flinches. That will tell you if there’s any pain there too. If that all checks out ok, then it could be a fear memory or a muscle memory of the pain. That just takes time to work through it with your horse and gently get him to realize that it’s ok and there’s no more pain. Let me know what happens and how it goes. 🙂

]]> By: Maude https://teddiezieglerhorsemanship.com/does-your-saddle-fit/#comments/1831 https://polaritytraining.com/?p=9069#comment-1831 Hi Teddie, when I ride, I ride in a treeless saddle which is made of thick leather with two thick pads underneath which are velcroed on, so my weight is distributed (hopefully) evenly, even when standing in the stirrups. It’s kind of rigid but bendy at the same time.
However, my horse still puts his ears back when I put pressure in one stirrup or the other, either side, to get on. I’m not getting on, but I am trying to find out if this is still pain, after a year of resting, or whether it’s fear of the pain that used to occur. He’s comfortable with me sitting on his back, so what’s interesting for me is whether his reaction to me getting on is a learned one, or actual pain, so whether to approach it with reassurance and relearning, or something else. He’s been Xrayed, and had some back treatment. Interesting.

]]> By: Karen Garton https://teddiezieglerhorsemanship.com/does-your-saddle-fit/#comments/1830 https://polaritytraining.com/?p=9069#comment-1830 I haven’t ridden my mare since last year… we’ve been concentrating on ground work and lots of walks out in hand but we now have the time to begin ridden work again…very slowly of course. She used to be grumpy when being tacked up and would actually try to bite especially when doing up the girth (l am super gentle!!). I have a lightweight saddle which was fitted, can be adjusted and appears comfortable. Once onboard she is fine. I just wondered if there is anything further I can do to help her with the initial tacking up process. I bought a shaped girth and a sheepskin cover which has helped and reward her to try to make pleasant associations with tacking up. I know some horses are supposed to be ‘cold backed’ but not sure this is not just an ‘excuse’ on the part of the human when a solution is not found! She is an ex- racer but very low mileage and no back issues. On the plus side we began riding bitless last year and she seemed to really take to that!
Kind regards,
Karen

Ps So so sorry Teddie to hear of the passing of your horse…best wishes x

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