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| Discussion on At Liberty training and the dancing prancing idiot | |
| Author | Message |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Friday, Jun 5, 2009 - 9:24 pm: For anyone who hasn't seen our old thread and would care tohttps://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/7/319154.html Well we graduated from the lunging problems  Not bad for a 12 yr. old horse and an old lady rider! Hank is doing wonderful lunging on line and off, his ground training is going GREAT! I think we got it! Of course there is always room for improvement. Big problem with Hank under saddle as I have mentioned is his big, out of control Motor(dancing and prancing idiot!). So our ridden lessons have revolved around walking,or stopping, from every gait when asked. We have been working on this..in the arena for quite sometime now. I decided we were not going out until he and I have this mastered. He's been doing very well, with every ride he has gotten better and so have I about not bracing. Tonight we had the most wonderful breakthrough As we have been going along this journey..my better riding skills are coming out. I just do not ride Hank right because of the trust issue. Tonight after our liberty work I tacked him up and we went through our walking practice. He did excellent! Every time I have ridden that boy at a trot I break his back because of my tenseness and gripping legs(which causes terrible bouncing). When we trot a circle in the arena I KNOW it is horrible and I am hitting him in his kidneys. I try to go in a 2 point just to keep myself from doing that. WELL tonight we were trotting a circle and in the second go around I noticed something...I WAS riding MUCH better no bouncing, he was relaxed and NO bracing. It was such a wonderful feeling and he moved so much better since I finally was with him rather than against him. We rounded our circles rather than throwing in the shoulder. It is the first time since I have been riding Hank(9 yrs.)that I rode him correctly (that's rather sad isn't it) it just happened, I wasn't even aware until I noticed we weren't falling in the circle. He now walks with his head stretched and relaxed. AND AND we did one very nice canter circle, I'm not going to push the cantering yet, because I can feel I am not ready..BUT it was SOOOOO nice. My conclusion is I am finally starting to trust the little butt head. I relaxed for the 1st time on his back,and had a very nice ride. For those of you that have prancing, dancing idiots. This has been our exercises to learn to walk and relax. I think the biggest thing has been our at liberty training, he has learned to listen to me and have fun. He has a completely different look to his eye now when we work..instead of ignoring or wild, he looks at me intently and intelligently waiting for his next cue. I love the change in his eye. It took me quite awhile just to get him to walk on the lunge line and at liberty(with the help of the smart HA people!), he does it consistently now when asked. In saddle we have done thousands of transitions to walk and stop and stand still. I had to learn to slow him with my body and cues rather than pulling on the reins. Our cue to slow right now is if I pick up ONE rein and set my butt deeper. He backs now with just a shift of my weight quite amazing! Will this carry over out in the pasture/trail??? I don't know, I do know when we go there again I will have much more confidence in him and myself, that in itself should help. If it doesn't work....back to the drawing board
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| Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 6, 2009 - 8:23 am: Diane,What a great update to read! You've come a long ways, both of you, and it's so nice to hear things are "clicking" for you both. I can only hope some time I have such a nice piece to write concerning my life with Tango! We had a major setback the other day; I left the reins over his neck, looped on the saddle horn. At some point he noticed the leather ends swinging on one side, and took off scared to death! He was actually trembling with fear when he stopped, see what I am dealing with? I've been suffering from a flare up of CFS(  ), and so I've been watching many shows from RFDTV that were recorded. Now I am armed with new ideas and methods to try. It IS amazing what matters when dealing with these wonderful animals! A friend suggested I rename "Tango" and make it a point not to refer to him in any negative way...like "that Idiot" my "silly goose" or "that big goofy guy" she said that was bad karma!  