After checking the fit of your saddle, have you found that your saddle is just a little bit too wide for your horse? While having a saddle that’s a bit too wide is not ideal, it’s actually better than having a…

Ride Like You've Never Been Thrown

Part Four

True Grit

I have named this final segment ‘True Grit’ as I believe that this woman is the epitome of the term. She is strong minded and even stronger willed. She was competing at Congress before…

As published in the Rider Newspaper

Ride Like You’ve Never Been Thrown

Part 3

A Diamond Dozen

When I started writing this series of articles to assist those who have…

I am amazed when I travel to barns to do a saddle fit how many saddles do not properly fit the horse or the rider.  The best way to explain proper saddle fit to the customer is to use the comparison of starting to train in a pair of shoes that do not fit.  Would you be able to run comfortable in shoes that are too big or too small.  Now imagine that you want to ride and train your horse in a saddle that is either too big or too small.

May 1, 1912

There are a vast variety of horse saddles depending on the type of riding one wishes to do. The four main types of saddles are the English, Western, Military, and Asian. Of course these are very broad categories. The English saddles can be further categorized into saddles for Polo Riding, Show Jumping etc. There are a variety of other styles such as Sidesaddle, however they are less commonly used.

The English saddle is very small and horizontal, it has built in padding but…

Dear Julie,

My friends and I have a problem with our saddles rolling over to the side when we get on. My horse in particular has a flat, broad back with wide withers. Any suggestions? I know we are cinching…

Hi Julie,

Try to settle this discussion - please! Is posting on the correct "diagonal" only important in English riding? I always thought it was about the horse's balance in a bend....some say it's just not a "western thing"...and will post in a western saddle, but not with any regard for the diagonal???



Sharon





Sharon,

You are correct that posting…

Introducing the Saddle & Girth – Just stand still & relaxed would you?

Introducing the saddle and girth to a horse can be a frightening experience for the horse. Horses are prey animals and don’t like…

Join Up – get your horse to catch you!

Have you ever gone into the paddock to catch your horse and your horse keeps running away from you?

Do you ever head to the paddock…

Venue: Brightling, Sussex

Monday 19^th July 2010

Eric asked what we wanted to get out of the day, I volunteered ‘inspiration and energy’ which he thought was a tall order.…

Jack le…

So I have been working twice as much at Hadlow College for the past few weeks, which has extended my repetoire to classroom teaching. Holding the attention of 10-15 young minds is a challenge so much preparation has been needed on my part, to grasp fully the subjects for teaching and also to plan the session so that it is interactive, interesting and importantly full of learning hooks. Fortunately the way I have been trained to teach so far has been following the lines of the UKCC…