Cara
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Post by Cara on Dec 29, 2005 14:41:18 GMT 1
I had physo assessment done on my mare on Monday
She's not crossing her hind legs when being turned in a tight circle, has knots where the girth goes (explains the merry dance when I'm tacking up) n is stiff in her shoulder.
She had a massage & laser therapy which was quite interesting.
These problems & perhaps my own back problems seem to be pointing to the saddle, she's coming back to check it & progress on Saturday.
I sense a big bill coming for a saddle I'll just have to find the money from somewhere (cough cough Dad!!!).
How do you choose the right sized saddle? Do you measure the horse? do you take a chance? What's the story with a treeless?
Bit lost here so any info advice most welcome
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Cathy248
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Maddie's 2nd Fun Ride
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Post by Cathy248 on Dec 29, 2005 14:55:47 GMT 1
The best way to find a well fitting saddle is to get a well-know, respected, qualified saddler to fit one - it certainly shouldn't be done by just taking a chance! There are lots of people on here who use treeless saddles who would be better at explaining than me, so I'll leave that for them to do, but please don't just get a new saddle that you think might be better - be sure it fits.
Hope your horse keeps improving with the physio.
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Post by KoLaTo on Dec 29, 2005 15:00:19 GMT 1
Absolutely have to have a saddler or similar to come and measure and fit for you, it is such a big investment and can go so badly wrong if you get the wrong one so unless you have tons of experience in fitting saddles then defo go for a reputable saddler
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Post by Louise C on Dec 29, 2005 15:05:35 GMT 1
Where are you based - perhaps someone can point you in the right direction?
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Cara
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Post by Cara on Dec 29, 2005 15:26:08 GMT 1
Hi All
I'm in Wicklow in Ireland, I think most of y'all are in the UK.
Qualified fitter sounds expensive, I'll do a search on the net. Really cringing at the thought of the cost but I know it's a must.
Just theres been so many threads about people buying on e-bay I wondered if there where some straight forward ways of doing it. But I'm thinking that's not really the right way to go.
Oh cringe cringe cringe €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
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Cara
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 3,128
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Post by Cara on Dec 29, 2005 15:30:50 GMT 1
Seems to be a lot of stores selling saddles on line? Is it only IH who get em fitted?
Oh sigh €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
Ah well maybe I'll get something in the sales,,,,,,,,,,,,, sniff
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BeTheBest
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Everything I do, I do it for you,
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Post by BeTheBest on Dec 29, 2005 15:34:47 GMT 1
Hiya I am not 'IH' and I would always get a saddle properly fitted. Having said that I did get a saddle fitted from a 'master saddler' and it was an awful bad fit! Its a hard one really, good luck.
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Cara
Grand Prix Poster
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Post by Cara on Dec 29, 2005 15:37:21 GMT 1
I just tried to ring a fitter, closed till the 9th of Jan - humpf!
My YO is brill, I'll ask her if she knows anyone. I can hear my Dad saying could you not buy a second hand one thou.
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BeTheBest
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Everything I do, I do it for you,
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Post by BeTheBest on Dec 29, 2005 15:39:10 GMT 1
Hehe yeah my dad is born and bred irish and he is exactly the same!! I think in there day they just chuked any saddle on any horse and got on with it!! I live in england though and it definately not like that here!
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pip
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Post by pip on Dec 29, 2005 15:39:13 GMT 1
A fitter should not cost you any more than the postage for buying an unknown saddle from ebay. They will bring a selection of saddles for you to try and some will not even charge extra for the visit (it is in the price of the saddle.) Believe me, this is the cheapest way in the long run. You should also have any saddle checked at least once a year as the horse changes shape through work, weight gain/loss, and the filling in the saddle gets squashed as well.
The only problem is finding a good fitter! A "Master Saddler" means they are good at making saddles, not necessarily fitting one. The saddle should be checked by the saddler while you are riding on it, not just while the horse is standing still tied up in the stable.
Ask around, and ask again. A Kay Humphries trained saddler should be good, but I don't know if there any in Ireland.
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Cara
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Post by Cara on Dec 29, 2005 15:51:48 GMT 1
LoL Bethebest in their day they walked 100 miles to school bare foot in winter with only a potatoe for lunch n a orange for Xmas present!
Thanks Pip, am thinking that I'm gonna have to get a good saddle. My own back when in to spasam a few months ago n I've cut back on the riding big time, she's been a lot stiffer than a 4 year old ought to be, tis really all pointing to the saddle. The ole health n wealth saying comes to mind.
Bit worried thou about having it checked every year. She's half fit at the mo, if the saddle is the cause of both our back problems and they dissappear there'll be nothing to stop us getting super fit & ready for shows, so she'll change shape with in a few months .................Does that mean I'll be forking out again in a few months?
Do you keep more than one saddle per horse? Is it like clothes? I guess it is?
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Post by annahindley on Dec 29, 2005 16:04:53 GMT 1
"I can hear my Dad saying could you not buy a second hand one thou."
Most saddle fitters will fit 2nd hand saddles too! Ask then to bring some along.
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Post by bhpride on Dec 29, 2005 16:06:42 GMT 1
is this a wind up? She's four years old, any horse should have a correctly fitted saddle regardless of the cost if you can't afford it or don't want to pay out it's the horse that will suffer - and it sounds like she already has for a while but you've made a start atleast but the saddle should be a number one priority
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BeTheBest
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Everything I do, I do it for you,
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Post by BeTheBest on Dec 29, 2005 16:13:18 GMT 1
Hey bhpride thats a little harsh.
Cara - why not try a wintec or throrgood sinthetic saddle. These can be fitted by a sadddler, are cheaper, and are comfortable for growing horses
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Post by jes on Dec 29, 2005 16:18:42 GMT 1
What about trying a synthetic adjustable one? Wintec and Thoroughgood both do adjustable saddles and I'm sure they'll give you advice if you give them a ring. My friend has an xxx wide Thoroughgood for her flat backed Icelandic and she loves it, very comfy and it didn't cost the earth.
Or, i can recommend Saddle Co saddles, these can be made to measure and can be adjusted by the fitter. I had mine made to measure last year and it cost me just over #500 for the saddle incl measuring and fitting. My horse had changed shape in August this year so I called the fitter out and had it adjusted. It's very comfy and light as it's half leather half synthetic. Not sure if they have fitters in ireland though.
Just a couple of options to think about. Good luck.
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