So we don't have prancing idiots, we have wonderful, handsome, dancers! Hee Hee! Thanks for the update, keep us in the loop. |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 6, 2009 - 9:17 am: Angie don't feel bad the other day I had Hank out to load him in my trailer..I sold it and wanted to see if he would load before the people came to get it. I haven't loaded him in 5 yrs.I have mats in my trailer and decided to keep one of them, so pulled it out and left it laying there on the ground. I also had the trailer tarped so I had taken the tarp off and rolled it up on the ground next to the trailer door. Took Hank out of the pasture and he looked at that tarp like it was going to eat him. The snorty, rattling nose started. I have trotted him over tarps, but I suppose all that stuff laying on the ground next to the entrance of the trailer was a little overwhelming  I finally got him over the tarp issue, walked to the back of the trailer where the mat was on the ground and he freaked out, jumped the mat, knocked me on the ground, and about broke the trailer door that was open I was able to hold on to him, he turned and looked at me laying on the ground and started snorting and rattling his nose again. I will say he did everything in his power to miss me when he jumped, I just got bumped a little. SOOO we had to have mat lessons (which he has been on thousands of times)...it just didn't belong where it was sigh. We walked over the tarp, over the mat and into the trailer...took about 10 mins. to get him over his fear. When we came out of the trailer he pranced back to the yard...SOOO we had to do it all over again You never know what might set these beasts off! But the more scary things you do with them the better they get...if you live through it! |
| Member: erika |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 6, 2009 - 10:21 am: Diane, ahem...did you happen to hear a little voice in your head when you went to load with him snorting at the tarp? When you take Hank out for a ride, can you just go a little way out of the arena and then back in, gradually widening your area so it is only a little trip, not a whole separate ride for you both to deal with mentally? I got a little annoyed the other day with Cleo on the trail. It was our first ride since the ball accident. She was acting spooky about everything and really starting to annoy me (she is NOT a spooky horse. I think she read about Hank's fake spooks). You know, stopping and snorting at nothing, it seemed. I started doing some half halts (practicing them the Jane Savoie way, "Add...add...add..."), and a few lateral movements here and there. It seemed to really help get her attention on me and off all the little boogeymen in the bushes. It actually ended up being a really good ride. The only drawback was that when I lifted the saddle and twisted to put it on Cleo, of course my back went "OW!!!" So I re-agravated that. Back on the Naproxin. But I rode anyway and it was okay. So Angie, Tango is getting a nice nickname? Does that mean I have to stop referring to Cleo as "Fat, stubborn, ol' Cleo"? Erika |
| Member: canter |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 6, 2009 - 10:55 am: Erika no I didn't hear a little voice, I heard a BIG voice screaming this is a bad idea! Especially where my trailer was located a small alley about 10 ft. wide with all the scary stuff laying there leading to a open trailer. I do ride Hank up the hill when we are done(which has always been an out of control ride too) he is walking up it nicely now. Then we usually go up the driveway and a short way down the road. Traffic is a big issue with ME not him, So we have been riding in the front yard as traffic goes by....slowly I am relaxing. Maybe I should quit calling Hank, BOOO, he probably wouldn't have jumped that mat if I used his proper name
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: sodmonst |
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| Member: leslie1 |
Posted on Sunday, Jun 7, 2009 - 12:31 pm: I enjoy reading about it too and am very impressed with what your doing....it cant be easy task. But it sounds like your doing a fabulous job and hes coming along nicely! Great Job D!!( I sent Pumpkin out to trainer to start her out of arena experience, last night was her first outing and she did great....eventually crossed the creek calmly... although it took awhile to figure out that the auto waterer was not a big blue monster out to eat her!! Lions and tigers and water troughs ...OH MY! )
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Jun 7, 2009 - 3:33 pm: Thanks for the encouragement it helps!I think Hank is sick. Today I decided to not play at liberty, I am tired and it was threatening rain. WE went down to the arena, lunged under saddle both ways and I hopped on. we rode in the arena for about half an hour and I decided to go out on the road up to the hayfield ( a head divers dream come true!) ANd the prancing dancing idiot shows up 99.9% of the time in there...not 100% only because I was stupid and let him eat to get him to calm down....which led to worse dancing and prancing, bucking ect. you get the picture. Up the big hill to get out very nice walk...think we have that mastered if nothing else Going up the road on a loose rein in the ditch with grass...he didn't even try a head dive (he's starting to scare me) I could hear some kind of vehicle coming and decided not to even look, as I knew panic would set in...we just kept going and I did pray a little...it was rattly i could tell that. A big loud pick up pullin a barge boat on a trailer went flying by us....not even a flicker of the ear. I can't tell you what confidence that took in him. for me not to look back and react. We made it to the hayfield up the road and went for a very nice quiet ride. When we turned for home he did pick up his speed at first and became a bit tense...This thread with all of it's advice ran through my head in one second. I released the reins, picked up one rein and we walked...no fight in him....no head diving...no spooking...no prancing. He seemed content ears forward and just going along relaxed....Is he sick??  Sam was calling for him, we went out the hayfield and past the house...not even an inkling of turning in the driveway, since I didn't ask...HMMMM Up and down the other hill and back home....nothing bad tried. Doesn't have fly fits when one lands on him??? You see I never dreamed Hank capable of this type of ride, even once! When we got back I checked his hooves for a DP (none present)and he moved well...so his hooves are OK ??? I really think he must be sick
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Jun 7, 2009 - 7:02 pm: I have bute all melted for Hanks "feed" tonight.I have been watching him out in "pasture" and he looks fine. I wonder if it is possible he was just a good boy finally...NAWWW. I don't believe he could change personality's in just a months time just from doing liberty work or is it possible to go from devil with horns to angel with halo in that short of period?? NO he's sick or sore somewhere. I am going to save that bute for tomorrow morning and give it to him, then try him in the afternoon and see if the horns appear....think that is a good idea?
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: leslie1 |
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| Member: rtrotter |
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| Member: sodmonst |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Monday, Jun 8, 2009 - 6:59 am: Thanks, I'm still not convinced he is capable of being that quiet...but maybe. It rained all night and more rain today so won't be able to see if he is really good or not Then again I can't believe the change in his whole demeanor towards me either. Hank has really turned into a different horse in all aspects. Is it really possible that doing this liberty work for a month could do this? If only you truly Knew the old bad, coniving, crazy, Hank ...he honestly would flip out if if fly landed on his head...throwing it, grunting, leaping through the air, I am not exagerating! Yesterday the flies were horrible...no reactions...he tolerated them as he should. Can liberty work change that??? Very weird, but wonderful
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| Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Monday, Jun 8, 2009 - 8:12 am: It does sound like all your hard work is paying off. You have strenghtened the bond between you, and you've both gained confidence, plus he does look to you as the leader now.It's a wonderful feeling isn't it? To have a 1000+ pound animal become totally putty in your hands! When that happens, you find yourself amazed, and it's usually, IMHO, when it seems you've just let go, and started thinking "whatever" and the relaxation and trust is there. I find that many times I've been bound and determined to get the horse to learn something, and the more I want it to happen, the more of battle there is! I think it's called "over asking, over expecting, and over doing" and it's the wrong way to do anything with a horse! Now, Diane, be warned though: Hank may just be very comfortable with the current routine! When the rain stops (got that here now, and WIND )take a few more days doing your current routine, and start adding new challenges. And remember, loose those negative adjectives, lol! Hank is a wonderful, kind hearted, steady, and trusting gentleman, right? RIGHT??? Tee Hee! |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Monday, Jun 8, 2009 - 9:16 am: I don't know Angie, I still say he is SICK. I am much more relaxed with him...but not totally, he will remain the dancing prancing idiot...until I am truly convinced! The fly thing blows my mind! Also the not trying to head dive (tho I have been very adamant about NO grass when the saddle is on.) He usually is a little more persistant in at least trying...Just weird....I hope it is the time I'm putting in changing Mr. Wonderful....not convinced tho!!! Looks like maybe the rain will be over this afternoon. The arena will be too wet to use, but I may be able to ride and see if this is truly Hank...I'm betting not! I Better get to work so I can support these uh-hum wonderful animals
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| Member: zarr |
Posted on Monday, Jun 8, 2009 - 11:47 am: Perhaps the big change is in you not Hank? Reflections of the dog whisperer. Calm, assertive leadership ? Sounds as if you both have made giant strides.Just remember he is a horse and the friendly stump in the field might be a dragon next time but if you maintain your calm assertive self all will get better and better.Way to Go Diane!
