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PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:30 pm 
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windhorsesue wrote:
Yeah, sorry about that.. Thought about that as I posted.

Sounds like the felt pads in the front could help a lot.

Definitely, it's a matter of practice!! You will get it back again.
How awesomely cool to still have the horse you got when you were eleven. Wish I still had the horse I got when I was about that age. :)

It's all good... I'm gonna try to let go of all the worry surrounding this saddle fit thing and just do what I need to as we go along. :yes: I was just beginning to feel alot of pressure over the past week. Pressure to get it fitted correctly, pressure to like the saddle (from my mother), pressure to know if this was the 'right" saddle or not (again from my mother), guilt from seeing pain in Diego and not knowing what it was from 100%. Grrrr...lol. I don't handle stress well at all. :sad:

Then I will definitely practice. :yes:

He's so much a part of our family, just like all our horses were. We had Checkers until death. Actually we've had every animal I ever owned until death... except 2 hamsters. He was Mom's when we first brought him home, I didn't build much of a relationship with him the first year or so. He was more scary and unpredictable than alot of horses I'd been around and I'd seen alot! I was drawn to him, but intimidated at the same time. I did ride occasionally though and he thought I was "the fun one". I'd take him out and we'd tear across pastures at racing speed and jump anything in our path. As a young, fit guy he found that excessively fun. ;) Within a few years I was more ready to take on his fiest under saddle regularly without being scared, and he was more used to having a steady home, and family. Big human & mini human. ;) He really was kind of like a foster child... unsure of himself, his place in life, his role with a human - fearful of but resigned to change, especially in location. And he acted out very boldly because of these insecurities. The true change came probably 2-3 years later. Our relationship started there, and became exclusive (Mom stopped riding eventually) 4 years after we got him. Been that way ever since. He knows more about me than any guy :roll: and in some ways any best friend I've had. I talk out what I feel with them... he feels it out with me. But I've kept myself in a shell emotionally, pulled tightly away from him this whole time because..well "he's a horse". :roll: Now that I understand pheromones, intent and their sensitive sensory capabilities I know he's read me all along. So I try my clumsy best to talk with him, or to him. Wonder what the future holds a year or two from now with this change?

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PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 12:38 am 
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Wow! This is going to be so interesting to see what happens next. :) I like your description of him as a foster child. That really strikes a chord with me. Horses are so dependent on their community, and I often think about how devastating it is for them personally to be moved from pillar to post at human will. One of our ponies in particular fitted this description when she arrived with us. And like your observation of Diego, she also took about four years to really accept her foster family was truly her adoptive family.
:)

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But the horse of the wind, the horse of freedom, the horse of the dream. [Robert Vavra]


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 3:34 am 
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windhorsesue wrote:
Wow! This is going to be so interesting to see what happens next. :) I like your description of him as a foster child. That really strikes a chord with me. Horses are so dependent on their community, and I often think about how devastating it is for them personally to be moved from pillar to post at human will. One of our ponies in particular fitted this description when she arrived with us. And like your observation of Diego, she also took about four years to really accept her foster family was truly her adoptive family.
:)


Yes, it's most apt. I spent 5 years working with "emotionally disturbed," children, nearly all of which had been abused and often fostered. We used a "residential" model, a home, with the usual amenities.

I then spent 15 years teaching foster and adoptive parenting skills to those families wishing to adopt or foster. Many of the "reactive" behaviors I see in horses and a dead ringer for those I saw with children.

The thing to remember, I think, that I taught with great emphasis was that each is an individual and there is no "recipe," outside of patience, commitment, and a good sense of humor.

Like the child, possibly even moreso, the horse knows if you are committed. They will do all the tests they need (and here's where the uniqueness of person/horse comes in) to determine your commitment. It requires you do understand the warrior mindset, and be fearless in your dealings with them - you must be worthy of a warrior that has survived as they firmly believe that their behavior (reactivity) is the reason they survived.

The horse that has been abused and develops a set of behaviors, including fighting back, will not easily give it up, "for fear of death." It's very real. It's not a fantasy, and any survivor of harshness, danger, fear can attest to what I'm saying. I am one, so I know all too well how the struggle to trust, and the challenge to control survival behaviors can be.

Altea can to me half dead from dealing with loss and isolation, loneliness and pain (ill health) and I sensed early on that this was not going to be a quick bonding between us. Bonnie, yes, a quick bond. A baby and caretaker bond. Lovely to experience, but nothing like the bond that will come between Altea and I as she tests me and I demonstrate my commitment and patience to her again and again.

