Get Off My Back
by Tom Scrima
Most the time I witness folks, not our members of course, throwing their saddles on and cinching up. Here’s why you need to pay more attention to this seemingly simple act.
1. As you know the horse’s hair makes that nice silky grain flowing from the withers to the hind quarters. To be considerate and avoid trouble on your ride the saddle should be put on slightly above the withers and then slide it back toward the hind quarter to restore the natural grain and give your horse comfort at the git go. Failure to do this simple act can lead to bucking and sore back issues. Carrie equates the feeling to having a pony tail in for a long time and then taking it out. Until your hair re-establishes its natural grain it can be “ouchy”…thus the buck when you add weight mounting.
2. Consider an elastic girth piece. It’s pretty hard to over tighten an elastic girth and the horse’s relaxed breathing is promoted. Cashel makes a great one and many options can be found in ACTHA’s other catalog giants Stagecoach West and Horse Tack Co.
3. Your choice of saddle pad is very important. A thin non slip pad will give you great contact and can compensate somewhat for off balanced riding (pay attention though…nothing will compensate long for an off balanced rider). We use Cavallo’s pad. It’s thin, cool, reversible and “sticky”. By that I mean it adheres to the horses back and is very forgiving during the mount and keeping with the rhythm of your ride.
4. Cinch up gradually. Consider it a random act of kindness.
TIP…
A good test to see if your horse has a sore back is simply place your thumb and forefinger on either side of his spine before tacking up. Placing one finger on one side of the spine and the other on the other side apply about 15 lbs. of pressure as you run your fingers from withers to rump. If he flinches or caves his back down you have a sore backed horse! Don’t get on but rather seek help.
Enjoy your ride knowing your
partner is enjoying his.
It’s pretty hard traveling and competing
with and against Carrie for 45 years without picking up a thing or two.
In using Spursuader you will be able to earn the respect of your horse without the resentment that typically comes along with traditional sharp-edged spurs.
English & Western
Tom
ACTHA Monthly |49