Do You Ride Horses?

[deerly.]

Oh XD well for english saddles 1. Put the saddle on the horse without using a saddle pad.2. Tighten the girth so that the saddle is comfortably secure.3. Have someone sit in the saddle with his or her feet in the stirrups.4. Using a flat hand, slide your fingers underneath the pommel, near the horse's withers (the rise as the base of neck, where it joins the back).Your fingers should fit comfortably between the horse and saddle. Be certain that you can place at least three fingers between the horse's withers and the arch below the pommel.5. Have a helper lift the horse's left foreleg and pull it forward while your fingers are in between the top of the horse's shoulder blade and the pommel.As the horse's shoulder moves, make sure the saddle doesn't impede shoulder movement. Perform the same test on the horse's right side.6. Stand behind the horse and look through the saddle (between the underside of the saddle and the horse's back).If the saddle fits, you should see a tunnel of light shining through. If you don't see any light, the saddle is too snug. You likewise need to make sure that the saddle isn't too long for the horse. The seat panel shouldn't reach past the main part of the horse's back onto the loins.

I hope that helps, if you ride western i think i can help to.

[Hime]

@Dance_inthe_Rain: Why is your mare fixed? No offence but I kinda find fixing/spaying mares very useless, unless they actually didn't have a tumor or some other real medical issue to which to be cured the mare needed to be spayed.

@Circean: Oh my gosh, that pony IS adorable. <3 She sounds nice as well.

Hey all!I am having some issues with my horse...He is 16.3 Hh and is a throughbred horse.He is 5yrs. And is ridden all around.Latley he has been rolling on me and the other day infront of the judges at a HIGE show....He rolled my ankle pretty nicley also.Can anyone help me?Also I think my new saddle isn't fitting Him correctly...How do I fit it to him?make sure he is comfy?Thanks of y'all's help!!
-Cracker

Wait, did I understand correctly that he will actually go down and roll when you are riding him?
Ah, saddle matters my personal slight petpeeve. Personally in saddle matters I'd always go for profesional to get help since many times it can be very little things that are wrong, which un-trained eye doesn't notice. Many saddles can usually be adjusted a little width vise and have some panel adjustment(which can help in mild unfitting cases and if the panels are in poor condition they also may cause discomfort for the horse). Good saddler can do that, and for them it's better to be able to see the horse and the saddle together before doing the alterations.
Basically there are three ways the saddle can be un-fit: too wide/narrow, too straight/curved tree(each saddle brand is little different and they may have different trees even inside the brand) and too long/short(this also depends on the rider). Basically it's the tree that matters the most.
Firstly place the saddle on the correct spot on the horses back with out anything(no pads, girth, stirrups).
Check these:
1. The deepest point of the seat in in the middle, that's where you should be sitting.
2. Over all appearance of the saddle is balanced on the horse and the cantel isn't sticking up so that the panels loose contact.
3. The saddle sits securely in it's place and doesn't move side ways much, and also you won't be able to tilt it up and down from the pommel/cantel.
4. You are able to slide your hand between the saddle and horse at the front so that there's even contact with the saddle and horse, but so that it's not too tight or too loose. The shape of the pommel arch should also follow the shape of the horse's withers evenly, but not make contact.
5. Check that the panels make even contact with the whole lenght of the horse's back. First by looking throught the 'tunnel'(probably has better name) under the saddle and then stick your hand in there and try and feel that the panels are making even contact.
6. The panels should not reach over the last rib of the horse, but with big horses this rarely is the real problem.
If the saddle passes these phases. Tighten the girth and repeat. Usually by then too wide saddle pops up from the cantel(thus messing up the seat place) and too straight/curved tree becomes more evident. Also with too narrow tree you aren't usually able to put your fingers between the horse and saddle at the front.
If the saddle still appears good, get on and have someone else check the panels and that there's enough room for the back(light at the end of the tunnel XD). If it looks okay at that point then place a thin as possible cloth under the saddle, preferably light colored as well, and nothing else(no half pads, gels etc) and take a ride(you can put stirrups on lol), preferably to little sweat if it's your own saddle. You should be able to sit on the deepest spot of the saddle on the middle of the horse. The saddle also should stay put and not slide forward(usually sign of narrow saddle) or sideways. After ther ride check the cloth you had under the saddle. For fitting saddle it should show clear even marks of the saddle's panels. If anything else but even contact is visible, you may want to ask a profesional to come over, which is what I'd do for starters. With saddle matters you should rather be safe than sorry(Hi, I own a horse who's unfit saddle was big partial cause to her problems.), and usually the saddler doesn't cost that much. Just make sure you get one that doesn't just sell one brand of saddles(those kind can turn out to be scammers, who basically lie/don't know what they are talking about and just try sell their saddles to everyone even though they may not fit) and possibly has some sort of degree on the matter.
Unfitting saddle can't be made fitting if it's the tree that's not fitting right. PERIOD. Panels can be sometimes adjusted a little to fit better to the horse, but they can't fix everything. Also sometimes widht can be adjusted, but not always. Also 'one saddle that fits everyone'- yeah it does not excist. Few saddles can be adjusted fairly easy to fit similar typed horses though. Or if the saddle is treeless or flexi tree, then it may fit more horses, but I'm not super familar with those(and out of common belief treeless need to be fitted as well, though not the same way as saddles with tree).
....And I end my yet another saddle rant here.

[Dance_inthe_Rain]

@Hime: I'm not sure exactly but we bought her that way, my mom says Mares also can be even ruder when they are not spayed. and Athena is already sassy, my mom isn't a fan of Mares but I love her, my mom was happy she didn't have to worry about Athena being in heat. Apollo is gelded and he gets jumpy and go lucky during the season so Its better just having to worry about him being jumpy. Though Athena was trained to pull to that might have a factor so she can pull are year but I'm not sure, My mom rides the gelding and I get to ride Athena so it is safer that she doesn't go into heat.

[.Scarlet.]

Hi everyone :3 just an update on my ride from last night

So I rode Phinneus last night. I haven't ridden him in a month at least. My goodness he has gotten sassy!!! He realizes he's a school horse now and is like: work. Nahhh.
Oh silly little thoroughbred. Hahaha.
Soo I was riding solo last night. It's been nice having a few solo lessons every now and then. But we worked on cantering last night. Now that I have the leg that my instructor wants me to have, I can start figuring out other things. So she showed me how to roll my hips and my arms were very stif last night because I felt like he wouldn't give me his head because someone stole the martingale -_- so she showed me how to relax more because I actually stiffen a lot and it works completely against me. So once I started to go with the motion it felt so much better. And loosen up. I just need more leg on him than Havanna and I forgot that x_x Havanna doesn't like too much leg. She will buck or kick sometimes. It's soo different from Phin. You can leg the crap out of him. But I got such a better feel for cantering last night. It was awesome. My instructor was very proud of me. I wa proud of myself too. Then we did no stirrup work and then finished up. It was a nice lesson last night. I also found I'm the only girl who does cantering and jumping with havanna. It makes me happy. Like she's my own in a way. Like her leaser canters her, but doesn't usually jump. And one other girl rides her. But she hardly trots according to my instructor. And one other girl tried her after me on Sunday. But she didn't like her. Moody mare xD I love her soo yay. It's like that with another horse. She's an old reigning mare and I don't like her. I know one girl who likes her. But every turn she goes at the canter, she pops my foot up -_- not a fan of that mare. I haven't ridden her in over 4 months. Phin and Havanna are the two I'll work with most. But sometimes she'll throw me a random horse to try and just get a feel for it. Need to prep for ihsa in college next year but thanks for reading. I'm sad though the mini at our barn was taken to Virginia no more mini ((

[Dance_inthe_Rain]

I hope I get to ride soon! My friend that isn't but a meadow away might get a horse and my mom said if her and a friend of her's works with athena that me and my friend could ride together!!!

[Dance_inthe_Rain]

My mom said we'll ride every nonrainy day!!!!! I wonder how they will do with the fireworks with the first 4th of july with us in their feild?!?!?

[Bluebird22]

My mom said we'll ride every nonrainy day!!!!! I wonder how they will do with the fireworks with the first 4th of july with us in their feild?!?!?

If the field belong to them, then they can kick you out and proceed with fireworks. But I think you said the field is yours, but your leasing it out to them, in that case you can ride and they have to have permission from you first.

Scarlet: I love it when in a lesson things just seem to "click". Does Phin respond to a crop? I know what Bob is slow and I have to use a lot of leg it kills it is great you have Havannah to your self, you two seem to do really well together

Hime: he is is so big! I can't believe it has only been a month, it feels like just days ago Heta foaled. It looks like he is still getting lighter, so hopefully he turns palomino (I have a thing for pals <3 )

[opal.]

Hey everyone! Update from my side!