When I read the stories of AND members and their interactions with there horses I'm pleased and encouraged as I recognize the same commitment and sometimes even the same struggles and methods of coping that I taught to and saw in the foster and adoptive parents I worked with.
Those that were successful, at any rate.

The horse that has been taken from his herd while wanting the old herd wants, if it can have it, the new herd - but will test test test, especially if the "herd," is made up of other than horses.

I used to teach the same thing I make a pest of myself about here - congruence. For me that's what commitment helps attain: make your mind and it's intent congruent with your words, your posture, your voice tone, your scent and breath scent.

Learn how to touch and go - that is to enter the stimuli boundary of the horse, and retreat to allow the horse to process your excitation of his mind. With children I used to tell people do not "smother," as a gentle pat of the shoulder is enough, at first, to open the relationship beginning.

Altea is changing. She is antimated in ways I've not seen in her before. She moves with power and grace much of the time now, not just the occasional exploration. She is horribly bossy of Bonnie, not so much as a mom, but now as though Bonnie has become a junior herd mate. She will share feed but Bonnie must behave with obsequiesness at every turn. Step back first when told. Approach at the proper speed, on the proper side with the proper expression of eye and ear.

Morning turn out, where the first hay of the day is scattered out in the paddock, is the most wonderful thing to observe.

Altea plays little jokes on me. Yet more than ever she is attentive to what I might need. Before she was always in the way if in the stall when I mucked out. (I like this as a training exercise). Now, with no urging beyond conversational exchanges, she move about to stay out of my way but still in the stall with me.

I used to have to cue her to move over. Now I need only show that I want to fork up manure at some spot and she sorts out the logistics and acts independently to clear a path.

This evening, heavy rain beating down on the metal roof, wet, wet, wet, and cold, I said to her, 'Altea, you are blocking the light, I can't see where to clean next," and she moved over.

Not once, but from then one with no urging from me. She watched her shadow, and if it fell where I wanted to clean next, she would move her shadow away as I moved in that direction.

Sometimes she did this by doing no more than turning her head and neck. Horses have excellent night vision. She could see what I could not. Had she figured out ast some point in her 14 years that humans are partially disabled in horse sensory perception?

Poor dumb creatures, these horses. LOL

Donald, Altea, and Bonnie Cupcake

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PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 6:29 am 
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Nice post Donald! Great reminders of how to be worthy of the warrior. :)

Quote:
Not once, but from then on with no urging from me. She watched her shadow, and if it fell where I wanted to clean next, she would move her shadow away as I moved in that direction.

Lovely!

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I have not sought the horse of bits, bridles, saddles and shackles,

But the horse of the wind, the horse of freedom, the horse of the dream. [Robert Vavra]


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 7:39 pm 
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A small update:

I'm now 100% certain of panels are adjusted wide enough on either side of D's spine. Obviously though this means the regular flexible structure of the saddle in between them, falls directly on Diego's wither - bone. At the walk he's fine but with all the jarring at the trot I doubt it's comfortable.

I did finally determine (best I can) though that his stiffness and unhappiness at the trot doesn't seem to be saddle related. He'd been showing the same issue without the saddle and even on the ground.


Still haven't ordered the felt to make the shoulder shims though. I keep getting led around town by people claiming to have what I need, I should have just ordered online. I am HOPING the shoulder shims will not only lift the front of the saddle off his withers but also address the unlevel seat portion like Sue pointed out. I feel much more secure when the seat itself is actually level. :yes:


What crazy adventure this has been. Now I'm just trying to get my position under control again...

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 7:57 am 

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Hi Colinde,
I just got my treeless Libra saddle today and think I will be going through some of the same issues as far as padding and riding balanced.
I didn't try it on my horse yet but went to a friend's house who lets me use a dressage girth until I can buy one. So we tried it on her horse, an Appaloosa who is built a bit downhill and also uneven in the shoulders. We used just a Caballo pad ( a thinner wool pad with additional thin layer of memory foam in the shape of panels to see how it would work. I found that when I was riding that I had some trouble balancing and fell a bit forward and my friend said my calves were significantly behind the vertical, something that has never happened to me before, if anything my lower legs come too far forward. I have to add that the saddle looked balanced before I got on. Riding the same horse with my treed Passier A/P -dressage saddle I was sitting very balanced and secure in comparison, same with my friend's well-balanced cutting saddle.
For longer periods of trotting and cantering this saddle will definitely need a pad with panels that increase spine clearance and some more padding.
My horse is built more level front to back so it will be very interesting to see how the treeless saddle fits her. I hope to try it for a bit tomorrow.

