Do I just go Western?

[Bogie]

[QUOTE=paulaedwina;7092883]
Oh darn it! :lol:

Quietann, you don’t have to get the lope all WP slow in WD you know :winkgrin:

Jackie! I stuck the riser under the saddle this evening and I felt more level. LOL I didn’t know I wasn’t! Here’s a picture I had one of the kids take with her cellphone http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5544/9360459383_c374cf1cf6.jpg

I think it looks different. Bogie, I think my leg is more under me…

Paula[/QUOTE]

Yes your leg is further back but you still need some “stuffing”. I don’t know if your stirrup length is suitable for western – to my eye you would have more support if you shortened your leathers 2 holes. Then think about what would happen to you if Fella disappeared from under you; would you land on your feet?

Also start to think about lifting your rib cage so that you can better position your pelvis. Right now you’re kind of scrunched up.

Mary Wanless has some good visual examples of how to balance yourself better. If you’re not familiar with her, check out her website: http://www.mary-wanless.com/

Not everyone likes her way of teaching but I’ve found it helpful. IN addition to reading her books, I audited one of her clinics.

[mvp]

This post will be way OT, folks.

[QUOTE=Plumcreek;7093376]
mvp, I have always wondered if an air-filed channel pad (like an air mattress) could be designed to allow the air to go where the void is. Absent that, the easily compressed foam pad has been my solution, as has been a half-seat at times for less back pressure.[/QUOTE]

Seems good on paper, I think an air-filled thing is really not good in practice— in the moving sandwich we are talking about.

IME with things like CAIR panels, you either fill them too full in order to provide 3-Dness, or, if you don’t want them to be too hard, they are empty enough that air gets squished out of the way of weight compression that part. And that defeats the purpose of the whole thing. Imagine, say, what happens behind the withers when the 200# guy on the 14.2 heeler asks that horse to stop. I could be wrong. I’m just sitting in an armchair considering physics.

I think there are two solutions:

1. Some kind of channeled foam that slowed down the movement of air through that bridgy- part of the pad.

2. Someone in Saddle Pad Building World should go talk to the people who make stuff for wheelchair bound folks. They probably have the best approach to our problem going.

[mswillie]

Give it a shot if you want to. Worst thing that happens is you don’t like it. As long as you ride well, the exact discipline or what style of tack you ride it won’t make a difference.

I wouldn’t go out and spend a bunch of money on tack but you really might need a saddle with a tree. I’ve never owned one but I’ve had my butt in a couple of treeless saddles and I don’t care much for them myself.

[Silk]

Try it!! I jut tried riding my hunter pony in a western saddle. The reason being that I am recovering from organ rejection and heavy treatments,plus have other health issues going on, I am very weak and have very little endurance. I was trying so hard to ride and just not enjoying it. I have ridden hunters for 40 years and do not plan on giving it up. However, I found that with the western saddle, i can physically work less hard and actually enjoy riding. I am hoping that the less strenuos riding will allow me to slowly work back some strength, plus I really ENJOYED riding, and it has been a while since I enjoyed it becasue I wasnt physically exhusted.

we will see what the future holds…fancy hunter pony just might be learning how to jog in the future I wonder how the welsh ponies go that are ridden under western tack…time to do some research.

[candysgirl]

I didn’t read past about the third reply, but who cares what anyone else thinks? If you think it sounds fun and your horse has the ability to do it, go do it. I enjoy endurance riding as my primary discipline. I enjoy all the challenges of getting my horse fit enough to take on 25, 50 and 100mi of trail in one day.

Secondary to that, I enjoy the nitpicky challenges of dressage. I have an Arab. We are unlikely to make it terribly far in the normal dressage show world. That doesn’t mean we can’t both be improved by learning how to do it to the best of our ability!

I also enjoy jumping, foxhunting, and doing the occasional cow cutting clinic at one of the awesome local cutting barns. If it sounds fun to me, I do it! I really don’t care who wants to frown upon the fact that I’m doing it on a non traditional breed (Arab) or what they think of my tack. I’m having fun with my friends and my horse. Really, that’s all that matters to me.

Life is way too short and horses are way too expensive to not have fun the whole thing. Do what makes you and your horse happy!

[paulaedwina]

Ha! Archives are brilliant!

2021 update

Fella and I have been Western for years and bitless for about a year. He has all these Western buttons so I ride one handed with Western contact. And I have a most amazing saddle - fenders are right under the hips.

[Bluey]

Nice!

Now, which kind of saddle would that be?
There are so many western saddles, interesting to know what fits you and your horse.

[paulaedwina]

A custom saddle by Morgan Saddlery that I got 3rd hand because it has too much rock for flatter backs.

[paulaedwina]

[Bluey]

Interesting saddle, glad that you found one that fits horse and rider well.

Thanks for the pictures, sure help seeing it directly and on the horse.
What a pretty face he has, he is wondering what you are doing, but not worried about it, just curious.

[paulaedwina]

Thank you. Fella is worth his weight in gold.

[Bluey]

He doesn’t look much like a draft horse from the front, is more refined and it shows his smart face well there.
Interesting side pull that, glad that works well on him.
Bet he gets very shiny in the summers.

Your own unicorn, that is priceless.

[paulaedwina]

This was his sales ad

[Bluey]

He is shiny and slick there.
Very nice and substantial fellow that.

Reminds me of a Hannoveraner gelding I rode eventing, similar built, but he was bright red, had two larger socks behind and a blaze and took little me for a ride, all I did was sit there.
There was a spot in cross country going down a slide into a low spot with a dark looking blob of a jump where many had horses act up.
He never hesitated or looked, just kept on going thru it all.
He felt super safe, very solid and well balanced and even being a little on the heavier side, he felt light and athletic.

It is so nice to have a horse that fits you and works for you, makes for happy times.

[fargaloo1]

Hey @paulaedwina!! Nice to see you again! You and Fella look great!

[paulaedwina]

Thank you. You are very kind to say so.

[fargaloo1]

Not at all! For some reason you and Fella popped into my head a while ago when I was thinking of COTHers I no longer see here so it was a treat to see your post. Hope you are doing well!

[paulaedwina]

I think it’s something that the Chronicle does because I randomly felt like popping in too!

Yep, the old man and I are just chilling. He is 19 this year. Understandaby 2020 show season just didn’t happen . Hopefully 2021 is better.

[Bluey]

@paulaedwina

I think it’s something that the Chronicle does because I randomly felt like popping in too!

Yep, the old man and I are just chilling. He is 19 this year. Understandaby 2020 show season just didn’t happen . Hopefully 2021 is better.

He looks wonderful for an older gentleman.

[Fillabeana]

Great to see you back here, PaulaEdwina.
And what nice pictures of Fella, too.