SSaddle: Excruciating details

[Sally Spangler <stepnout@swva.net>]

Hi Kathy,

I'm only having problems at certain tempos of the trot.  This mare is 14h,
I'm 5'7", 120lbs, and my legs hang below her slender belly--that's part of
the problem keeping my legs quiet.  Keeping legs on her means big muscle
tension--no thanky ( and for lotsa reasons besides that.) (I used to run as
much as 15-20 miles at a time, 40-50 miles per week, now have multiple
tendinitides and arthritides and no time to "swim instead.")  I swapped
stirrups, went to EZRides and that extra weight helped A LOT. If I do buy a
SS again, it will be because no custom saddle maker can fit her, and that's
proving to be more and more likely due to her unusual conformation...VERY
short back, low withers, and very high  muscular shoulder with a big arc.
The SSaddle interferes, but at least it's flexible and doesn't pound.  So
far I'm making do with a borrowed SSaddle that's way too big for me (and her).

Since she's my only horse, and we have a great relationship, I'm committed
to riding her one way or another.  Uh, I'm not horseman enough to go
bareback yet, but I'm considering it.  (We visited the Rockbridge Hunt
yesterday, saw Teddy Lancaster and tried on all the Saare trees--nothing
doing.  Ted said, "You need something completely different!"  So did Linda
Flemmer and several other experienced riders. Confirmed!)

ANY CUSTOM SADDLEMAKERS WANT TO TRY THIS CHALLENGE?  HMMM?  

Sally


At 07:57 AM 8/31/98 EDT, you wrote:
>SALLY,
>I FOUND JUST THE OPPOSITE, MY SEAT IS BETTER AND I FELT VERY SECURE IN MY NEW
>SS SADDLE....snip
>KATHY GADDIS
>
>