The last few weeks I have been suffering from an attack of the MS exhaustion.  I had been doing too much and it finally caught up with me.  I had started walking 3x a week for 10 minutes in order to get more fit so I could build up my endurance--that got dropped.  I found out that it was not a good idea for me to stop using my slicker brush on Mia when there is a lot of summer rain, her fungus in her coat came back and by the time my son noticed it had spread over her croup…

This week, while musing over my new found security in the saddle I suddenly thought, what about the frictional grip of the saddle to the horse?

When I started riding pads were not considered necessary for English hunt seat or saddle seat saddles.  I was told (and read) that a properly fitted saddle made of vegetable tanned leather with wool padding did not NEED a saddle pad if the bottom of the saddle was cleaned with saddle soap after each ride with occasional…

As my readers know I have been seeking security in the saddle for years.  I have Multiple Sclerosis and I was blaming all of my riding security problems on my MS, my lack of balance, my great weakness, my exhaustion from the least physical activity, my lack of a proprioceptive sense and my general lack of coordination.  I figured that there was NO WAY I would ever feel as secure in the saddle as I did when I was younger.  As it turns out I was blaming the wrong thing (my…