Saddle Fitting

Feel free to roast me for this, but it's been two years since I last got my saddle fit adjusted for Gwyn. Given that I'm now about a year out from my cross country move, it's somewhat understandable, but regardless, it was time for a recheck. 

With my new job I do have some cash and the ability to save up quickly, for larger purchases like a better fitting saddle. Right now I have an all purpose Thorowgood which has been serving me well for all purposes. I know there are some different schools of thought with those style of saddles and I've been mulling over adding a dressage or specific endurance style saddle or going in another direction. 

Snuggles while we wait for the saddle fitter to finish up on the previous horse

One of my barn mates was having a fitter out a week ago and I hopped on that train SO fast. Though I didn't know it, she used to work for the lady that originally sold me my saddle and was very familiar with the Hastilow/Thorowgood line. Perfect.

First things... the lines on the saddle rack are digging into the leather on my panels. I need to make sure to pad this if my saddle is going to sit on it for any length of time. It would be better to be smooth.

She was pretty knowledgeable though she isn't fitting full time anymore. Now it's just a hobby for her and she's only taking new clients if they're friends of friends. So yay I got in, haha.

Mark up the pony's back in purple livestock crayon

She pulled out the wool flocking from my last fitting, which was a completely different wool and had packed down all wrong. The width is still good, she seems to think Gwyn doesn't need a hoop tree (again, like the last fitter from Michigan advised) Either way, we tossed it on, there was no bridging or pinching and I tacked up and took her for a test ride.

I kind of liked that the fitter also has some knowledge as a riding instructor because she made sure that I was riding effectively to then also judge how the saddle was working. She answered all of my questions. Additionally, she doesn't think I'm going to need a specialized kind of saddle. For my goals, even taking my lofty AEC goal into account, this saddle should serve me well. At most she'd recommend a jump saddle but not dressage or trail unless I really want to get further there. And while I would love to get my bronze one day, I don't need the saddle for that now. 

So what I did have her do was add trail rings to my current saddle. You can see them in the above picture from this past weekend. That should give me a little more utility for endurance. And also if I wanted a little more comfort for endurance, to get a seat saver. All very much economical options compared to getting a completely new saddle.

She also switched up my billet attachments so they're in a slightly different configuration (and she was VERY pleased with how nicely I've taken care of this saddle *preen*  and advised that I get a girth with no elastics (ahhhhh). Since I needed a new girth anyway, I ordered a Pro-Lite one on her recommendation. I'm lucky in that Gwyn has not ever been super picky about her tack. She'll eventually let me know that her saddle fit isn't quite right, but it's always subtle. And she's not a delicate flower about other pieces of tack, bits included. 

The ProLite is all synthetic, always a bonus, and it's anatomical to allow for shoulder room. Plus this one has a center attachment for martingales, which my previous girth did not, so that's an upgrade! Since it's not elastic, I'm slowly tightening up both sides in an alternating pattern, like a good pony clubber. And since it's not elastic, I ordered the same size for her and it's perfect and not up on the last billet holes on both sides.

Despite all that, when I finally rode in my new and improved same saddle, I still had to get off about 20 minutes in and tighten the girth AGAIN when a barn mate told me she could see daylight.  LOL.

Gwyn was a spicy mare too. She was feeling really good and offering lots of canter transitions when all I wanted was an on the bit trot. I had to use a LOT of half halt to keep her focused and eventually just made her canter around the arena twice to get it out of her system. I can still remember when just getting a long side of canter was a challenge!  Kind of regret not lunging... hahaha.

I also opted to torture myself with a posture corrector and ended up pulling a muscle in my back after doing a mostly walk ride. Good going, Amy.

It was a warm day on Sunday so I gave Gwyn a bath too. She promptly rolled.

Waiting for lunch

Monday looking bedraggled and confused that I was picking up the trailer and not her

"Oh! Tiny human!"

A good morning

Because I know that sometimes there can be many reasons for a behavioral issue under saddle, I really wanted to also rule out my saddle fit as a cause. It's been quite a while since I last had the fit checked and I'm certain Gwyn had changed shape in that time. I contacted a local-ish saddle fitter a couple days ago and fortune had it that she could fit me in early this morning before another appointment she had further out. It worked out perfectly!

She spent time checking the current fit and determined that while the saddle was well balanced on Gwyn's back, her gullet size was too narrow. She showed me on the wither tracings how my current gullet was not quite right (MW from thorowgood) and how the wide would be better, especially after the wool flocking was rebalanced. If I was in the market for a new saddle, she recommended that we move to a hoop tree instead of a V tree. That is good information to file away!

In general she said the wool was in good shape, so that's good! Once the saddle was back together we went into the arena to test it out and see how it felt for both of us.

Gwyn has doubts about this whole thing...

