MARCH/APRIL 2011 THE RIDER /69 Saddlefit 4 Life
By Jochen Schleese, CMS, CSFT, CEE
www.saddlesforwomen.com Ride Pain Free. For You. For Your Horse.
This month I have an interesting story which my good friend Dr. Joanna Rob- son, DVM in California and Florida forwarded to me to share with you.
She wrote me:
“I had a fantastic client 2 days ago who has just been “ripped a new one” by her hunter-jumper trainer (who I know) because I told her the saddle didn’t fit (and it REALLY doesn’t). It’s a
brand new Axxxxxx, and the trainer is a rep for Axxxxxx. My client is going to have to leave her barn after this incident. I have image evidence - both thermal and photographic, and a client who I spent 3 hours with and totally understands the situation (and agrees with me), but what the heck is going on that now we have people so angry about facing the truth?! Wouldn’t they want to learn so that all the horses in the barn could ben- efit? This is the 3rd Axxxxxx I’ve seen where the panels dug into the horse’s back on the edges leaving him sore, tight, and unable to use his hind end.
Keep doing what you are doing - thank you for making a difference. Talk about the red shoe analogy!”
Joanna L. Robson, DVM (Check out her book and DVD “Recognizing the Horse in Pain” – available on her website
www.inspir-
itusequine.com) – there’s my plug for the month! My reply to her and for you: Unbelievable story about the trainer. As I always say, there are peo- ple who have common sense, and love their hors- es, but unfortunately may be simply uneducated, and end up being sometimes inadvertently ‘cruel’ to their horses. :.-( (I also say – think about how wonder- ful these animals are – IN SPITE of what we do to them!)
This is my lifelong mission, to protect these poor abused horses. We need to keep fighting and stand up for these horses, by telling stories like yours. With our education- al purpose we can hopeful- ly get through to the clients who love their horses and truly want to protect them from damage caused by the misguided trainers like the one in your email, who
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your coming events for our next issue.
seem primarily motivated by the almighty $$. The red shoe analogy reference comes from a visu- al exercise I do in my presentations – where I wear a pair of women’s red patent leather high heels and walk in to the lecture hall (with great difficulty)! The point I am trying to make? Simply that because something has been deemed ‘in fashion’ or has been recommended by some- one as ‘it’, doesn’t mean it’s right for you. (in other words, just because someone else uses a saddle which may fit them and work for them doesn’t mean it’s right for you or for your horse!!) Think about it... Makes sense?
Jochen Schleese, CMS, CSFT, CEE
www.saddlesforwomen.com
‘courtesy and copyright of Saddlefit4Life’
Biography: Jochen Schleese, CMS, CSFT, CEE Certified Master Saddler, Saddlefit Technician, 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 world- wide.
He developed the Saddlefit4Life® philosophy and diagnostic system. Saddlefit 4 Life® is taught worldwide to DVM’s, REMTs, DCs, Trainers and Saddle Fitters. Through sharing expertise Saddlefit 4 Life® profession- als are protecting 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!
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