Busting Myths 4 - Stretching The Legs

There are many myths that have been going around with regards to saddlery and the use thereof. In this series of posts, I endeavour to show most of them are without foundations and can, in some cases, be the opposite of the actual facts.

Pictured left is author Kay Hastilow, Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter.

 

We are often told that when we girth up we should stretch each foreleg right forward ‘to remove any wrinkles in the skin.’ 

Well, you will achieve that but in the process you will pull a large wadge of flesh in front of the girth and trap it there as the girth will block it and prevent it from moving back to its rightful place. This can lead to discomfort for the horse and girth galls, the opposite of what we thought we were doing.

If you walk your horse for a few paces after girthing up and before mounting, this will smooth the skin out without trapping any forward of the girth.

Simples.

With online training now credibly established as 'the new normal', Kay's highly acclaimed and informative 2-part video series continues to sell around the world since its launch in 2019. Aptly titled Saddle Fitting Know How - For Riders and Trainers, the two videos distil her 50 years of experience into over an hour of what is an unrivalled go-to resource for all Riders and Trainers interested in saddles and saddle fitting.
Watch a brief trailer and buy securely online at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow

 

Busting Myths 3 - Research And Claims For Saddlery

There are many myths that have been going around with regards to saddlery and the use thereof. In this series of posts, I endeavour to show most of them are without foundations and can, in some cases, be the opposite of the actual facts. 

Pictured left is author Kay Hastilow, Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter.

 
Companies trying to sell their products have many ways to tempt us to become customers, sometimes recommendations from well-known riders but more often nowadays we are seeing claims stating the ‘research shows’ or something similar. Now, as any regular followers will know, I am all in favour of proof and testing of products, but all ‘research’ isn’t equal.

Proper believable research should have been undertaken using a fixed protocol so that the testing has been repeated and is repeatable in exactly the same way, coming up with the same results whosoever does this work.

All testing should be done with different horses and riders being tested in different combinations and in a different order, often over a number of days. Testing done with just one or two horses really isn’t anything more than information to be considered and should be treated as such. Work undertaken to be peer reviewed and published by the British Equine Veterinary Association is usually expected to use a minimum of 10 sound horses and several different riders over a number of days, dependant on the study being undertaken. Such work is truly believable whereas much that I see really hasn’t been ‘proven’ to my mind.

In any credible testing scenario, it is essential that the following guidelines have been followed:-

1.      The operators must understand the equipment being used and know how to use it correctly.

2.      The equipment must be of a high enough resolution to be accurate, (in the case of pressure testing) and that equipment must have been scientifically and independently verified (as should any equipment being used in any research.) It should be video synched to the pressure testing as this is essential to interpreting what you have seen. (a horse tripping, for instance will show a change to the pressure readings). 

3.      It must have been ‘zeroed’ on the surface that is to be tested (the horse’s back) immediately before any testing being undertaken here, and then again for every different horse and rider combination.

4.      The operator must be experienced enough to correctly interpret the results seen.

All are all necessary for any successful testing or research.

If you see claims being made for a product, or to try and establish a fact regarding horses / riders/ tack, please ask exactly what protocols were in place and what experience the operators of the testing equipment have. Do not be fobbed off with a statement such as ‘A study using a host of experts’ or the like. Ask for the full facts and, if they are not willing to share that information with you, ask yourself how much store you can put by their claims.

With online training now credibly established as 'the new normal', Kay's highly acclaimed and informative 2-part video series continues to sell around the world since its launch in 2019. Aptly titled Saddle Fitting Know How - For Riders and Trainers, the two videos distil her 50 years of experience into over an hour of what is an unrivalled go-to resource for all Riders and Trainers interested in saddles and saddle fitting.
Watch a brief trailer and buy securely online at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow

 

Busting Myths 2 - Clearance to Saddle

There are many myths that have been going around with regards to saddlery and the use thereof. In this series of posts, I endeavour to show most of them are without foundations and can, in some cases, be the opposite of the actual facts.

Pictured left is author Kay Hastilow, Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter

When lecturing, one of the questions that I ask the attendees is “How much clearance should there be at the front of a saddle?” Answers usually range from three to four fingers, a fist and various other suggestions, although three fingers is the most common reply. I then ask them “Why? What is so special about three fingers?”  If you get five people together and ask them to compare the measurement of their fingers if being used as a gauge of clearance you will quickly see that there can be as much as 3cm / 1” difference between different folk so that really isn’t much of a guide.

In the Society of Master Saddlers, we state that the amount of clearance that you need is “sufficient, so that neither the top nor the sides of the spinal processes are in contact with the saddle throughout its length when being ridden in.” This can differ greatly from horse to horse and many other factors have to be taken into consideration. If the horse has a very high wither, trying to get 2 to 3” of clearance, is a difficult task that in many cases will result in the saddle tipping back drastically. This is difficult to correct and the use of some rear riser pads to counter this will just end up with pressure to the top and sides of the spinal processes – the one thing that we are trying to avoid! Better to have the front of the tree clear enough to prevent touching when the saddle is being ridden in, but not much more.

Remember that the clearance has to be right through the saddle, back seam as well as the front and, particularly with high withered horses, be sure to check well back in the head of the saddle as often it will be touching the spine at about T8 or 9 (about 4 to 5” back from the front edge of the pommel) although the actual head is clear.

With a broader horse it should be no problem to get plenty of clearance, probably more difficult to get close enough to make you feel as if you are part of the horse rather than being perched some way above it. Not a nice feeling. Many saddles are designed to sit closer to this type of horse, which can aid stability as well as getting you more as one with your horse. Clearance though is still required but remember ‘sufficient’ is the yardstick to work too.

 With online training now established as 'the new normal' Kay's highly acclaimed and informative 2-part video series continues to sell around the world since its launch in 2019. Aptly titled Saddle Fitting Know How - For Riders and Trainers, these two videos distil her 50 years of experience into what is an unrivalled resource for all Riders and Trainers interested in saddles and saddle fitting.
Watch a brief trailer and buy securely online at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow