Engineering our way to better saddle fit
I am not a hot-weather rider. I’m a California native with not a lot of high-heat tolerance.
Weather forecast calls for 90+ in June? Abort all long-ride plans, go wash some ponies.
That’s not completely fair. I started off the weekend with a saddle-engineering session with my boyfriend. I wanted pictures, I wanted to know what the differences were, I wanted to know if the Eurolight could be improved. He’s not a horse person. That made it perfect: he could look at things critically without getting caught up in the little differences that horse folks would see.
His verdict: move the stirrups back on the Eurolight, and put them up a hole. OK. I moved them back, dutifully attempted raising them, laughed hysterically, and dropped them back down. They’re already as short as they comfortably go. I suspect the angle difference there is caused somewhat by the stirrup width difference, though without putting different stirrups on the Thorowgood, it’s hard to say for sure.
I am realizing a smarter blogger might have combined these into one image so you could look side-by-side. Sorry, folks. Next time?
Worth noting: I think I do sit straight, but my hips/legs don’t rotate/hang evenly. This is really, really obvious with the thick fleece covers and caged stirrups. It’s true in both saddles and actually true bareback as well: I know my legs don’t feel ‘even’ on the horse. I really ought to get back into PT-type training to work on some of my long standing physical limitations.
So, stirrups moved in the Eurolight, and photography went slightly downhill:
My feet are slightly more under me, I think.
Then I washed a pony and a horse. Yay baths!
I did make it out on a brief trail ride later in the afternoon with a nice clean pony tacked up in the Eurolight. Walk/trot, I felt more secure. Cantering.. eh, improved but still not there. Even w/t was just better rather than great. But it was just one ride, and it’s silly to write things off after just one attempt, especially in full summer heat.
Definitely the PT-training would help! I’ve noticed a definite improvement in my own riding when I stretch and roll out tight muscles, and then creating strength on top of that saw more improvement 🙂
I was all set to start with that this week! Now I’m sidelined with new injuries again. Sigh.
Have you ever ride in a saddle that you liked? Not one that fit Fetti, but just one that you liked?
The Thorowgood is the closest I’ve come. Previously I was at a lesson barn and never learned to have a preference. I always thought it was normal to be ‘meh’ about nearly every saddle I’ve ridden in.
Well, hm, no. There was the one dressage saddle I lessoned in a few months back. I’m not sure I liked it, but I liked where it put me, if that makes sense? But I don’t think I could trot 50 miles in it (too much block in front) even if I knew what it was.
Sucks. I can think of specific saddles I love that just don’t work for Nilla.