So, Sizzle is back from lease! He was a good boy, but his leaser just wasn't advanced enough to ride a green broke horse. So, my little pocket pony is back! I'm really happy, I missed him XD It also means I still have a chance of showing him in Hunter Eq. (Flat) classes in the late summer! So, to prepare, I've been riding JJ english to get my huntseat eq. back on track (really mostly to strecth out my heels which have tightened back up after vacation and what not). I regret nothing. I really do miss english all the time and the last few rides have been the most fun in /months/. JJ has been great and we've also been working on him not putting his head up at the extended trot, stopping square, trot-halt transitions and both stirrupless and standing in the stirrups work for me.
The lady I'm trying to get dressage lessons from still hasn't called back...I'm about ready to give up on her and continue searching. If she isn't motivated enough to pursue the opportunity to gain a new, paying customer then so be it.
One of the ladies from my barn who owns a saddlebred and shows saddleseat got CHAMPION at her last show out of a 15 horse class! We're all so proud of her, and she's one of the nicest people I know. Her horse, Calloway, is a /total/ sweetheart too. He carries around and listens to her 4 year old daughter :3
I also got a new polo today from PoloRalphLauren! (Excuse iPad selfie xD)

Missed?

[.Scarlet.]

@blue- yeah. You just hold it and he goes faster. Lol. But I don't need it. You can leg a 6 or 7 off the track tb xD
And yeah. I like the little mare. She's so dainty yet fun when she doesn't fight ya. Hahaha

[Hime]

@Dance_inthe_Rain: Well... In heat they might go little weird, but not always and honestly it usually isn't bad if there are no stallions near by(stallions being held near by tend to make the heats stronger from my experience). I can't tell when Heta's in heat, but I know my sort of friend's mare get's spooky and hot headed when she's in heat. Any sassyness out of heat is just how they are. Strong heat cycles and very moody mares how ever can be because of hormonal issues. In pulling it might have been a factor, since some mares may react to geldings like they would react to stallions when they are in heat.

@Blue: I feel the time has gone very slow, but also very fast at the same time with the other foals being born. But I guess it's also me anxious to get back in the saddle. XD Tývar has also gone blonder as well, plus still has kinda blue-ish eyes, though they can't be seen in any picture. So looking very very promising at the moment.

@Opal: Definetly not missed, but may have slipped out of my mind while typing other stuff. ...Yup, I'm pretty sure it did. XD
Yay, you got Sizzles back! Also really great you've gotten back to riding. Sucks about the dressage person though... Really weird as well, since usually stable's are dying to get more customers. If it doesn't work out, do you already have another place in mind?
______________
All 5 foals are now out in the world safe and sound. The WB ended up foaling on Tuesday morning, the day the adults camp started. XD HUGE, and I really mean that, bay COLT(yay, Tývar got a boy buddy) with blaze. <3 He's gorgeus by the way. Very nice build and TALL(he's head, when held high, is about the same height as R XD). I mean he's legs go forever and were about as long as his mother's already on the first day. They are also very strong and thick looking, so he should grow up nicely. He actually resembles his sire a lot in many ways. Have yet to see how he moves... He's also lot shyer than the Icelandic foals and his mom is quite protective of him in the stall, like constantly placing herself in between people, who are just trying to see him, and the colt.
Also on Tuesday the two mares with their foals got added to the pasture mix. There was little tension at first and chaos, but they all settled in nicely. Funny thing is the bratty 3 year old is very protective of the black filly and tags along with that pair all the time. XD The mom allows her to stay, but chases off the other mommy mare who tried to get close. Well, that's understandable as that mare first tried to attack/steal the black filly...
Tývar was totally in love with the black filly on the first day. XD He tried to approach her several times, but the filly's mom always chased him away and he yet never learnt to stay away. The black filly is really nice mover as well, so at least he has good taste in mares. ;P
The 4th mom kinda stays on her own with her filly, far away from others. Though they had pretty rough introduction to the heard as the filly didn't understand to follow her mom at first. But after some hassle and stuff(mainly that the others calmed down), L managed to push the filly to it's mom and then the filly seemed to realise the game. The mare herself is a veteran mother, so she knows the deal, filly just didn't want to listen to her. : P
Today they all, except that one mare and filly, were in one 'pile' so it seems the internal mess has settled.

Had another halter/leading session with Tývar earlier this week(Monday maybe). He did pretty good actually. Didn't freak and responded to the butt rope pressure nicely. Though I think I put too light pressure to the poll(like near nothing), for him to react to that in any way. I also figured out he's good to 'walk' without Heta, so that makes things little easier. I can also pick his feet up nicely, though he's still not comfortable keeping them up for longer periods than maybe 5 seconds. That's with 3 sessions, so I'm cool with that. He's quick study in some situations it seems, where as somethings he just doesn't get or then he's just stubborn. XD