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| Author |
Message |
    
Mary Ream (Ebony)
| | Posted on Sunday, Oct 21, 2001 - 9:09 pm: |   |
I have a 14-3 paint mare, 1000lbs. She is the best trail horse and we ride in some pretty ruff terraine. When we go down steep hills my saddle will slide so far forwards I end up almost halfway down her neck, when we go straight up the saddle starts sliding back and I just grab a big hunk of mane and can make it pretty good. My cinch is good and tight and we measured her for the saddle to make sure it fit, it is a circle Y softy trail saddle. I use a Proffesional Choice air pad underneath. She isnt mutton withered. I just dont understand this. Out of 8 of us riding together nobody else had this problem but me. Someone told me I should try a crouper, but seems like it would put an awful amount of pressure on the tail bone.
Anyone else have this problem? Open to any suggestions. After our ride she doesnt appear to be sore, I use a rope girth because I found others, and i've tried all kinds except a ropeing girth, seem to gall her.
We love to trail ride but I hate to have to avoid some of our state forests because of the hilly terraine, but this is such a hastle and know it cant be comfortable to her. (although she doesnt seem to mind)
Mary |
Imogen Bertin (Imogen)
| | Posted on Monday, Oct 22, 2001 - 3:09 am: | |
I'm afraid I don't know anything about Western tack but a lot of us in Ireland use breastplates (strap across chest usually secured to D rings on front of saddle and to a neckstrap, sometimes combined with a martingale) to prevent saddles slipping backwards when hunting. I have never personally seen a crupper (tail loop) used except on a nice fat round pony. They do work.
All the best
Imogen |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Monday, Oct 22, 2001 - 7:13 am: | |
If the saddle fits the horse well, she is not muttoned withered, and the cinch is good and tight you sort of pull the rug out of any suggestions other than more tack. Perhaps there is too much padding under the saddle?
Being a really big guy who rides almost solely in the mountains I am familar with the problem. While I sometimes am more comfortable with a breast plate on several of our "rounder" mounts, but I have never required a crupper. Check your preconceived givens above, I suspect the cinch could be a tad tighter.
DrO |
Emily French (Jcsmoon)
| | Posted on Monday, Oct 22, 2001 - 11:11 am: | |
If you are useing the Circle Y Treeless saddle that may be your problem. Try borrowing a traditional saddle (make sure it fits) and see how it does. See if you find one with split D rigging, this is where the latigo wraps in two positions createing a Y formation from the girth. I have found the secure the saddle a bit better. |
JM (Jojo15)
| | Posted on Monday, Oct 22, 2001 - 10:48 pm: | |
Have you tried the neoprene girths? I have one that lasted five years. Good stuff.
I also find that on hot days I have to get off and re-cinch the girth from her sweating so much. I might have to tighten it three or four more holes. (approx 6-10 inched tighter). She also tends to bloat herself before our ride and I can get another 3 inches that way.
They make neoprene breast plates too. |
Heidi Wealleans (Pones)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Oct 23, 2001 - 3:03 am: | |
You might have hit on the reason here JM, as researchers here in the UK have detected weight loss from travelling and competing in Three Day Events by using a weigh tape. A long trail ride would produce the same results..... especially if the girth isn't absolutely as tight as it could be at one outset. |
JM (Jojo15)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Oct 23, 2001 - 10:57 am: | |
How much weight do you think is lost on an average 3 hour ride? 80 degree weather. High humidity. Hot day. 50lb? 100?
jojo |
Heidi Wealleans (Pones)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Oct 23, 2001 - 11:27 am: | |
The research I was quoting is cited in Horse and Hound magazine by Teresa Hollands, of Dodson and Horrell. Her feed company, along with Warwickshire college here in the UK, carried out the research at Burghley 3-day event.
Main findings in the article are:
Under normal exercise conditions a 500kg horse could lose 10kg sweat in 2 hours of exercise (UK temperate conditions).
The retention of water and electrolytes peaks at 4-6hours after feeding, and is zero at 10-12hours after feeding. German research indicates that storage of electrolytes in the body is restricted to 4-6hours after feeding.
The weighing trials conducted at Burghley showed that the average weight loss between the start of the roads and tracks and the finish of the cross-country was 14.5kg. The greatest loss was 26kg and the least 3kg.
As was to be expected, the greatest loss was found in horses with high condition scores (fat is an insulator).
The morning after the roads and tracks and the cross-country, only one horse had regained the weight lost since the beginning of the roads and tracks phase.
One competitor's horse had lost 20kg in the 3hour lorry journey to the event, this horse then went on to lose a further 8kg in the cross country phase - a total of 28kg.
Not only does this have implications for for hydration and rehydration, but also girthing, remembering that horses in high condition scores (traditionally difficult to keep a saddle straight on!) lose more weight through sweating.
Sorry for metric weights!
Heidi |
Mary Ream (Ebony)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Oct 23, 2001 - 6:46 pm: | |
Thank you all for the tips. My saddle is not the treeless it is the flex tree, and yes I have tried the neoprene girths, the new breed girths and they gall her terribly. I was thinking the other day that I bought a new girth at the equine a fair it was called the smart cinch and that was the best cinch I ever had and remembered my saddle never slid with that. Well.. I took my saddle over to the neighbors to start working one of their horses for them and that cinch was too long so we took it off and put one of there smaller cinches on. After a week my cinch dissappeared! So went to the local feed store and bought a rope cinch and it must be a real cheapy because I swear the thing must stretch! I was constantly getting off and tightening that thing till I couldnt tighten anymore.
Well been checking all my magazines to order another smart cinch and cant find it in any of the catalogues I have. Maybe, hopefully they have a web sight.
I used to use a breast plate till one time I seen a horse get to the top of a big hill and was weeveing like he couldnt catch his breath, they took off the breast plate and he was ok, now i'm kinda afraid i might not put it on right and cut off there wind? Any pointers on that?
Thanks again everyone for all the responses.
Mary |
Holly Zukowski
New Member
Username: Cowgrl
Post Number: 1
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 - 4:05 pm: | |
Hi,
I ride in the mountains of Washington and use both a breastcollar and a breeching (britchin). The type of breastcollar I use crosses the chest and attaches to the sides of the saddle and to the cinch. This keeps the collar from riding up onto his neck. I asked the vet about the cutting off the air from a too tight breastcollar and he said the windpipe was so deep within the neck that it wouldn't be affected. It sounds like that horse was just out of breath and the short break helped him out.
As for the britchin, you can get one from a number of catalogs that supply trail equipment or your local saddle maker can make you one. This is a great piece of equipment that works really well at keeping the saddle from sliding forward and is comfortable for the horse.
Please reconsider using at least a breastcollar when riding. It's very uncomfortable for the horse to have the saddle slide back and then pushed forward. The same for the saddle sliding forward when going downhill. My husband's horse got a very nasty sore from that happening. Also, if the saddle slides too far forward and you don't have a rear cinch, the saddle can tip over on his neck and then you'd really have a wreck.
Good luck!
Cowgrl |
