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[RC] Freeform SB and Californios 100 FEI - Candace Kahn - rides2far

Steph and all......hearing information about a certain saddle being 
used on> a 100 mile
ride is extremely interesting to me. 


One variable on sore backs that I see people totally ignore is the
rider's equitation. When I see a rider posting about their "great saddle
hunt" which goes from saddle to saddle to saddle I always wonder if it's
the rider or the saddle. Let me make it clear that I am FAR from perfect.
I never had a bit of help or lessons growing up and I have been playing
catch up my whole life, but I have observed some very good riders who use
the same saddle on horse after horse successfully. I have also known a
horse who had been ridden successfully in one saddle with a middleweight
and then saw him incredibly sore after a 50 with a 110 lb. rider who was
coming down hard because the saddle's seat was too big for her. I don't
believe it's going to help if that saddle fits your horse perfectly if
you can't ride well in it.

Throughout the years I have had trouble with dry spots on the left
shoulder. It was me, I was twisting to the right to hold my wet sponge
out to the side. I straightened up and the spots went away. If you're
having problems, video yourself. Stare at your ride photos. Personally, I
tend to close on my left lifting my left hip and tipping my head to the
left forming a "C" with my body. I have to concentrate as I go down the
trail on whether I can feel both seat bones equally on the saddle. I have
to notice that my left ankle is stiff and my right is loose, I work on
that. I ride with a crupper to make sure my saddle stays where I put it,
not an inch or two forward which changes *everything*. 

If you are having problems with a sore back on your horse, be brutally
honest with yourself. We can all get better. If you don't know whether
it's you or the saddle...maybe you could let someone who never has any
problems do a ride on your horse. If he's not sore with them...you may
have your answer.

Angie

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