Behind the Bit

Reckless: No more chestnut mare jokes

2012-02-16T13:41:00.000-05:00

So this little mare was a Korean War hero, injured in the line of duty and apparently a faithful servant and hero of the war. You can look at her eye and see her soul, always a sign of a special horse...

Anky has a little "crazy horse lady" in her (yeah!!!)

2012-02-15T11:50:00.000-05:00

I love this video of Anky talking about her old partner Bonfire. This horse is 29 years old and RETIRED, but when the ground is frozen Anky lunges him before turning him out, because she's afraid he'll break a leg. My kinda girl...

I have everyone thinking about saddles

2012-02-14T07:53:00.000-05:00

I came home Sunday and checked messages on our phone. Bob tends to leave "notes to self" on our answering machine. It's kind of an annoying habit when you're expecting an actual message, wading through all of his wisdom tidbits -- but this one tickled me. Poor Bob has heard my endless tales of woe about saddles, and here is his inspired idea. This is why he is my valentine today:

I must tell Bob that such things exist. Do they work? Are they worth the money?

You can't get blood from an orange, but Chobani makes a great yogurt!

2012-02-13T13:10:00.000-05:00

It. Is. Awesome. Try it with slivered almonds.

Heather Blitz and Paragon, World Masters

2012-02-12T13:25:00.002-05:00

I could not find a good quality video of Heather and Paragon -- and then suddenly here we have one! Not a perfect test, but I like the way his neck has acquired more of that "falling down" quality...

Personally I'd rather see him go a little hollow...

2012-02-11T11:11:00.000-05:00

I first thought this was a dressage horse -- as it happens it's a jumper. I don't recall ever seeing a jumper in a double bridle, but draw reins seem to be in every jumping horse's tack box. In this case, the discipline doesn't matter. I'm no rollkur fanatic, but when I see horses put into a frame where there is no escape, they get a look in their eye -- a combination of grim determination and "nobody home." This horse has it. As I said in my facebook post, I hope he is treated like a king the other 23 hours of the day.

Saddle update: Looking for salvation

2012-02-10T13:59:00.002-05:00

Robert Powell in Jesus of Nazareth. Best. Jesus. EVER.

The barn I board at has a great saddle fitter named M------. I've used him, he is excellent! Funny, experienced, competent, reasonably priced to boot, what more can you ask?

But it is funny how people like that become larger than life. Our confidence in him is such that it almost deserves to be mocked (just a little). M------ felt my County should fit just fine, and probably it should, but it does not. Riley's pinned ears are the proof. When I lamented that M----- was mistaken, a boarder joked with me. "Shhh! He's almost like Jesus around here."

Out of desperation more than anything, I'm going for a second opinion on my saddle, and also one I have on trial. I'm a little embarrassed about telling people -- partly because of the money I'm spending, and partly because I'm using another fitter and not the Saddle Savior. The second fitter is coming out at 7pm Thursday, and I'm kind of relieved I don't have to explain the visit to anyone.

I want to hear that my County is fixable, and that my BC trial saddle is a good fit. I like options. But I guess praying is out of the question.

Treeless Part IV: It's not about ME, but...

2012-02-09T13:23:00.007-05:00

This really is a post about my treeless experience. Bear with me...

Back in Harv's and My Salad Days
Many years ago, when Harv was a mere pup of 11 years and I was... well.. younger... I was transitioning from hunter/jumper to dressage. I'd dumped my 15-year-old close contact saddle for a used Charles de Kunffy. I'd ridden in the hunt seat saddle in high school and for several years when I bought Harv. I had ridden in the dressage saddle for maybe 3-4 months and was still acclimating to it.

Then a friend invited me to a fun show in Lancaster at Bridge Acres -- a hunter/jumper show. I lept at the chance for a friendly competition, and pulled out my hunt seat saddle with no hesitation.

Show day arrives
On the show grounds I signed up for two flat classes and a small, low course -- adult equitation I think. About 1/2 hour before the flat class I tacked up and got on.

WHOOPS.
My legs were shaking as I posted. Where was my knee roll? Why do I feel like a jockey????? I could barely trot. The thought of jumping left me weak with fear. Well, the day went all right, but the point is, I lost my hunt seat feel. The saddle that had been so comfy for years now left me insecure and wobbly. Your body gets used to a certain position, feel, and muscle memory.

Kind of like... The treeless saddle experience
I had been warned that the treeless saddles put you in a chair seat. . I'd been warned that the seats were hard, and that there is no twist. I didn't find any of that to be problematic for me. I felt VERY balanced in the saddle. My left fell nicely down and I was right over Ri's center of gravity. The seat was not hard, although for a petite size it felt a tad roomy. The saddle did not feel that different from other saddles in the crotch and thigh area. It was comfortable to sit in.

However...
I felt closer to bareback than I do in a treed saddle. And when you're fifty, that's an insecure feeling. When I was riding, I did not struggle for my balance--but this saddle made me very aware of the little adjustments I was making. There were no blocks to hold me together (although I could have added them--the owner brought them).

At the Hank Hutson clinic, Hank told me that I should feel as if I was riding a ball of energy, that I was sitting on top of the energy ball as it rolled foward. When he said that I thought of surfing a wave. Well, that's how I felt in the Ansur Excel. I was more aware of Riley's energy, and how my body contributed to or detracted from his movement. I also felt like if he misbehaved I would be more vulnerable.

Some saddles I know just won't work. This saddle? I felt like I needed more time in it. It's a very different feel -- not bad, and in fact it did some nice things for my leg and abdomen (you can BET I used my abs). I want to sit in one again, and try it for awhile. I guess that's the bottom line.

Riley reviews treeless: Part III

2012-02-08T12:48:00.007-05:00

"When we're done trying on saddles do I get a treat? (not treeless here)"

Riley finally got me to understand that the current saddle I'm using is not workin' for him any more. How'd he make me aware?

Tight back, flat movement
Tense jaw
Reluctance to go foward
Reluctance to go straight
Crabby behavior when saddling

Four saddle fittings did little to change this.

Ansur to the rescue?
So, one bright Saturday afternoon, my friend with the Ansur treeless came out. It was all very low key, and we started with the County. I rode, she watched, and I commented on how "typical" this ride felt. It was typical, most notably in that Ri was pokey and wiggly.

Fifteen minutes later: we put on the Ansur. It's brown (thumbs up) and does look like a dressage saddle. It is not new, but appeared to be in good condition, with very nice leather and construction. I put my stirrups on the saddle and lengthened them a few holes -- for some reason they felt short.

I walked around. Two things -- two differences I noted -- were evident immediately. His neck stretched down, as if he was testing the waters. As we moved, he felt looser and suppler. His stride got longer as we walked. Even in the saddle, I could sense his curiosity: "Hey, this is different! What's this?" His ears were pricked forward; in my other saddle, he had seemed bored. We walked a bit more.

I picked up a trot. He was willing, and as we made our first wide turn I felt something I had not felt in a while -- loft. He was stretching into the bit and swinging his back. The saddle owner, and another boarder were watching. After 2-3 minutes my boarder friend said, "he seems to be going better in this saddle." The Ansur saddle owner, wisely refraining from comment, said "use your outside rein more as you come around corners." I kept riding, changing directions, doing transitions, assessing Riley's mood and way of going. I looked to the Ansur owner, and asked her opinion. She said, "Ride a bit more in this saddle, get comfortable, and we'll try your saddle again."

I tried to think about what other factors could be causing the change. Was he just warming up? Were we reading too much into his behavior? I did a little leg yield, and felt his trot amplify nicely. We cantered a little, which I had not done in the County. Pokey but unremarkable. I wasn't pushing very hard. I walked around and checked the gullet clearance. Two fingers at the pommel. Was that enough?

"Let's try the County again."
Saddle change. Back in the County, I attached my stirrups but could barely reach them with my toes! I shortened them up. "What's that about?" I asked. We surmised that the Ansur had conformed more closely to Ri's back, letting his sizable girth take up my leg more.

I rode around in the County. The trot was flat again. Ri felt tighter. I rode a bit more, and the the Ansur saddle owner said, "Do you want to try the Excel again?" To be honest, I felt sad -- for myself, for Riley, for the time in a saddle that likely didn't fit him. I was ready to stop, so I didn't try it again. We had an honest conversation about the Ansur versus my saddle.

Conclusion?
Well, I could feel an improvement, and two observers could see it. Riley, my big warmblood with a wither, liked the Excel on the first ride, and he went far better in the Ansur than in his too narrow County saddle. That is saying something. I'm impressed that a back sore horse could be so forgiving in a new saddle--but really I needed to compare a better-fitting saddle to the Ansur for a truly fair test.

But you know, that is only half the picture. How did I feel in the Ansur? Stay tuned...

Curious about treeless: Part II of the treeless journey

2012-02-07T13:29:00.004-05:00

Older Ansur saddle

Years ago I read an article in Dressage Today (April or May 2002, p. 116) about treeless saddles -- actually it was in the Q and A column, and someone had posted a question about treeless saddles. J. Ashton Moore, Ansure saddle user, responded. I don't recall the exact words (read ultimagedressage.com post about it ) but it was a thoughtful, encouraging response. I was intrigued, but at the time I was riding in a custom Amerigo. Harv, with his hock arthritis, was cold-backed at times, and I wondered if treeless might help him. Partly because I was tapped for cash, and partly because the Ansur saddles at the time (pictured left) were kind of unattractive, I never went further.

Ansur Excel dressage saddle

They've come a long way baby
Fast forward ten or so years, and Riley is now my main ride. In a year and a half, his back has changed significantly. He pissy and indignant about his too-narrow saddle. He is moving his legs but not his back; his jaw is tense; he balks.

According to one fitter, he is no longer a medium but a wide. Kiss my great brown saddle goodbye! As I resumed my search for the ultimate saddle, I began musing about treeless again--but in a vague sort of unmotivated way. Then I met someone who has an Ansur Excel. They offered to let me try it.

The plan for a fair test
Whenever you try to compare two things -- like saddles -- goofy extraneous factors get in the way. You ride in one saddle on a certain day, then before you ride in the other the farrier shoes your horse; your horse gets kicked; your trainer tunes your horse up; the weather gets bad and there is no turnout. You can't do a fair test when life gets in the way. How to get around it? Here's what we did...

I rode in my County Perfection for 1/2 hour.
I rode in the Excel for 1/2 hour.
I rode in the County Perfection again.

That was a good plan, and I came away with a distinct impression of the treeless saddles. Stay tuned...