My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
When I was growing up, girths were kind of like saddle pads. They were basic. I remember when girths had no elastic, then elastic on one side. Double sided elastic girths seemed like a pretty exciting advance and, compared to one-sided elastic, are better at equalizing the pressure exerted on the horse’s pectoral muscles and […]
Read More
As an equestrian, you want what’s best for your horse. When it comes to equipment, that means choosing materials that are comfortable and durable. And while leather has been the traditional choice for many years, there are now some great non-leather — even Vegan leather — options available, which may align more with either your […]
Read More
Given the amount of time and money we all spend to insure our saddles fits our horses, it’s surprisingly easy to overlook the importance of storing your saddle properly to maintain that excellent fit. English saddles are made with panels that are either flocked with wool or made from foam. Storing your saddle on an […]
Read More
Saddle fit is extremely important to the comfort of both the horse and the rider and there are a lot of coordinates that influence proper fit. However, one of the things I see most often when looking at pictures that people have submitted to evaluate if their saddle fits has more to do with placement […]
Read More
Back in 1999, Dr. Robert Cook, professor emeritus of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, introduced his bitless bridle and did a tremendous job of creating the bitless vs. bit debate. Bitless is supposed to be kinder than putting a bit in a horse’s mouth. Bits, according to Dr. Cook create pain […]
Read More
Have you ever had a saddle that you just adored? The one that you’d dreamed about? The one you said would need to be pried from your dead hands? And that no longer fits your current horse or discipline? Maybe one of those old, flat equitation saddles that are hard to even give away? To […]
Read More
In my quest to ride in as many different saddles as possible, my latest acquisition was a Heather Moffett Vogue. This is one of those “neither fish nor fowl” designs. It doesn’t have a typical tree and it isn’t technically a treeless saddle. It is a leather tree, which they call a “SoftTree” and a […]
Read More
My Sensation treeless saddle is one of the most comfortable saddles I’ve ever owned, but one of the challenges to riding in a treeless saddle is that without the rigid structure of a tree, the saddle can slip more easily. There are a few tricks to keep your saddle secure. First, of course, is to […]
Read More