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| Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Monday, Jun 8, 2009 - 11:59 am: HA,ha, I thought Willow was sick Sat morning when I was working her in the arena. So then hubby comes out, barefoot, half asleep, (on his midnight stretch now)(to "check on me")and says "If I get on her, will you lead me to the mailbox and back up to the house?"Sure....except I don't think he's ever been on her in the 18 years I've owned her, and he's 6', she's about 14.2....should have seen how "healthy" she was acting once he got on her, ! Swear she never saw a mailbox before, or been around the house to front yard! Hubby asked me why do we keep such stupid & crazy horses?! He had trouble getting off, and I was just smiling.... |
| Member: stek |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Monday, Jun 8, 2009 - 7:27 pm: Yes I will expect it, but I don't forget he is a bit on the schizophrenic side either. He does have 2 personality's Bad boy Hank seems to have disappeared tho (at least for awhile) Those eyes have really changed...for the best...they used to roll in his head while we rode or "lunged"...Gone! Tonight we were able to go for a short, yet normally prancey/loose my mind ride...Perfect. BTW I did bute him this morning 1.5 grams just to check I will keep you abreast of this as it unfolds, I have a feeling he is just waiting for me to relax all the time...then blow up...Yes he is capable! He isn't going to loose the idiot logo easily...nor am I, it took years to build it!! Thanks |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 9, 2009 - 12:38 pm: It is sooo nice out today and I got done with my route in very good time. The neighbor guy cut his hay field across the road...BIG piles of green alfalfa laying there! We are "going in" if he isn't an idiot in there I may have to give him 2 grams of bute. If you don't hear from me in a few hours call an ambulance! |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 9, 2009 - 3:43 pm: Well 2 grams of bute are soaking I took Hank down to the arena and lunged him a couple mins. Hopped on practiced our walk and behave cue and out we went. He was very very very good...we had one conversation about head diving...and I won it! Traffic is a non issue anymore and that is one big relief! Absolutely no prancing not even one step...we went out in the hayfield a long ways and I really thought the turn for home would bring out the idiot...especially when surrounded by alfalfa hay. He is learning to control himself OMG!!! There is a big hill in the hayfield and we normally have a fight from He$$ going up AND down it...I almost didn't do it. Going down he picked up the pace a bit...my normal reaction is to PULL back...then he throws a fit and I am lucky to get down it alive....when he picked up his pace today..I checked him with one rein...immediate release when he responded...GOOD BOY!!! Going up that hill he always lunges, bucks, prances, throws his head ECT! Nothing NADA. Our turn for home was flawless, didn't even pick up his pace...BUT that is when he tried to pull the reins out of my hands and head dive into the alfalfa... I was ready for that and he got reprimanded (he did get a bite of it) Back up and down the hill with no problems...THEN we stopped and stood in a pile of hay. He did not even TRY to get any. I THINK I may own a good boy now! we are going to continue with the at liberty training, I think that has been key in his change of attitude. Thanks again for all your help....next stop is developing an independent seat!!!! Please put your brains on how to do that I will need lots of help with that one |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Jun 21, 2009 - 4:32 pm: Good news, the idiot has completely been absent for almost a month now. Hank has lost his horns and become a saint! The prancing I am now convinced is gone. He hasn't "faked spooked" in weeks. Today when I rode him a semi trailer went by pulling big round bales of hay...he didn't even blink an eye. Flies are a non issue now, no more head tossing, no more head diving. It is truly like owning a completely different horse. We still play at liberty most of the time before I ride, I believe it keeps him focused and he is awesome at it! When I don't have time to ride I still will play at liberty with him a couple times a week. This is truly what helped me find my hornless wonder!!! I always called him a wanna be good boy and he did want to be good I just had to learn the language of the horse to find it! |
| Member: canter |
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: vickiann |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Friday, Jun 26, 2009 - 6:50 pm: One last update, just because I am so thrilled with this horse now, I can hardly control myself!I think a true horse miracle has taken place in N. IL. . Today Hank and I went through hill & dale on a LOOSE rein. YES in the prancey pasture...YES in the prancey hayfield. EVERYWHERE he has always been an idiot! I wish I could describe the total difference in this horse. He even sat for almost a week without any riding or playing, we did no liberty training before I got on...just lunged 5 times each way. WOW AND YIPEE is all I can say Thanks for all your help!
