SEPTEMBER 2010 THE RIDER /49 Saddlefit 4 Life
Does your saddle slide for- ward no matter what kind of girth or saddle pad you use? This is one of the most common problems my clients approach me with, and I know how frus- trating this can be.
Have you ever had to stop in the middle of your ride and reset your saddle because it has moved forward onto your horse’s shoulders? This is a common problem, and it is often caused by improper billet alignment. Unless the billets on your saddle are positioned cor- rectly, your saddle will not stay in its proper place on your horse’s back. And no matter
how many times you stop and reset the saddle, or what kind of saddle pad you use, or what shape girth you use, your saddle will continue to slide forward. How do you know if the billets on your saddle are aligned properly for your horse? Place your saddle on your horse’s back, making sure that it is correctly situated behind his shoulder. The billets should hang perpendicu- lar to the ground, and also should hang in the girth area. If the billets hang too far back, gravity will pull the billets forward into the girth area. The billets will, of course, pull the girth and the entire saddle along with them. The girth will always find its position at the narrowest point of the rib cage behind your horse’s elbow, and the unfortu- nate result is that the saddle either gets driven forward into your horse’s shoulders, or is driven clear on top of his shoulders.
Why is this unfortunate? The horse’s shoulder blade (scapula) consists of both bone and cartilage. At the very least, a saddle that is pulled forward onto his shoulders acts like a straitjacket: your horse will be unable to move freely through his shoulders and his movement will be compromised, sometimes severely.
At worst, a saddle that constantly drives into your horse’s shoulders first will produce a buildup of scar tis- sue on his scapula. If the problem persists over the long- term, the tree points of the saddle will begin to actually chip away the bone and cartilage. Horses with this kind of irreversible damage often have telltale “holes,” particu- larly on their left shoulder blade, and frequently have had to be retired due to persistent unsoundness. If the billets hang too far forward into your horse’s elbow area, they may make him sore in the elbows. And once again, gravity will drag them (and the girth and sad- dle along with them) back into the girth area. You might think that this is not a problem because at least your horse’s shoulders are free. However, there will be too much pressure on the panels at the rear of the saddle.
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dium with seating for 7,500 spectators will be constructed at the Caledon Equestrian Park.
“It’s a major retrofit for the Pan American Games, but it’s a wonderful opportunity to take this facility, a very active facility, from one of the best national facilities in Canada to an international level,” he says. “Most importantly, it will create the legacy venue for years to come.”
He adds, “We were pretty excited when we found out that we won the bid! It’s a big job and a complicated process. Right now, it’s all meetings and planning. I’m looking for- ward to the day when we’re physically moving things around. There’s a lot right now making sure plans are in place, not only for the Pan American Games but for the facility going forward for the next 30 years.”
At the Caledon Equestrian Park, the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament has found a home for years to come. For more information on the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament, please visit
www.equiman.com.
Buy now don't pay until spring OAC - Ask for details! Saddle Fit Tip #5:
Too much of the rider’s weight will be on the horse’s lumbar and kidney area. In the case of a mare, there will be excessive pressure on her ovaries. This is especial- ly problematic when the mare is in sea- son, and during these times she may show extreme discomfort or resistance when being saddled and ridden. What causes improper billet align-
ment? Frequently, the problem is that either the width or the angle, or both the width and the angle, of your saddle’s tree is not the correct size for your horse. Look for my discussion of tree width and tree angle in future Saddle Fit Tips.
Jochen Schleese, CMS, CSFT, CEE
www.schleese.com
www.saddlesforwomen.com Visit
www.schleese.com
Biography: Jochen Schleese, CMS, CSFT, CEE
Certified Master Saddler, Saddlefit Tech- nician, Equine Ergonomist
Mr. Schleese is a former member of the German young rider’s Three-day event team, and graduated from Passier Germany as the youngest-ever Certified Master Saddler at age 22. He came to Canada as the Official Saddler for the 1986 World Dressage Championships. Schleese has made the trade of saddlery registered and certifiable in Ontario as the only authorized training facility. Schleese has 60 employees and agents
Saddle Fit and Billet Alignment worldwide.
He developed the Saddlefit4Life® philosophy and diagnostic system. Saddl- efit 4 Life® is taught worldwide to DVM’s, REMTs, DCs, Trainers and Sad- dle Fitters. Through sharing expertise Saddlefit 4 Life® professionals are pro- tecting horse’s and rider’s backs. Jochen
states, “Horses should not suffer for the ignorance of the rider, nor should they be farmed out, or put down because of severe, irreparable damage resulting from poor saddle fit.” Jochen’s passion and life mission to educate is improving the well being of horses and riders worldwide!
www.gameready.com • 1-888-426-3732
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www.hepburnsales.com Hwy 9 Schomberg, ON • 905-939-2279 For up to the minute detailed inventory, pics, prices & payments visit our website
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