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Re: [RC] Sport Saddle slipping now crupper and breast collar. - Ed & Wendy HauserI also have only owned one horse that "required" a crupper. She was an old QH mare built much like a whiskey barrel. She had old scar tissue in the cincha groove. The cincha would irritate and if she was ridden more than an hour or two a gall developed. The addition of a crupper to the western saddle allowed the cincha to sit an inch or two back. I'm sure that a diligent application of the great saddle hunt would have revealed a differently rigged saddle that would have worked on her, but I was not about to spend that time and money on a 21 yr. mare purchased as a first horse for a green as grass 11 yr old stepdaughter. She was purchased for her disposition and training not her conformation. I do use breast collars and cruppers on the rest of my horses, more for redundancy than need. I have seen saddles on a horses neck when the cincha was not tightened before a descent. I broke a billet strap on my girth during a shy 10 years ago. If the crupper and breast collar hadn't held the saddle on, I suspect that it would have ended underneath the horse. I saw the result of that at a ride in MI years ago. The horse ran away, was caught on a highway a mile or so away. The saddle was scrap. The horse was cut and lame in the back legs. The rider was sore and generally beat up. She might have gotten air time even if the saddle had stayed on top of the horse, so I don't say cruppers prevent falls. A secondary reason is that I am able to use much looser girths. This prevents girth galls (better blood circulation etc). It prevents cinchiness. An ideal horseperson will inspect his/her tack to prevent broken billet straps. After my problem, I switched to biothane billet straps and inspected more often. Girth/cincha tightness should be checked frequently, I am just lazy I guess. My present saddle will, on the flat, sit in place even with daylight between Ranger and the girth. When I got into the vet check at the LongX last summer it was that way. That ride has very steep descents to get back to camp. If not for my crupper and breast collar, I would have had slippage problems. My bottom line: Many excellent riders do not use breast collars/cruppers. Many do. The choice is personal. I feel that the saddle is enough more secure, and enough safer to warrant their use. Ed Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower Road Victor, MT 59875 ranch@xxxxxxxxxxx 406.642.6490 ============================================================ Common sense should also be a part of the decision making process. If you see someone who doesn't have any, hand them your tool box. ~ Lisa Salas - The Odd Farm ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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