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| Member: canter |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 27, 2009 - 9:44 am: That's wonderful, Diane. Enjoy your "hornless Hank" for the remainder of the summer and fall! (Are you sure you won't miss those horns just a wee bit??)
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: frances |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 27, 2009 - 1:04 pm: NOPE don't miss those horns one bit. I am quite sure it wouldn't be hard to get them to re-appear...if I get lonesome for them!!! We are still on a pretty strict regimen, I don't allow that boy an inch, he is the type that will take the mile and run... |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Thursday, Apr 22, 2010 - 9:57 pm: I wanted to update this, Hank is now ridden with a loop in the reins where ever we go in his bitless bridle. We go everywhere now and he is a "normal" horse, HMMM like a well broke horse. His prance and wildeyed look is gone. That fake spook has completely disappeared. The 5 foot leap through the air that came from nowhere is gone, He is a willing partner that goes at what gait I choose and willingly. Flat footed walks all the way home. He still hates butterflies but now controls himself instead of throwing a hissy fit when one flies near him. Just some encouragement for those of you with seemingly crazy horses, I NEVER, EVER thought Hank capable of the rides I have had on him this year...last years work did carry over. I really missed enjoying riding, and being fearful of what he may do next. I didn't look forward to riding and almost just gave up. I LOVE the horse he has turned into I can't wait to get home and throw the saddle on anymore and he comes running up wanting to go
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| Member: terrido |
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| Member: npo33901 |
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| Member: npo33901 |
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| Member: canter |
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| Member: ajudson1 |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Friday, Apr 23, 2010 - 8:05 am: I think you can Angie Consistency has been the name of the game with Hank. I didn't do anything with him all winter and expected to go right back to square one, he retained and we moved on from there this year. The Liberty training was our breakthrough. I am starting Bonesy on it too. LOL the beginning of this training is always a little discouraging, but everyday he is getting better
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: stek |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Friday, Apr 23, 2010 - 5:54 pm: He has gone beyond my expectations for a horned one. I can't believe how much he listens to me and relaxes now. I could site so many examples but won't bore you with the details.... he is a great all around horse now, and I am thrilled to pieces with him... now to keep him sound
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| Member: gramsey1 |
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| Member: ajudson1 |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Apr 24, 2010 - 10:35 am: Guy I think getting his hooves in order has very much so contributed to his better attitude. His hooves always bothered him at least a little, sometimes a lot. On hard ground he was a monster..and always trying to sidle onto the soft ground. On soft ground he was still hard to deal with, I think for fear I was going back on the hard ground That is usually when the leap thru the air would occur, and the fake spooks, on the soft ground... his hooves hurt too bad on hard ground to do that. He didn't even want to go out when his hooves hurt, getting him to do anything on soft or hard ground was always a battle...even with shoes on. Retrospect would have it that his hooves were sore in shoes too..just not quite so obvious. If I had to put percentages on it I would guess 40% better hooves and 60% training has contributed to the new and improved Hank. I haven't messed with his hooves since the farrier was here, I am going to see how that blob is doing today. His related hoof wall crack in the toe is gone, I know that much anyway
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Apr 24, 2010 - 10:38 am: PS his gaits have also improved 100%, awesome canter is back.. he refused to canter even on soft ground when his hooves were in poor order (not that they are great now) but much improved.
