Saddle fitter's posts about chair seat/alignment and using no thigh blocks

[BigMama1]

How would I go about finding out if I do have it? Does my description for the profile? I’ve need physiotherapist and / chiro at least monthly for all my average life, and weekly more often than not.

Sadly I have allowed myself to become significantly overweight, slowly but steadily over the curse of 15 years, which definitely does not help. But every exercise program I begin I inevitably end up with some joint or muscle injury within a couple of weeks. Pilates has been the exception because I do it in a reformer in private sessions with a trainer, so she closer monitors alignment, posture, correct mechanics, etc:

[SBrentnall]

There are some tests, but they’re more accurate when done as a child. For example, one test involves pulling your thumb down to touch your forearm, which I could do as a child but can’t any longer.

Another common symptom is very soft skin that tears easily. For example, I can’t use Gorilla tape because when I pull it off the roll, my fingers stick to it and when I pull them off, my skin tears and bleeds.

There’s a website for the syndrome, with a ton of information: https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/

[BigMama1]

Interesting about the skin. The only place I notice this is the inside of my elbows - forearms. A sleeve bunched up under my coat or carrying grocery bags in the crook of my elbow will leave large bruises and blood blisters, or even tears in the skin. I have always chalked this up tj a lifetime of steroid cream use for excema and allergies

[Lunabear1988]

My regular doctor sent me to a rheumatologist.

[BlueDrifter]

@SBrentnall, and @Lunabear1988, @Knubbsy @BigMama1 @BootsAndCoffee, and any other EDS or connective tissue disease suffers:

My PSA:

Get an echo of your heart, regardless of age. Non-invasive ultrasound. Go find a cardiologist or get one of those LifeScans, but get a baseline!

Thoracic aortic aneurysms are non-symptomatic and associated with EDS and other connective tissue disorders. It is what killed John Ritter and Lucille Ball. When it dissects, it is 80% fatal. If you are a 20% survivor, your life has complications from the dissection.

If you have one, it can be monitored for growth, and appropriate surgery (open heart) at the appropriate time. Post surgery there are NO RESTRICTIONS, and you life goes on as normal.

Mine was discovered incidental to a breast cancer xray at 7cm. Normal is 3.2cm. Most dissect at 5.3cm. It pushed my heart out of position, but I didn’t feel a thing – continued to ride and do barn chores.

Once dx’d, I wasn’t even allowed to go home, sent directly to UCLA, surgery was two days later. I was back riding my horse at 4 months. I am 65, that happened two years ago.

For what it is worth, TAAs are also associated with BAV (bileaflet valve) – something about the way the aortic tissue forms that missing a leaflet makes other parts a little stretchy.

Most of us don’t think of needing a cardiologist until we have a problem, but mine says most should get a baseline at age 50. And if you have EDS et al, you should be monitored for a lifetime, and your immediate family genetically tested.

Okay, PSA turned off now, lol.

[BootsAndCoffee]

Excellent advice!

My PCP sent me for one based on my EDS and a family member’s valve malformation (neither of us have vEDs).

I am glad they caught yours in time to take preventive measures/monitor!

[Sdel]

@BlueDrifter

Thoracic aortic aneurysms are non-symptomatic and associated with EDS and other connective tissue disorders. It is what killed John Ritter and Lucille Ball. When it dissects, it is 80% fatal. If you are a 20% survivor, your life has complications from the dissection.

My husband’s cousin is a survivor…barely. It was a horrific experience.

[Lunabear1988]

My doctor has recommended one for me and I will admit I have neglected it. This is a good reminder of how serious it could be. Although I’m only in my 30’s. Still I need to get off my butt and do some self care.

I’m glad you are okay!!

[BigMama1]

Wow, thank you! I have no idea if I have EDS and only suspect it because if a lifetime of joint pain and muscle tenderness and fatigueZ

However I did have an echo less than a year ago because if some benign but annoying palpitations, so I’m glad I have that baseline on file.

[SBrentnall]

Great advice! I had one a few years ago because I was having palpitations. The heart was fine - it turned out to be a potassium imbalance. But it’s been a few years - definitely a good idea to have a fresh one.

[meupatdoes]

These posts with diagrams and lines through things never make any sense to me.

It is cometely possible to have your leg further back from the forth without “pulling your horse around by the inside rein”.

Perhaps the blogger can do a video demonstration of all this GP dressage she is drawing lines through.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Your level of fatigue, pain, and bruising doesn’t really sound “normal” to me, especially given you’re an active person (riding, which we can all sometimes forget is more than the average person does physically).