I immediately felt balanced and not tipped around weirdly, so that was good. And Gwyn immediately moved off in the biggest, swinging walk I have ever felt on her. It was AMAZING.  We tried a canter under saddle but with not having ridden in over two weeks and her feeling REALLY good she was a bit too light and was crow hopping happily everywhere. But willingly picking up the canter when cued and not turning to bite at my foot.

So I guess there's that to know. Saddle fit should be checked if she starts exhibiting that behavior. She's such a good mare, I feel terrible that I didn't put two and two together before. But I've got it fixed now and that's what matters.

This is the face of someone who, despite being covered in poison ivy rash, is actually finally feeling better! I had a cooling scarf on my head and another one wrapped around my neck to keep my zipper on my sun shirt from irritating my chest.

So after the fitter left I went back up to the arena and lunged Gwyn, letting her get the wiggles out and she was SO bouncy on the lunge line and moving very uphill. I think it felt good being able to really move her shoulder.

She was sproingy, lol.

We had a great ride in the arena and I decided to go on a brief trail ride to see what the farm fields were like. Last year they were planted with soybeans, but this year it's corn. I didn't particular feel like fighting a wiggly, feeling good horse in a straight line through corn, especially since I really don't want to damage the crops at all (and there isn't a good field edge to stick to). So I got onto the road as soon as possible and headed out to the main street. From there I decided to just see how Gwyn did on the road.

We haven't road ridden here in Michigan because there is definitely some baggage left over from both our pasts. However, Gwyn was feeling good and I was pretty sure I could at least finish the block and get home. And if really necessary I could get off and walk.

Corn

Well, we got spooked by a motorcyclist and she went sideways down a steep bank and refused to turn around to get back to the more quiet road. But she did the bank drop really well! I was impressed. Good mare practicing for cross country! So then I figured since it was early ish on a Sunday that traffic wouldn't be too bad and we could make it. Like I just took it chunks at a time. We had one more incident at the main cross roads when a large box truck just really did not slow down early enough but there was enough space I could be off the road and steer her around to get her back under control.

We had a lookie incident when she saw the horses across the street from daycare and they came running over but I could let her stand in daycare's lawn and watch them and just breath a moment. When I saw another motorcyclist I turned her to face them and she did just fine. At a calm point we crossed the road and went over to the high school and walked around there. I wanted to see if getting to the fields on that side was possible and it seems not, because of a wire fence. Balls. We turned around and headed home.

She got a nice cold bath and I turned on the fans in the stalls. And I stayed relatively not hot, despite the rash I've got. My outfit seemed to work. I'm excited to use these cooling towels for endurance rides. I think they'll work really well for me.

Yesterday for 2.1 miles

I bought a leadline saddle and it arrived the other day. Yesterday afternoon was my first opportunity to try it on. I should have kept the longer girth! The longest one I had barely fit because the saddle is so teeny. But it's perfect for Kaylee.

Gwyn says "This definitely makes my butt look big" Also note the bucket on the ground. It was up on a shelf. It also had cookies in it. Someone knocks it over every. single. time.

Kaylee had a blast. I tried teaching her the basics of steering. Gwyn is direct rein trained so it's fairly simple. Kaylee did a good job and managed to steer for a short bit!

Here she's learning to hold the reins a bit tighter.

Then I went outside. The whole day it was threatening to storm and I had Eric and Kaylee with me. I did some pole work and Eric got this picture. Then I took Gwyn out into the hay fields for some fun hand galloping. She and I had some steering discussions. I'm glad I can rate her back from a hand gallop to a canter with a half halt because it makes me nervous that her steering is not reliable. She also had a spook again at the same point in the ditch as a couple weeks ago. I did not fall off this time though! I rode her past a few times, albeit not close like we normally can travel but at least she wasn't veering off into the middle of the field. 

The last bit of Kaylee riding Gwyn

Gwyn mutual grooms me

June 1 and 2

Since I didn't ride yesterday I started by lunging in the outdoor except it was a soupy mess and there was no way I was risking Gwyn's legs in that crap with what I wanted to try today. So instead I went inside to the indoor arena. There's a cavaletti inside and I wanted to see what she'd do being lunged over it at a canter. Some of the results are in the videos above.  She did a pretty good job, I think, for a first try.

I did also ride in the indoor but it's small and she feels unbalanced at the canter with me on her so we just focused on walk/trot, transitions, suppleness and lateral work. My GPS was a failure today, it recorded less than .1 miles and we DEFINITELY did more than that. So Distance Derby is a wash for today's ride. Oh well!  Have some catch up pictures from yesterday and today.

I tested out Gwyn's fly rug. I was surprised to find that it was an over the head variety. It does not open in the chest area, which honestly is the only spot where I wish I could adjust it.

Gwyn is unimpressed.

I had a second fly sheet to try and that one, though 3 inches smaller, had better adjustments and still fit her.