Hope you can figure out what causes the stiffness in Diego. Have you tried massage?


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 18, 2011 3:53 pm 
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Treeless Saddle Adventure #...?
A few updates to the saddle journey... though I haven't made enough progress to be riding in it regularly yet. :sad:

First a pic to show the widening of the panels at a better angle:
Image

Like previously stated, it fits great except for that front piece falling on the wither. My biggest problem is still getting a remedy to the 'falling forwards' of the saddle caused by his atrophy. Birgit has sent me several links to pads and I've decided for now on a foam reverse wedge pad that raises up to 1 1/2" in the front. I feel like if I can use this pad or atleast cut pieces out and put then under the front of the panels - it will level the saddle seat out a bit. It's not even the seat that bothers me so much anymore - it's the fact that the jump flaps w/ knee roll are supposed to be forward. When the saddle is falling down in the front the flaps are pointing DOWN and that is throwing me off more than anything else. Grrr... once I am able and once Ghost comes out with their new line I'm thinking of buying the other seat cover that doesn't have the knee roll - as it just seems to royally get in my way right now.

I readjusted the saddle again between talking to people and viewing pictures of how the Ghost fits other horses online. Google gave great results - most of the pictures are on flat backed ponies BUT one this is common with 80% of the pictures - the pommel/front end of the saddle curved UP much more than it does on Diego. No wonder we're both uncomfortable!

*I moved the panels backwards after viewing a few pictures. I wondered if this would help the way it sits and oddly it does! They jut out behind the seat a bit more but the saddle slides around alot less when I ride.

*I also moved the girthing position quite far back. It looks funny to me and almost seems to be insecure, but since it doesn't pull down at the front of the saddle it actually seems to work alot better,,, the only problem is the stirrups now seem to be in the wrong position and there are only so many slots for these things.
Image

You can tell already it sits a tiny bit more level - I think the padding will be the final touch.

One other thing I am going to change is to lose the Ghost pad. I don't like it. I have tried and tried to get used to it since people say they need to be used together BUT... it's too much rigid padding in one spot and since the pad area under the panels does not extend outwards over the barrel it feels to me like it presses on the exact the places where Diego had previous atrophy from the panels on his old saddle. Counter productive and frustrating! Today I put D's old cotton pad on with a peaked wither profile and sat the saddle over that alone. It falls down on his withers ALOT but I can see very clearly how the saddle needs to fit by looking at the minimum. From there I can assess how it needs to be padded for him.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:20 pm 
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Unravelling Riding Episode #2
Sue has recently been trying to help me with my frustration over my balance and terrible posting. It's very muddy water, as it's hard to tell how much is personal injury (ankle, tailbone) reflex, how much was bad riding from the previous saddle (using the kneeblocks to keep legs back), and how much is unbalance due to this saddle not being adjusted right (stirrup placement). Oiy! :ieks:

Below I will post alittle of our conversations. Here are my first thoughts after moving the stirrups FORWARD a notch, which I had been wary of doing...
Quote:
I moved the leathers forward one notch. It felt slightly familiar, like a treed saddle. I was able to stand and post with alittle more ease, though my feet still wanted to go forwards. I know that I could not retain a proper ear to heel line in my body while doing so though.

I also in the process discovered my leathers were too long. If I took my feet out and let them hang down the stirrups almost met at the sole of my shoe! Geez. Now in my old AP Wintec I could ride with them that long. I had been gauging the length with this saddle by the bend in my knee really. Then it hit me as I sat there - this seat sits me VERY differently than a treed, and much like bareback. It's ridiculous for me to try and take the bend out of my leg more because it can't be done when bareback if the legs hang down! :roll: That bend is required to be able to drape the legs around the horse.

Sooo shortened the stirrups 2 holes. Very comfy, although they feel "too short" mentally. The only problem I noticed after these adjustments is that I'm still 'striving' forwards when I post, to the point my thighs were crammed up against the thigh rolls and almost jumped over them. I think that is the fault of the saddle being unlevel. If the seat were level the flaps and thigh rolls would be further forward, not pointing straight down.


And here are Sue's comments and suggestions...
Quote:
Can you sit on the saddle with feet out of the stirrups, in a good classical position and thighs hanging nice and deep, and ask someone to help you to mark where the middle of the stirrups are hanging relative to your ankle.

