Saddle advice for the "can't take another fall" rider?

[Jackie_Cochran]

I have MS, and for almost a decade I was stuck riding in the ring because I was afraid of falling off. The RS-tor is GREAT, it does not interfere with my normal contact and it gives me the feeling that I have a chance to stay on if the horse takes off.

Last Friday I took my first trail ride in years. Because of the RS-tor I was able to relax in the saddle and not irritate the horse by constant gripping with my legs. Even when the mare acted up (she DID NOT want to go back into the ring) I felt secure and I stayed calm. I had fun.

As soon as I can afford it I will be getting an RS-tor for each of my saddles. I really do not want to ride without it.

[Simbalism]

Lieslot, that RS-Tor that you wrote about looks interesting. Did you purchase from England or is it available in the US?

[betsyk]

Question about the RS-Tor gadget: it’s basically a 6? or 8? inch piece of web, clipped to the D ring on the saddle, with a stopper on the end? and you hold it in one hand to remind you to anchor that hand in place? I’m thinking of some of our riders in therapeutic riding who are afraid or unwilling to let go of the grab strap at the posting trot, so they aren’t allowed to ride independently (that’s one of our criteria!) at the trot even though they have all the other necessary skills. If we could use something like that to give them the security of “holding on” without having their hands fixed onto the grab strap… hmmm… Can you explain a little more how it works and what it feels like to ride with one hand in place? do you think it would work for riders I’m thinking of?

[Lieslot]

Super news Jackie!

Simbalism, unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be availabe in the US anywhere. I purchased it from England direct, took about 7 workdays to arrive.

[walkers]

Sorry i can’t see how the RS tor helps , the video makes no sense to me except if your horse was bucking gives you something to hold on to with out being throw forward. I can’t imagine how it would help in a spin or bolt.
Enlighten me!

[Lieslot]

I tried to explain it in post 6, but I’ll try again :).
It works pretty well with spooky horses that drop & spin.

When the horse moves away from the expected travel and your body can’t follow the horse’s movement, when you have the RS-tor in your hand, your hand will stay exactly where it has to be, at the withers, sucking you back towards the saddle, even moreso because ones body tends to tense up when a horse does something unexpected, locking your elbows.

Very often when a horse does a 180 degree your hands will not be near the withers anymore, more likely up or even crossing the neck. Having hand & elbow where it should be in order to follow horse’s body gives you more chance to rebalance quickly, following the horse’s unexpected move and correct.

It won’t glue you to the saddle, you still have to ride thru the issue, a non-rider or inexperienced rider shouldn’t expect it’ll allow him/her to ride a bucking bronco all of a sudden, but it gives you a better opportunity to follow & correct instantly.

You can lengthen and shorting the strap, I ride with it as short as possible, which gives me most benefit I find. Even at it shortest it will not interfere with your rein-aids at any other time.

I don’t think a video can really show the feeling it gives you.

Will it help in a spin, buck, rear etc. yes. Will it help when doing a one rein stop during a bolt yes.
It helps in those moments your body risks not being able to follow a sudden unexpected movement. In a bolt you are still able to follow the movement, you just can’t stop it.

[Lieslot]

There’s no holding on to it actually, you don’t even know it’s there or that you are holding it, it lays flat against your rein, when you’re holding your reins, it’s so thin, it’s unlikely you are aware it’s there. Just like your rein it slides thru your 3rd & pink finger, it’s as if it’s part of your rein. I can feel my whip in my right hand, I don’t feel the RS-tor in my left hand.