You are probably wondering what equine nutrition has to do with buying a new saddle.  Let me explain.... 

 

If you are anything like me I am really due for another saddle, but because of the big price tag that is usually attached to purchasing 'the right one', I knew I had to look at my budget and see the areas where I can trim back to jump-start my "saddle…

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As more than a few people have commented on my tack box in past weeks, I post these here for a wider audience.

I got tired of arriving at a barn only to spend 10 to 15 minutes scrounging up brushes, hoof picks, &c., so I put those in a bag.

Then I bought my own saddle, with the changeable gullet, so I wouldn't have to ride those school saddles that feel like two angle-irons welded to an old oil-drum. The changeable gullet meant I could fit any horse I was given in only a few…

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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

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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…

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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…

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I have a small Quarter Horse, a passive-aggressive mare that had been badly abused and was starved half to death when I got her seven months ago. From the beginning, she has disliked every Western saddle I have tried on her and is none too fond of my Jeffries Falcon Hawk either, even though it fit her fairly well. I have been tearing my hair out trying to figure out what to put on her back.… Continue

 

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…

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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…

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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…

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This week I’ve set up a complete list of everything you need to take with you to the competition. I know it looks a little overwhelming, but you’ll find most of it can be kept in your trailer for the season.

Needing only to pack and unpack the perishables before and after your trip.

I keep this printed and on a clip board in my trailer for quick reference. If I run out of something at the show I put it on my clip board to replace when I get home.

This way, getting ready to travel… Continue

Sleep, saddles and social behaviour are just three of the things I'm going to be looking at in today's equine science weekly round up:



Researchers in South Africa have discovered that friendship with unrelated mares, can increase a wild mare's reproductive success. The scientists from the University of Pretoria in conjunction with colleagues from New Zealand studied the social relationships of feral horses in the North Island of New Zealand and found that mares who formed… Continue

Did you know that there almost no better way to promote your business than get involved with blogs and the horse community. I just thought that I would put that fact out there. I love blogs and I love the horse business world. I believe that the horse industry has it own set of rules for marketing.



One of the things I adore the most, it the intimacy that is required between the horse owner and the store owner. If I want to have a life long friend and customer, I better not only know… Continue