That should tell you if the stirrups are not in the right place.


(haven't been able to do this one yet as no one is usually around when I ride)

Quote:
I think a lot of people make the mistake of trying to go too long with their stirrups when the first try to correct their position to more classical. you may find you can lengthen them more later as your legs get used to sinking more round the horse, but absolutely! Your leg can't go ROUND the horse, and hang straight at the knee, unless you've got a really narrow horse and or bow legs. :funny:

Do try the standing in the stirrups exercise for a few beats - practice it. This is the one that will sort out your correct position. After practice, if you still fall forward or backward, then your stirrups are still probably wrong. With stirrups shorter, you'll be able to keep your heels down instead of poking your toe, and that will help to stabilize your leg position.



So currently my stirrups are still fairly short. I have toyed with the idea of shortening them further as I have found I am still able to "poke my toe" a bit, but I also realize now how painful it can be to ride in shorter stirrups nowdays. It actually hurts my ankles to have that much bend in them. :huh: It's a strange balancing act of too long Vs too short. But I have banned myself from lengthening them until I get my proper balance again! :funny: :roll:

The main things now I am noticing is my body must tilt or struggle forwards to be able to rise out of the saddle or post. Currently my legs aren't swinging so much unless D goes big or fast in his trot, but I find my center of balance is much more akin to my hunter days where the upper body is tilted (oh so delicately/slightly) forwards. I am wondering now if they are still in the right place since alot about the way the saddle sits has been fixed. I'm working on getting a shot of me in the saddle and then drawing a line where the stirrup leather starts under my leg.


1.17.11
I took a ride today and it was actually one of our better ones.
I used D's old cotton saddle pad with peaked wither, and put the Ghost straight on over that. I used my little trick to bump the front up and that's folding washcloths into thirds and laying them under the Ghost directly in the areas where the holes are behind his shoulders. It's not perfect but for now it's my only option to raise the front off his spine. ;) I didn't change anything else.

We went for a walk in the ring, it was comfortable, uneventful.
Then we went for a ride in the pasture. I do find that steep hill (downhill) are not as daunting as I thought they'd be without a pommel. I just grip with my thighs and make sure my seat stays velcroed to D's back and I usually stay in place fine.
Most of our work were large circles at the trot. I aim to stay in 2-pt seat right now to stay off his back and avoid all my ugly flapping when he trots too fast. I do have to struggle forward a bit. My legs still swing but I find they have to get jarred or unbalanced first before they really start going. D cantered a good deal (trot was not satisfying to him) and I found I could balanced adequately to stay in a decent position despite my fighting to rise forwards.
Overall it was a very interesting ride, and fairly comfortable.
One factor I felt that was HUGE is the mental shift and expectations when riding in it. This time I had a "barebackpad" image in my head. I could visualize where I was sitting on the panels and how they were resting on his back. This seemed to change the way I related to the saddle, and thus the way I balanced. Very interesting... :yes:

Let's hope the next episode is a huge break through or a success with that pad I'll be ordering.

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 4:53 pm 
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Feb Update

Thought I would mention what's been going on with this lately. It's been a much longer and more frustrating journey than I anticipated, going treeless for a horse with atrophy. :huh: But I'm learning.

My stumbling point is my intense hatred for tons of padding. I despise it. I don't like feeling like I'm riding a camel, perched on a hump. :roll: I'm seeing that alot of treeless owners who's horses have atrophy use alot of various types of padding though. I finally found something I thought might help and bought one:
A Cashel reverse wedge pad. Ideally I don't like the dense foams but in this case I saw it as my cheapest and easiest option until I can figure something else out.
http://www.cashelcompany.com/productdet ... uctID=9203

This turns out to have been a great purchase so far. While it is NOT as thick in the front as I was hoping, putting this pad ontop of a regular cotton saddle cloth has really tipped my saddle backwards and into a more "level" seat position. The squishy foam also keeps the saddle that way during a ride instead of squishing down. :yes: Another plus is I notice my thighs are not spread as wide using this pad which I like.

The only drawbacks are that I need to "reshape" the foam pad a bit - maybe cut it to fit. I'd like to shave part of the back portion off. There is no need to pad or raise the back of the saddle and the pad raises it a tad. I'd also like to cut it down the middle so I have more control over spreading the front "panel" portions so they fit correctly under the saddle panels. Currently because of the thick foam in the middle of the pad I don't have the type of gullet I want so the pad is actually placed about 3-4" back underneath the saddle which is not ideal.

Everything else I am getting used to. I think the stirrups are good, though I still "fight" to stand up in them, I'll figure it out . The girthing set up is great and I think Diego is more comfortable. It doesn't slip much, despite sitting so far back. I have also learned he really does not like a tight girth, at all.
Balance really is the key in this saddle - if you're off by only a fraction it will result in disaster! :ieks: Atleast that's how it's been for me. It's hard to learn to 'take it slow" for someone who was used to the cantering, jumping, & all-terrain type activities I used to do in saddles. ;)


On another note has anyone heard about the new & improved Ghost models? I came across this the other day!
http://www.actionridertack.com/catalog/ ... th=356_422
Very spiffy looking!
I notice they seem to have paid closer attention to getting the gullet UP off the horses withers... maybe for cases like Diego with lots of atrophy.

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:13 am 
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Oh DUH! Why didn't I think of that before! The Ghost saddles have always been available with the pommel piece as an optional, as I understand it, and I've only just clicked that you don't have one. I first read up about the saddles on a British website that has far more information than ART. I THINK from my memory, that you can buy the pommel piece separately and add it to any Ghost Saddle. Why don't you email this company and ask their advice: http://www.ghostsaddles.co.uk/index.html
On their website, most of the pictures of "horse type" horses show horses using the saddles with pommels. It's specifically for horses with whithers. This should help with the forward tipping problem enormously. I see they are now selling Mattes correction system to match the saddle. That should also work for you, because you can cut your own shims to fit, and they will be in pockets at the side, not along the spinal channel.
xxSue

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I have not sought the horse of bits, bridles, saddles and shackles,

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 5:05 am 

Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:03 am
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Hi Colinde,
thanks for the update. I am really curious what the saddle looks like with the reverse wedge pad, both from the side and when looking into the gullet. If you could post some pictures when you have time I'd love to see it. This is one part about treeless that I still don't fully understand:
If the saddle has a gullet that is formed by the soft panels of the saddle and you put a soft squishy pad or two in there isn't it ok to have the gullet "disappear" at least to the eye? The spine only would have contact with a very soft cushion after all.
Our weather is still pretty lousy, we walked Blue around town for the first time in weeks. Hopefully next time we'll try our treeless with the wedge pad.

Birgit


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PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 4:39 pm 
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Sue: I second the duh. Until YOU posted that the thought had not occurred to me either! I always saw the pommel arch as something for the people who wanted the security of something in front of them - so of course I thought "Naaahhh. I don't need that." :roll: Right. I never thought about the fact that the firm arch would prevent the front gullet above the withers from "spreading" and "collapsing" down onto them! :ieks:
Looking into emailing them. I also was part of a treeless saddle group where someone recommended an American dealer that was good with Ghost fitting advice. Will got look up her email...

Birgit: I am definitely going to get either pictures or video of how the whole thing fits together! :yes: Might have to wait till next weekend but I definitely want to keep a picture chronicle of this journey. Currently the pad sits quite hap-hazardly under the saddle so it's not pretty... need to butcher it to get a better fit. Anyone got ideas on what tools would best cut/shave that Cashel foam? :huh:

I have had much the same question floating around in my mind about treeless and spine Vs. no spine clearance. I have read people that insist both are the way to go... the discussion came up even more recently in the treeless group I'm a part of again and someone addressed with frustration that people keep saying it's ok when it's not. [to have no clearance]

* On the one hand I have heard that since most treeless are so flexible they do not need to clear the shoulder (as it slides under the saddle in motion) and the "touching" of the gullet or padding under the gullet to the spine is ok because it is flexible and not rigid. In some ways it makes sense... especially considering I use a bareback pad as much as I do a saddle and it does "rest" on his spine. He seems to have no problem with this currently, although my absolute maximum is usually 45 minutes.

* Then there is the argument that the spine needs clearance at all times with treeless. I am not sure why this differs from a bareback pad unless it has something to do with more rigorus riding and the usage of stirrups which puts alot of pressure over that specific area. :blonde: The woman arguing this side on the treeless boards reminded people it doesn't need to be the '3 fingers +' like with a treed, which is what I'm still getting used to - clearance but how MUCH clearance?

It's confusing for me as well. I know for a fact that there is no way I could situate the Ghost on Diego's back that would give me "daylight" all the way down the gullet. That doesn't mean there aren't small spaces of air though that I can't see though...
Since I haven't been able to get proper clearance though yet I have been treating the saddle much like a big bareback pad.

