When I got Starlette, she was a 6 year old, not matured or filled out yet. Heck, she was only about 15.1 hands, and now she's pretty darn close to 16! The western barrel saddle I bought to ride in fit her well...my biggest concern was her high withers, and that saddle never came near them. I then switched to my english saddle. Starlette had always been prone to buck at a canter, was hard to get into a canter (mostly my fault, bad signals), and as I became more knowledgeable, I wondered if a different saddle would help. I also felt that riding in my english saddle would make me a better rider as I had much less to depend on for balance, etc.
She became much better with my english saddle; I had bought a riser pad because it was too close to her withers. With the pad, I could get one finger in, which at the time I thought was enough. She also did not act up with it...she stopped all bucking (thankfully!) when I asked her to canter.
These last two months when I started trail riding, I again wanted to be sure she was as comfortable as possible, since we were no longer on level pasture. After my first two rides, I decided to pull out my western saddle and see how she did. She had not had it on for almost 2 years.
My first warning something was not right was that she pinned her ears and swished her tail in a complete circle (did you know a horse could do that?). I ignored her and rode her around for about 20 minutes. I liked how I felt so snug in the saddle, but wasn't sure about how Starlette felt.
The next day I again put it on..same reaction, only worse. I started having my doubts, but rode her for about 30 minutes...about 20 minutes in, she pinned her ears, and pranced in one spot, refusing to move out. I made her obey, then quit. Pulled the saddle off, and it had rubbed the skin off bloody around the girth area
I posted the saddle on Craigs List and sold it a few days later.
I freaked out when I found white hairs around her withers from the pinching of the western saddle.
So I became fixated these last few weeks on saddle fit. I learned a lot! I found out my english saddle was bridging, too wide, and that I had been sold a back riser pad, not a front! I promptly cut out the extra bumps in the back of the pad, which fixed my wither problem and the width...I now have 3 fingers without me in the saddle, and 2 with me! I also moved the saddle back barely an inch, and no more bridging!
I then moved onto pads and girths. I have two pads...a nice thin one, and a white fluffy one. I also have two girths...one that is fluffy, and one that is a synthetic material, more like a fabric than leather. I found with my fluffy pad/fluffy girth, I lost 2 fingers again. I put the thin pad and non-fluffy girth, and have my 3/2 fingers.
The final test was riding. I first rode with the thin pad/non-fluffy girth. Well, my gal sashayed all over the place! I never felt her move so freely except when I was bareback riding her, and even not then, as she was really feeling my every move! Her hips rocked, her shoulders reached out, and she moved with forward with gusto! I actually had to hold her in at a canter! I could not believe the difference!
The next day I tried the fluffy pad/fluffy girth. Again, no matter what I did, I could not get my 3/2 fingers. I decided to ride just to see what she did. Back to the same old thing. I had to work to get her to move forward. After about 10 minutes, I changed back to the thin/non-fluffy combo...and she hustled her butt all over the place! She reached forward, was underneath herself, and had big movement! I had my 2 fingers at a hand gallop with me leaning a bit forward.
I am still amazed at the difference that just a simple thing like a pad/girth change can make in the fit of a saddle. I have learned quite a bit, and will always make sure that Starlette is comfortable. I always wondered why she moved so nicely when I lunged her, and yet when I rode, she was so tight.
Starlette also got ridden bareback for about two weeks until she was healed. Pics of her jogging and posting trot - I do not recommend bareback, by the way! My husband was the photographer and did not quite know what I wanted, and did not get any bareback canter pictures. Do not laugh at my fat ass! I am on a diet, and have already lost a few pounds! How come cameras and riding make you look fatter? And why does it take such a picture to encourage you to lose some weight? I am posting two-fold..now I am committed to losing weight, and also so that people can see what a pretty girl I have!
Western Jog
Sitting to a Posting Trot
Yeah, Like I'd Post Bareback!
And finally...a contest. Name the look on Starlette's face...she's just been loaded in the trailer. For those who are wondering...I use a rope halter under her leather one to control her. She ignores the leather halter, but the rope halter demands respect! I then tie her with the leather halter as I don't want to put any pressure on her head while trailering. And yes, I know the rope halter is low...it slipped during her shenanagans!
Is that a "look" or what?
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