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| Member: lhenning |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Apr 24, 2010 - 11:00 am: Angie I went to a few Parelli clinics and watched LONG ago. The best thing I brought home from that is make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard... too much repetiton is a bad thing, change it up. They do it right move on no drills.Don't be discouraged if he runs off, that's all part of the learning process, correct and get attention back immediately. The Parelli 7 games is useful with this too. I started doing this with Bonesy, WOW I let him looses and he ran 100 miles around that arena in a record 5 seconds, he was paniced at his freedom. He was paniced at the whip in my hand (which I don't use except to point) Once he got the running out of his system (I just watched, because he wasn't stopping for anything, I didn't even exisit in his mind) Once he decided to stop, we played the friendly game with the whip, the yo yo game, got his attention and started again..we'll get there. I have learned with Hank(who also did the 100 mile dash a few times) impatience and MY expectations have to be put aside and move at that particular horses pace. One of the important factors with Hank was to not let his mind drift, to the grass on the hill, the traffic on the road, the cows in the pasture ect, KEEP focused! Most important have a sense of humor, they are funny animals and these horned ones definitely think they are in charge or at least want to be! I laughed at Hank quite a bit it was that or cry! Stay consistent and do it everyday if you can. Hank also got a food reward in the beginning, a couple alfalfa pellets when he did the right thing, he was not allowed to come to me for them he had to stay put. I didn't want him to turn into a treat monster. |
| Member: scooter |
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| Member: vickiann |
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| Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Saturday, Apr 24, 2010 - 2:12 pm: AH, yes, those Arabs have like a "cruise function" don't they? My son, the motor head in the family, watched Willow racing around me in the round pen one day, me sitting on the step stool tool box I have in the middle, her racing around me 110 mph, and he says: "Got her set on cruise, huh?" I thought she'd DrOp dead before she stopped and even looked at me!Yes, Tango races off every time I up the speed, but he's sticking to me at a walk, whoa, back, and weaving 2 cones so far. He will take off, so I just stop, turn away, and he comes back pretty quick, nose on my shoulder. I have no idea if that's o.k., or "correct" but it's working for us. Thanks for the advice and keep sharing your stories with Hank. BTW, don't know what whip you are using, but anytime I have one with the lash on the end, vs the dressage whip which has a very short lash, I tie or tape the lash string to the shaft. Seems to help if it's more of a "stick." |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Apr 24, 2010 - 2:47 pm: Angie here is where I think we make our mistakes. YES my lunge whip has a long string at the end of it and yes that is what Bonesy and Hank were "scared" of. We must not get rid of things that scare them, but expose them more and reward "being brave" and trusting we won't hurt them with anything.I used to avoid scary things now I throw whatever I can at them (smartly ) too old to get hurt again. After Bonesy's run off rampage I caught him up, put the lead on and started rubbing him with the whip AND long string. He was pretty good about it and I kept rubbing him on his body.. got a sigh of relief from him, so started flicking the "string" on his legs, very good for front legs, onto backs. OH OH found the ticklish spot, he kicked out soon as I touched one and paniced. Stopped, petted, reassured, and did it again, same reaction quite a few times, now I'm thinking if I'm riding this guy and something tickles his back legs I am going to be going on quite an uncontrollable ride. So I stood there and flicked his back legs until he could handle it (this is part of the (friendly game) and the first game you should master before moving on. Finally he cocked his leg and accepted the flicking was not going to kill him and he COULD tolerate it, we moved on to other things, and when done I did some more flicking and he was solid. This is how we find their weak spots and correct before even putting a foot on the saddle. As far as are you doing it correctly, you do what is comfortable and works. I would suggest to keep it at a walk until he stays with you all the time, just like riding if you can't do it at a walk you definitely can't do it at faster speeds. Don't be afraid to carry treats and reward good behavior... just don't over do! something like clicker training Please continue to report how you progress, I find this Liberty training intriguing, we can learn a lot from each others experiences.
