Talk me down! (maybe...)

[Long_Time_Lurker]

Of course not. Someone else is going to be horse shopping eventually and we need to remain active enablers for them!

@OverandOnward

Heh. Ain’t goin to no meetings.

[Bristol_Bay]

I don’t have a problem. I can stop any time.

[chestnutmarebeware]

@quietann

I had success stopping my mare pawing by turning around and walking away from her when she did, if I was bringing her hay or something else tasty.

Walking away from my girls still works when they have their senior-citizen-delinquent moments on the cross ties, whether it’s pawing or swinging their head to make the chain rattle against the wall. It loses its appeal immediately if I’m not there to feed them attention and emotional energy.

[Artistinnature]

@lenapesadie

Congratulations OP! Have you settled on a name yet?

I was able to ride my boy as a youngster in my old Passier, then we moved on to a Thornhill (very inexpensive hoop treed saddle) and he outgrew that one last year. Currently his back is the approximate shape of a school bus. He’s in a Duett Fidelio now, I went all out with extras but I believe the stock models run around 2k new.

I really like Warwick Schiller’s work and think you will too. I would just ignore the pawing, like your BO suggested. Really ignore. Don’t let it impact your energy. Everything will be fine. The haltering, the mouthyness, the pawing, the saddle. Everything will be fine

I’m leaning towards a barn name of “Bear” or “Bear-bear”. He’s just a big black shiny bear. I want a low-key, friendly barn name. (Have a friend with a big black warmblood mare she named “Freddie” - such a cute mare name!).

Geez, I wonder if we’ll end up in school-bus land! but thank you for the tip on the saddles, both now and future.

I’ve already watched at least half a dozen WS videos and will continue exploring. Thank you, thank you for the support and the “it’ll all be OK” energy. I so need that! Since a youngster – and a big, big-gaited, FSH one at that - are all new to me. BO is also of the “it’ll be fine!” persuasion; she’s calm, with such good energy around people and horses.

[Artistinnature]

@rulex

And on a youngster I personally would definitely prefer the security of some blocks,

Me too, now that I’ve been in a saddle with them. His gaits are big.

[Artistinnature]

@Bristol_Bay

I don’t have a problem. I can stop any time.

[floppyammy]

@rulex

@eightpondfarm

agreed! 5 is the ‘terrible twos’!

This has been my experience as well. But we got through it and to the other side. Again, this is where the good professional help comes in!

I would also definitely get the saddle checked by a good fitter as soon as possible. It’s pretty high on my list of things to do with a new horse because you really don’t want them to have any discomfort and start associating that with work. And on a youngster I personally would definitely prefer the security of some blocks, but that’s just me.

I can’t 2nd this enough. As someone who had a saintly 3 and 4 year old and a very challenging 5 year old, a lot of sturm und drang could have been avoided by having a properly fitted saddle. If I could offer any advice to the OP, it would be to make sure your saddle fits your new guy.

[lenapesadie]

I like Bear Bear! Very cute!

WS has lots of videos! I really enjoy his processes and philosophy.

I know you mentioned you’re in an area that’s not terribly horsey so I’ll throw out that I had good luck with virtual saddle fittings. Is it as good as in person? Maybe not, but it was way better than no saddle fitting which was my other option in my area.

Your BO sounds like a gem!

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

@Artistinnature

Ooo, good food for thought. I did have my saddle restuffed about 5 years ago, and it’s in good shape (other than the girth flaps looking kinda wrinkly-ugly).

If the saddle is 30 years old and the billets have never been replaced, that would be #1 on my priority list - checking that they’re serviceable. The last thing you need is for one of those suckers to break!

[blue_heron]

Bear is super cute! Black bears are definitely the, er, … friendlier of the North American bears.

[Artistinnature]

@floppyammy

I can’t 2nd this enough . As someone who had a saintly 3 and 4 year old and a very challenging 5 year old, a lot of sturm und drang could have been avoided by having a properly fitted saddle. If I could offer any advice to the OP, it would be to make sure your saddle fits your new guy.

Thank you!! I’ll ask BO for a local recommendation.

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

@Bristol_Bay

Vanity sizing in saddles?

