Well, my knee is back to normal, and I've been riding again when the weather permits. Skinny is getting stronger (almost to the point where I feel like I'll be able to start pushing him for motion and such), and Adam and I had a good spin around the ring (he even trotted!).
Duke has been sound, thank goodness, and he's got plates on now to keep him on the right angles. His six months of rest are up in January, so everybody cross your fingers for me that his ultrasound will result in good news!
Ramora is out of quarantine and in the main barn now. She lives at the end of the row next to Boo and across from Skinny, and she's made a friend in Boo. Skinny is still on the fence about her, but he's never too mean to her. Duke likes her, Toby alternates between hating her and treating her like she's one of his Harem, and Nut and Belle are still in the "OMG, what are you?" stages. Everyone else either runs her off or ignores her.
I've been searching for tack for Skinny, since I don't have a hunt saddle. I've got a snaffle bit that lets me have double reins(the English version of this - http://www.statelinetack.com/item/tom-thumb-classic-training-snaffle-bit/SLT732120/ ), but I'm not sure if it's legal-for-show. Fortunately a show bridle is easy enough to get, I just have to decide which brand I want. My problem has been finding used hunt saddles that are flat enough for my tastes that don't cost a lot (thank you Ebay - I almost had one but lost the bid by $2 in the last second of the bidding. Have another I'm eyeing now). I ride in a very flat Barnsby now and I don't like deep seats at all, which is making my search harder.
My quest for hunt saddles have left me feeling very negative about H/J riders abilities to even stay in the saddle if they have to have all these super-deep-seats and padded knee rolls that all-but have velcro on them. And what's up with the blocks on dressage saddles? Maybe I'm old school (a scary thought since I'm only 23), but whatever happened to maintaining proper leg position by actually using your legs?
Ok, ending my mini-rant now... kinda - it's still going on in my head ("world class" dressage riders that can't sit a sitting trot and flop their legs like rag dolls, dressage horses that have their heads dragging the ground like QH's, Eventing riders who look like they're staying in the saddle by sheer luck and jack their horses mouths for no apparent reason...)
ok ok, I'll stop now, I promise!
If there are any CP Hunt people still reading that I haven't mortally offended, any help you could give me would be wonderful!
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8 years ago
Hi, I just caught this posting only now (I'm late, ha!). Anyway, there are definitely trends in the construction of modern saddles. If you are interested in flatter seat hunt saddles, stick to older Crosby Prix des Nations. A good education in hunt seat starts all riders in a PDN, or similar. They are smaller than a postage stamp, flatter than a pancake, and often slick as ice. They traditionally come in plain flaps with no rolls and no padding.
ReplyDeleteAs far as jumping saddles with blocks. Event riders need these blocks, particularly at the higher levels. They help to keep a leg when going down drops and up banks mainly. I think you'd appreciate it when dropping a bank roughly the size of a human, taking one stride, jumping up a bank, riding two strides, and then taking a wide jump :) The same is true with the larger jumps in the ULs of jumpers. This trend has filtered down to the lower levels where it's more of a look, less of a need, to have these saddles. Half deep seats are as deep as you'll get for any hunters and jumpers, and you'll see more flat seats in eventing (to deal with the drop). All of these saddles are constructed for their purpose (ie: an event saddle will have a different balance point than a jumper's saddle, and both will differ from a hunter's saddle).
As far as dressage saddles go, the same applies for the most part.. except I think that the deeper seats and larger blocks have changed in accordance with the favored extreme movement you see in the ULs today. Most people can't sit an UL trot, and need that deep seat and those thigh blocks to use their body most effectively. Also, there is the whole effect of rider preference. These things have influenced saddles that are marketed to us "regular folk" as well.
Anyway, I know this is late to your blog entry, but I thought I'd share my thoughts. There are a lot of variations in saddles but they often speak to a purpose. I can assure you that a saddle's construction and a rider's ability are not mutually exclusive.
OH, and my jumping saddle is a flat seat barnsby whitaker, with no padding but one heck of a thigh block and an equally substantial calf block. It is a traditional design for jumping (not to be confused with hunters in this case, although it would probably fit in on an actual hunt).
Don't forget to look for those PDNs - you can get them for a steal usually! Just double check that they are wool flocked (pre 90s ie: pre Miller's buying out Crosby), and watch for too-narrow gullets. Mine was at least 30 years old and it was my primary jumping saddle for hunters until I switched to my barnsby. (maybe as I catch up on your posts, I'll see that you found something already)