Re: [RC] Gaited horses/saddle fit. - Karen Sullivan
Hi Karla,
Just a couple of thoughts. Some of you
remember me as the biggest fan of BM sport saddles, ever, and it's true that for
about 13 years I rode them, loved them and saw no problems. I was
certainly vocal enough about it!!! However, last fall was an eye opener as
I discovered the pommel was pinching my young mare pretty badly (she tried to
tell me by pinning ears and chewing when I saddled her)...I finally started
checking under the front edge and base of the saddle on all my horses, and was
really just not comfortable with how tight it was. I also saw two horses
rubbed badly over the spine by sport saddles, even with good split insert pads
(skito dryback and equipedic)....
I now really hesitate to call them "treeless", as
they do have a really hard and unyielding pommel and cantle.
They need to be checked for fit as carefully as a
fully treed saddle does....
No one has mentioned treeless saddles for
gaited horses yet. My daughter has a new Paso Fino and is using the treeless
BM and we've had no saddle issues whatsoever. Even sweat patterns and can
really largo with it. He seems very comfortable too. Gosh, a treeless
saddle and a gaited horse....what could be more comfortable?! They'll be doing
their first LD ride this weekend together!
I'm
and old Endurance.net poster- haven't posted in a long time cuz I've been
battling Lyme disease- and had other priorities for a few years. But
as some of you know I've been fitting for SHaron Saare for about 10 years,
and I've fit alot of gaited horses, that 'don't gait'.
One of the previous posters was close to right -on when he
said the gaited horses have to have enough room for shoulder
rotation.
There's a big wing of cartiledge at the end of the scapula,
that really rotates back pretty far on these horses, (and on some other non
gaited horses) and there needs to be room under the saddle skirting for that
to occur - and if the bottom edge of the bar (of the tree) is too tight, the
horse won't bring the leg as far forward as he is able to. If the
horse also has a well developed trapezius muscle (the one that ties in just
behind the withers) then there's another important consideration.
But
these horses seem pretty tough to me. Not too much complaining
.