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Wednesday, Jul 7, 2010 - 11:58 pm: One last report on my dancing, prancing idiot. Hank is doing SOOOO awesome this year. He enjoys doing speed games in the arena, he is an awesome partner on the trail and we are Natural LOL. I now ride him in the soft saddle most of the time and the bitless bridle all the time, he is holding up OK barefoot, I do have to be careful not to over do hard ground.A new question has popped in my mind now as far as Hanks UMMM horned behavior. I read quite often on here about people saying to check saddle fit, and have wondered to myself could a slightly ill fitting saddle really make a horse be an idiot??? After all how many of us have saddle fitters available and the money for custom saddles... not me! How many horses are out there not wearing the perfect fitting saddle and coping just fine?? Many I would assume LOL. When hank was a youngster believe it or not he was fairly skinny and built like his TB/arab side of breeding, so the saddle I bought was for that build, well he decided to switch breeds in his genetics at around 5 yo and decided to be built a little more like his QH/ welsh pony ancestors, SOOOOO I got a wider saddle. At around 9yo he decided to have his "fat" mature body and that saddle didn't fit, so I thought I would buy one of those flex saddles (which I love) and should fit his fat, yet big body... he is built like a big QH and I wasn't buying another darn saddle!!! While he has been a very good boy in his flex saddle since our "breakthrough", he was quite rushy down hill and it PD'd me off, he was swapping a bit in back in his canter, and seemed kind of uncomfortable but couldn't pin point the problem. I was wondering if his hocks were going on me... would be fitting now that he is a good boy wouldn't it I noticed in the last couple years I couldn't seem to get the saddle in the right place and wondered if my mind was going and forgot where to put the saddle, I was even going to ask you guys, and while I don't mind looking stupid...that was pretty bad so didn't I got the soft saddle right before I hurt my knee and after that my knee couldn't handle it and quite frankly trusting a dancing prancing idiot in it was rather intimidating! Well my knee for the most part is ok, Hanks bad habits seem to have disappeared for the most part too, so I dusted it off and started taking short rides in it. While Hank is a good boy now, our bad history is still in a tiny crack in my brain and rears it's ugly head once in awhile. Riding a crazed horse bareback basically, is a scary thought for this old lady, that saddle saved me many a time from hitting the ground more than I did. We were again are doing baby steps in the soft saddle until I could relax and trust. He is awesome going down hills, doesn't swap, and I love it!!!!! I ride in it all the time now and he is SOOOO much more comfortable, I can feel it in his body... and finally for the first time in years he isn't rushing and fighting down hills. Another lesson learned YES saddle fit does make a difference! even tho I thought mine was fine. |
| Member: canter |
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Thursday, Jul 8, 2010 - 10:24 am: Congrats on more good news!I do think any little thing that affects a horses comfort needs to be considered. Tango has taught me to double & triple check every bit of tack on him. That big ol' mane & fetlock pulled from under the headstall, bit adjusted correctly, saddle & pad just right, and I have decided to completely remove the back cinch, straps and all, as that bugged him, so why fight it? With all my horses I make sure their shoulders move freely under the saddle. I am always putting my hands under the saddle front & back when riding to make sure nothing is digging in. Now if only we could get saddle makers to shorten the dang saddles! Why do they make saddle bars so dang long? I love a horse with shorter back, but finding an affordable saddle that fits... Enjoy Hank Diane! I bet he's as happy as you are! 
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| Member: cometrdr |
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| Member: cometrdr |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Thursday, Jul 8, 2010 - 6:55 pm: Muffi, I am learning how to ride more balanced with this soft saddle, while in my younger day I rode bareback quite often and was a very balanced rider, older years have made me depend too much on the saddle and reins for balance. My western saddle will slip more than the Cashel because I lean in it and can get away with it, not so much the soft saddle, so it is helping me regain my balance and ride more correctly.. I really haven't had trouble with slippage at all, as we know the horse nor the rider should lean on the circle (easier said then done) I am doing pole bending and barrels in the soft saddle as long as I remain centered (as I should!) I have no problems... it's coming along as everything horse...slow but sure OH also changing the stirrups out helped me a lot too, those things were a little too flimsy for me!
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