I would hope Diego tells me if something is totally off. I frequently remember that HUGE bucking spell he had in September at a top gallop in my treed saddle and I'm sure now that something about the saddle caused it. So far galloping sprints in the Ghost have been uneventful - although the sensation of 1000lbs of muscle is SO much more real without being in a safe/chair-like treed saddle! :ieks:
Currently Diego still has unhappy episodes about being saddled, but I don't see a correlation with it actually being the saddle itself (his mood, the weather, what he thinks we're going to work on). I DO notice he is MUCH more touchy about the girth than I ever imagined! Now that I have adjusted it endlessly to suit him he gets very opinionated about whether he likes it or not. He is enjoying this further back positioning but I am learning he despises a tight girth. Only problem is his and my idea of "tight" differ. :funny: :roll: So we are figuring it out as we go.

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 6:21 pm 

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Hi Colinde,
I had a lot of thoughts about your last post. This is just a summary for lack of time at the moment.
I can't remember if I posted about it but when I last tried on the treeless saddle and had someone ride in it I regirthed once the rider was on to make it snug because without the tree I didn't want the saddle to come off too easily (this was a beginner rider, my mistake :blush: ). In any case everything went fine until the girl got off. Then the girth,which was an older leather dressage girth without elastic (my mistake again :blush: ) must have felt too tight because Blue, who virtually never bucks, starting coming up in front. My daughter Rachel decided to just disconnect the lead rope for her own safety and off Blue went into a big bucking bronc act. It took about 2 minutes until she had gotten tired enough that I could undue the girth. I wonder if even with a double stretch girth if she would have been any more comfortable.
As far as the bareback pad vs. treeless, I think the bareback pad is worse than completely bareback for the spine because there is the pull on the spine from sitting on the pad. On the other hand the bareback pad cushions the place where our seatbones are, but not that much. A good treeless saddle should do both, create a channel for the spine while providing cushioning where our seatbones are.
I would see the padding issue like this: On a relatively flat surface like large muscle the padding can be firmer, the way the panels on a treeless saddle are. On a much more delicate structure like the spine the "padding" would need to me much softer and giving, more like sheepskin, a down pillow etc., soft and flexible but not something that can pack tightly into the channel and would lose it's flex. So when it comes to the Cashel pad I think it should work fine to make the saddle more level but then that leaves the question whether the material is soft/thick enough to cushion the spine. I think our horses will tell us. I'm considering using a sheepskin under the Cashel, right on the horse's back, then the Cashel to make the saddle level (in our case higher in back), but that's so much padding again that it may not be stable, esp. without over-tightening the girth. I guess we have to experiment our way through it.
About the pommel/gullet for the Ghost, that would be interesting to see if it would lift the panels enough in front to make the saddle level. Interesting that it is even sold without, that must work for some horses, maybe round ponies?

Birgit


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PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 6:27 pm 
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Location: Pacific Northwest U.S.
I've never worked with that kind of foam, but many others over the years. I use one of those wavy edged serrated bread knives. They come usually with a rounded tip.

You might stop by an upholstery shop and ask them what tool they use for that job.

Or just call on the phone. They cut lots of foam of various kinds.

Donald, Altea, and Bonnie Cupcake

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 7:16 pm 
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Location: Georgia (USA)
Thanks Donald! Hadn't thought of that... we've got a few stores around here that do upholstery so maybe I can stop in and see what tools they carry. We have a bread knife but it's old... and dull.
It's pretty rubbery/dense foam, if worse comes to worse I can use my sewing rotary cutter but it's a tough job with that tool...


Birgit~
I became aware of horses preferring different girths about 10 years ago when training for a dressage competition (lots of riding and lessons on almost a daily basis). We had a nice new leather dressage girth Mom was very proud of to go with my shiny new dressage saddle. I hated the girth and so did Diego...no elastic and HARD. When we switched to the neoprene/velcro/stretch Professionals Choice girths D quieted almost instantly about saddling. Now though he lets me know if he thinks I'm pushing my luck when it comes to tightening the girth "too much". I tightened it ALOT the first few times I tried the Ghost, now that I'm not so fearful of sliding right over his side I keep it much looser. I can't tighten or adjust anything once in the saddle now so that was never an option for me. One of my few complaints about the Ghost (inability to adjust girth or stirrups while mounted).

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