My next size down girth came. Elastic is only on one end so it won't stretch as much, which my saddle fitter recommended. It's the same brand as my saddle too, I just wish their browns were consistent. 

More eye pictures for tracking purposes.  

I pulled a TON of my horse stuff out of the garage and stuffed it in the horse trailer. Felt good, yo.

Selfie before riding today.

Soupy mess in the outdoor arena. If you stayed in one position for too long the water started seeping into your shoes.

Super deep footprint.

Gwyn looks ridiculous when she trots the cavaletti.

Big leap, but nice knees! I'll bring the good camera tomorrow in case I do this again for better images.

Finally riding.

Herdmate laid down and just grunted and groaned a bit before halfheartedly rolling on one side and getting back up to graze. It was definitely a 'dead horse' kind of day.

Gwyn butt, which is not so flabby as it once was! You can feel muscle and it's nice and solid!

Evening ride last night 1.55 miles

I tried my new girth last night and determined that in my effort to compensate for one side now lacking in elastics, I ordered too large a size. I use a 48 girth on her when it was double elastic. This is a 52 and was nearly to the top holes on either side. Thankfully SmartPak has an awesome return/exchange system so back it goes. I'm going to try a 50 next.

I do love this girth already though. It'll be easy maintenance and while it doesn't match browns with my saddle despite both being brown Thorowgood products, I'll be close enough from far away in a show ring.

My Thorowgood stirrup leathers are still on backorder and won't ship until JUNE. Ugh. :(   I thought I had snagged a pair in time.

Gwyn was good last night though. She was lazy in the ring when I attempted a free lunge after setting up more ground poles so I just hopped on without expending much effort chasing her around and preventing her from eating grass at the edges. She was not very forward, just a little lazy instead but did offer a nice canter.

Her head felt in the right place so we worked on cantering all the way around the big arena. She can do it without me, multiple times, but tonight she was resistant to doing more than one full round. I should have brought a whip to encourage because she was also stubbornly being dead to my leg and heel as I felt her lose steam.

I'm still pretty happy, we even managed to canter over one of the poles in the middle. Her steering is getting more manageable and I felt like tonight was a huge step forward. It'll be okay if we have step backs after this, but I'm really happy to have seen progress with the two of us. It keeps me encouraged! I feel too, that this is a moment where if I work on me outside of the times that I ride Gwyn, Gwyn will improve.

And I am working on me! Eric did a 30 minute pilates session with me earlier today and that shit is all inside/outside leg muscles and core. I'm definitely seeing deficiencies in my own strength that need to be addressed and I plan to address them. I've also started calorie tracking on MyFitnessPal and just BARELY came under my calorie limit thanks to my exercising yesterday. I need to be better with food. Hopefully MFP will encourage that behavior. I need to lose weight. I also need to start running because oh god, when you hear the next two videos I'm likely to post you're going to hear a panting fatty. That needs to improve.

This was taken on my phone while we tried chasing the killdeer that nested in the arena (I know I know, I'm mean...)  But Gwyn again offered a nice canter so I'm one handed trying to steer and hold the phone. It's shaky. I'm sorry.

Back in the SADDLE!

I met Dawn the saddle fitter out at the barn this morning. It was a rainy day, and totally gross. The horses had been kept inside the past few days to save the pastures and were set to be in the next couple until all this rain is gone.

Gwyn was an airhead to start. She was full of piss and vinegar AND they were loading hay into the loft from a truck in the indoor arena so things were just crazy. She stood still long enough for me to mount and then was a giraffe and stiff and tense. The saddle felt like it was tipping me forward just a tad so while Dawn added a bit more wool flocking, I lunged my Goober of a horse.

She finally started to calm down and her brain plugged back in. Hopped back on and I immediately had happy snorts and she was stretching out and down, even in the trot. Yessss.  The added bit of wool helped the tip of the saddle just enough for me and it's perfect and fits me, even if it's half an inch smaller than I expected.

My new saddle, and not just new to me!!

17.5" Thorowgood T8 Compact GP

I need/want to get new stirrup leathers and a better girth, but all of that can wait until I'm in Michigan. I do have a gift card to Olson's Tack Shop so I might get a nice saddle cover. 

The big scary hay truck on the other side of the arena now. But Gwyn is much calmer.

Yay actually riding in a saddle again! And using the saddle pad I made!!

Once I'd paid and Dawn left, I hopped back on because I hadn't been out riding in over 2 weeks. Shame on me. But I've had the plague and I'm only just now feeling better. Plus I've been using the childcare time to get the house ready to sell, so pony time has had to take a back seat, unfortunately.

I also started my exercise program back up so my legs were KILLING me. But in a good way.

See? Gross outside, but the rain paused a bit.

So I joined a group of riders in their lesson for a walk in the neighborhood.

The red barn, also a part of the property at Shadows