I don’t have any specific condition myself, but thanks to a slightly abnormal blood test result on a physical I had a full (truthfully, totally unnecessary) workup, and learned more about various autoimmune and endocrine conditions I didn’t have than I really wanted to!

But it sounds like having a complete blood count might be useful for you, and maybe speak to your physician, as well as about EDS? EDS isn’t an autoimmune disorder, but some autoimmune conditions can cause some of the symptoms you describe. You might also want to check your iron and thyroid levels, if you haven’t had bloodwork in some time.

Sorry for the tangent, but it’s a reminder of how many complex things can affect our bodies!

[BigMama1]

I have blood work including a CBC at least annually. Have had every textbook symptom of low thyroid literally since ai was a teenager, but blood always fell in the normal range. Ended up having half my thyroid hour a few years ago due to a suspicious busily (which was benign) and I’ve been on daily thyroid meds since.

[Lunabear1988]

Okay so I recently bought my daughter a saddle. The instructor removed all the blocks, front and back. It’s a jump saddle. My daughter’s position looks great in it so no blocks needed for now.

But, looking at these tiny little blocks I had an idea to try them on my own Dressage saddle. They are much smaller and I’m figuring that because of the smaller length that I can angle them a little more. So that will be interesting to try out.

Otherwise I think I just need to move the saddle on eventually. I can’t really do that until next year but I’m already thinking about what I might look into next.

[Annie_Burton]

@Scribbler

biased towards selling Stubbens to lower level adult dressage ammies.

Went to their IG to see for myself, never heard of them before, and found this, just FYI from today, not selling any specific brand even when specifically asked:

[Scribbler]

@Annie_Burton

@Scribbler

biased towards selling Stubbens to lower level adult dressage ammies.

Went to their IG to see for myself, never heard of them before, and found this, just FYI from today, not selling any specific brand even when specifically asked:

I follow them on FB and she is a Stubben dealer. Yes, she will discuss saddle fitting in the abstract but it always comes back to Stubben. Never seen her actually recommend anything but Stubben. Some of her info is just basic general saddle fitting and some of it is idiosyncratic:) and some of it is “controversial” because she’s social media smart and knows you get more traction that way. After following her for years I would never believe anything she said unless I could get it corroborated by other sources I trust. For instance she’s right that sitting way behind the center of gravity is bad, but wrong that this is how most modern dressage saddles are built.

[kaya842]

@Scribbler

and some of it is idiosyncratic:) and some of it is “controversial” because she’s social media smart and knows you get more traction that way. After following her for years I would never believe anything she said unless I

Agree with Scribler! (Not sure what’s up with the quote but my phone is giving me a hard time so please ignore)

I’ve been following her for a while and she definitely knows how to “play the game” with social media, which means she isn’t the most reliable source of information. And she most definitely pushes Stubben but in a more subtle way than most other reps - look at any of her bad vs good posts, every single “good” example is a Stubben. I haven’t seen her praise a saddle by any other brand despite claiming to have no brand bias.

[Lunabear1988]

Also is it just me and maybe it’s only on Instagram stories which only last like a day before they go poof, but some of her posts can be a little mean girl/nasty?

Like so many others I find there is some good info but then it gets dragged down by the personality surrounding it. I love educational stuff but then when I see this mean girl vibe it really puts me off. I just see no need for it.

[anon68314200]

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whole-horse-podcast-with-alexa-linton/id1340545441?
i=1000597600392

The whole horse podcast, had a positively fascinating episode recently with a saddle fit specialist. I may have to listen to it a second time, but it seem to suggest that everybody basically needed a custom fitted seat. All of our contortions and asymmetries are so extensive.

Also, there’s no point in fitting a saddle to a crooked horse. At times she will suggest clients go work on an unmounted system of ground training to straighten the horse out. And/or clients go work on their bodies before it was really worth making a Saddles to suit them
. Basically, she encounters enough situations where the horses are so crooked, and the riders are so crooked. You can’t/shouldn’t really attempt to make the saddle to harmonize with their crookedness. But the first make the horses straight as possible and the rider is straight as possible.

The woman also has done a lot of historical work on saddles and why they are the way they are. W
that a pretty interesting stuff.
The link I provide it was Apple podcast, but you can probably getit on other platforms too really interesting stuff if you’re interested in Seattle fit.

[Lunabear1988]

Thank you for sharing. I’ll listen tomorrow!