PDA

View Full Version : horse doesnt like saddle



Farm boy
20th June 2010, 03:53 PM
i am learning to ride our 6 year old stock horse,my wife is smaller than me so she bought a saddle to suite her no problem (sid hill polo cross)
i am bigger and western saddles appeal to me so i bought a cheap black western at a garage sale and thought this is ok.
i fitted it to billy today (name of horse) got my helmet on and away we go
i didnt consider my horse :D he doesnt like the saddle and ejected me twice:oo:
a few aches and my pride damaged is the result,it made the wifes day as she was ejected a few weeks ago when a motor bike went by
my lesson learnt was helmuts are great and try a few saddles on when fitting to a horse:D
i am off to the saddle shop next to see what saddles they have to suit me and the horse

Old farmer
20th June 2010, 04:35 PM
Please be careful, Farm boy. Are you sure it is the saddle? A "six-year-old stock horse" is not ideal for beginners, with all respect. He knows you are just that.

If the saddle is not pinching him behind the withers or around the belly, he hardly has a choice, anyway. He is accustomed to being bossed.

Do you lunge him for half an hour each way, saddled, bridled, walk, trot, never canter, before mounting every time? Then, when mounted, do you trot him for half an hour?

Hope I do not appear to be interfering. Best wishes.

Farm boy
21st June 2010, 12:24 PM
Hi old farmer
we had a pony club instructor teaching me and my wife definately the saddle it was not a good western one cheap indian made i found out
he was lunged and walked and cantered for a while fine until; the western went on
i know what you meen about young but he is pretty well manered and he knows we are boss
he is a right handed horse(favours right circles over left but i was ejected on rights,the saddle i guess was pinching on a wither as the instructor took him for
right turns after i was ejected and he tried it on her sopped him before she was ejected, changed to a stock saddle did right turns no problem
so i need a 171/2 or 18 stock saddle cheap :D old ok but a good brand prefered
i will start looking in a few weeks at the saddle shops as they allow a take home and try policy
greg

China
29th June 2010, 10:23 PM
well I have learnt some thing today I have always thought that a saddle had to be individualy fitted to each horse

cultana
29th June 2010, 10:53 PM
well I have learnt some thing today I have always thought that a saddle had to be individualy fitted to each horse

They should be individually suited for the horse. Western saddles definitely as many have fiberglass trees which have no give nor shape into the horses back shape. The correct theory and one I stick to is one horse one saddle. That is don't use a saddle used by another horse it may put odd pressures on the horses back and withers.

the saddle padding has to be set for the horse forget the saddle blanket that is not support padding.

I run 4 horses hence 4 saddle blankets, 4 saddles, 4 bridles and 4 different bits as each horse is different so the bit needs are different.
Also each horse knows their own saddle blanket, saddle and equipment.