Lopsided horses

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

> Food for thought. Many lopsided or crooked horses have lopsided >
riders. A> crooked rider easily creates a crooked horse 

Go pull out any ride photos you have from straight on.  My husband has
been taking rolls of film as people come into the vet checks and it's
very interesting to look at them.  One thing I have learned though is
that the really round Troxel helmets are going to sit cock-eyed whether
the rider leans or not, and it gives you a crooked look.  Check your
fanny pack if you have one. If it keeps working around to one side,
you're uneven.  

My daughter and I go through the Ortho-Flex routine of having to level up
the stirrups at each ride since we shorten them for competition trots. 
She will absolutely swear that one feels longer and that's the one that
looks shorter to me.  Once the ride starts there are no more arguments
and she and her saddle stay dead center.  I think that we (with stirrups
that have no holes) are more likely to set our stirrups to accomodate our
uneveness (or encourage it) and those with set holes on the leathers are
more likely to set the stirrups even and then make the saddle ride
cock-eyed to accomodate their uneveness.  I know some with OF who measure
theirs with a yardstick and then you couldn't pay them to move the
buckels, but I move mine according to how fast I'm riding and sometimes
adjust them up or down during the race.  I'll have them feeling great,
then come home and saddle up and think, "My gosh these are crooked!"  

By the way, if you're going to prevent lopsidedness, don't forget to
change your diagonals!  I rode with a kid who decided to change hers
every time she passed a marker.  That was good because it made you
remember to look for markers *and* change diagonals.  Guess that wouldn't
work on some trails though. I've heard about trails where you'd only get
to change a couple of times. >g<

Angie
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