Advice Requested

[Cynthia Eyler <eyler@mindspring.com>]

I have a problem and would like advice/comments from the list.  It isn't
really endurance-related, so please reply privately.

When I bought Mr Jack in Charge, my QH gelding, eighteen months ago, I was
totally green.  I found a used Crosby A/P saddle, and decided to buy it
after consulting with a friend who's been riding her whole life.  I had no
idea how difficult saddle fit can be.

My high-withered horse developed a few white hairs and I started using a
reverse wedge Cashel pad.  A trainer told me that he was not moving with a
hollowed back, and that I probably only needed to make sure that my saddle
pad was not rubbing him.  I got some cotton pads shaped for high withers
and stopped using the Cashel pad.  More white hairs appeared.  I bought an
Equigel pad, and white hairs stopped sprouting.

Gradually, however, my horse had started hesitating when going down steep
hills.  Eventually he started refusing to do so.  At about the same time, I
read in Equus that after buying a used saddle the panels should be
restuffed, since they will already have been molded to the back of another
horse.  I had a saddle fitter out to the farm, and he told me that the
Crosby is too wide, and the panels too flat, for my horse.  "He's an honest
horse, and he's trying to do what you're asking of him, but he's definitely
uncomfortable."

The search for a saddle that would work for both of us began, and
eventually I ordered an endurance Sports Saddle.  Among other things, I
supplied withers tracings.  In the meantime we rode rarely, and then only
on the flat in the ring and only with the gel pad.

The saddle arrived last week, and I love it.  For the first time, I really
understand what is means to sit on my seat bones instead of my butt.

Sorry this is so long-winded, but all this is background to the question.
Jack still refuses to go down either of the two steep hills which lead to
the many miles of trails near the farm.  On our second time out, when he
refused again, I dismounted and was finally able to walk him down.  We
walked down and back up repeatedly, with lots of praise as we descended,
and then I remounted and let him go back to the barn.

The plan now is go out with another horse and rider and have that horse (a
pasture-mate and dominant horse in the herd) lead the way down the steep
places.  But I don't think that one such ride will solve our problem and
it's not easy to arrange schedules to have that horse and rider go out with
us very often.

Any suggestions?  Anything I should avoid in trying to get him to
disassociate pain with descending those hills?  I really don't want to use
force.  Thanks for taking the time to read all of this.

Cindy Eyler & Jack
Baltimore MD