re: weak loins.

[Teresa Van Hove <vanhove@ucar.edu>]

Tara,

My sympathies,  my sweetheart of a gelding has weak loins too and
its been
fun trying to find a saddle that works.  However if you've got to
where only
1 side is sore after riding you can't blame it all on the weak loins
anymore.

Either you are riding crooked, your saddle is setting crooked, or
your horse
is crooked somewhere and causing one or both of the first 2 things. 
If
its # 3 and your horse is just hollow on one side shimming that
hollow can
help tremendously in keeping you and the saddle even so that you
don't get
that one-sided soreness.   Otherwise you're solution will be much
harder,
but it sounds like you've got the tools - trainer, etc to get that
solution
if need be. 

BTW, for anyone horse shopping -spending more $$ to get a horse with
a 
good normal- no special saddle needed, back is definetely the way to
go,
I've spent more money on saddles, pads, dressage lessons, etc, than
I care
to add up.  But like I said he's a sweetheart and I don't need to
have a
competive endurance horse right now, I just enjoy participating. 

Cheers,
Teresa 

> 
> We went to a Linda Tellington-Jones bit, which has solved that little
> problem.  However, every ride I've taken him on so far (I've had this horse
> since February) he's had moderate to severe loin soreness.  We just got back
> from a ride in OK, and he's so sore, you can't even touch his back (on the
> near side, the off side seems fine) without him dropping out from under your
> hand and/or threatening to bite.