Right?! From what I recall, old Kieffers were either a size 1, 2, or 3 - narrow, medium, or wide. But compared to today’s medium saddles, this one is NOT!

[Sue_B]

Forgot to mention…Years ago I had a 17+ hh black/seal brown horse I named Scotty, because to me, he looked like a giant Scottish terrier! He was given to me after suffering much abuse under an unscrupulous trainer. Took me 6 years, a broken hand, bruised femur and fractured femoral neck, to gain his full, unwavering trust. Brought tears to my eyes to watch this gentle giant teach my young son how to ride later in his life.

Also, as a fellow KN rider (my saddle is also about 30 years old) I wound up having to buy saddles for both the horses I own now because it simply did not fit either one. Not even a little…to flat for the curvy back one and too narrow for the xw, hoop tree one.

[Artistinnature]

Wow…what a story! I’m so glad there was a happy ending for you both

[Unfforgettable]

Something to consider, if a different saddle with a deeper seat/bigger blocks will help and you are currently “horse poor” (been there, done that). Fineline Tack has excellent used saddles and a terrific trial policy, plus you can do payments for a couple of years via Affirm. While they do take trades, your saddle is under their valuation for trades but you could still get some $ selling it on one of the FB groups.
Another option would be Ann Forest at Equestrian Imports. She is great at long distance fitting and also has programs where you can make payments, although it’s a shorter time period with a good amount down.

[Artistinnature]

Oooo, thank you for these tips!!

[sigrid.sijtsma]

To late… i wish her good luck with the purchase of the frisian horse she bought… thats it.

to bad… for everyone who is not interested in learning the good quality and health exteriour about horses…

why do you think all the good sporthorses are imported from west europe?? and are bred in USA? so people from the netherland who live in friesland, and know that the very succesfull used aproved KFPS stallion who has predicate PREFERENT… was born with OCD fragment in his joints, and KFPS knew about it, but never told the membera of the KFPS studbook… who used the stallion for their mare for breeding, only when he was old and died, they told he had OCD!!!

Also i knwo very good vet, who sold all of his friesian to the USA… was also judge at KFPS, i walked intoo his own barn, and he was removing a with start of the head of a very young friesian filly, before it got his chip and that he was totally black on his studbook papers… this foal was sold to the USA for breeding, so i know what shit is going in the horsetrade world!!! He got very mad… because i saw what he did!!!

But ok… honoust storys about friesian horses, of people who live in friesland, knows whats going on in the friesian world, and from a person who dosnt want to make money, cause people who want to sell horses, wil only talk the good way… they are selling friesian horses…

here in the netherlands we are realistic and honoust, and some call it clear… and some call it people who are always negative… but

we say::

do you want an honoust answer… or an answer you would like to hear!!!

the last ones… are always the ones who have mental images lol

[Unfforgettable]

Thanks for all the negativity and way to make a good first impression here. If you don’t like Friesians, then don’t own one.

The OP bought a nice horse she enjoys riding, he vetted very clean and she isn’t looking to make the Olympic team, just wants a horse to ride dressage with that makes her smile.

And if you think all the health and soundness problems are just in Friesians and aren’t happening with warmbloods coming from Europe to unsuspecting buyers here too…OCD, etc…I’d suggest you do a little more homework. Crooks are found everywhere, in every breed, and it’s buyer beware.

[Pocket_Rocket]

@sigrid.sijtsma Please, if you have a message to share with the world - fine - but I don’t think it belongs in this particular thread.

There’s plenty of other options right here on CoTH… for your wet blanket!

[Artistinnature]

@Sue_B

Also, as a fellow KN rider (my saddle is also about 30 years old) I wound up having to buy saddles for both the horses I own now because it simply did not fit either one. Not even a little…to flat for the curvy back one and too narrow for the xw, hoop tree one.

An experienced rider who can do eyeball saddle fit assessments took a look at my KN on The Boy today. It’s weird: lots of room at the gullet, sits off his back just below that, then pinches in behind his shoulders. Sigh…like, he might be an XW? (Is there a way to tell what dimensions my KN is – thought it was wide, but would like to verify its numbers – eg, from the markings on the underflap?). She said I’d need a half-pad with shim pockets and shims for the short term, if I keep using this saddle…