The ” Right” Saddle or the “Right Now” Saddle?
Written by Kitt Hazelton on June 17, 2011 at 3:05 pm
My mare Lyric’s going back to work. After three years of unsuccessful breeding attempts – one season spent missing the timing, one spent waiting for semen deliveries that never came, and one spent using semen of questionable viability – I’ve spent enough money to have bought a really, really nice young prospect; she’s 14, I’m 50, and our combined hormonal fluctuations are presently providing us with enough excitement without adding more breeding attempts to the mix.
After one year of light work and two years of being a pasture ornament, Lyric’s fitness level is about nil (my vet just came to do spring shots and, as he was sinking his index finger up to the third knuckle in her extravagantly padded rump, declared her healthy enough to outlive me, albeit “kind of heavy,”). Also, her back has changed quite dramatically – imagine a four-foot wide hammock. I can tell just by looking that the wide tree (with Freedom panels) Passier Grand Gilbert that fit her perfectly two years ago hasn’t a prayer of coming close to accommodating that vast expanse of dropped, unmuscled back … so what are my options here?
Well, since I’m a saddle fitter who works in a tack shop, getting a saddle that fits isn’t a big problem. I could find (or order, if necessary) something that will fit her like a glove. However, a saddle that fits Her Red Roly-Poly-ness right now may be totally unsuitable after she’s been in work for a month or so and has gained muscle and lost fat (some of it, anyway). Obviously, I need to get her fit before I consider saddle fit … but how do I get her fit if I can’t rider her?
Ground work.
Fortunately, I live on a very hilly dirt road, half a mile from our nearest neighbors (who happen to be Edie and her husband). There are 3 houses on our 1 mile of road, so using it as a training venue is fairly safe. We’ll start just by walking up and down the hill (roughly an 11% grade) a couple times. When we can do that without imminent threat of cardiac arrest, we’ll do it in long lines. (I say “we” because, although I walk the road about 5 times a week, adding the mare will create a completely new paradigm.)
The next step will be heading up the road to Edie and Bucky’s, where they have a nice flat little space with good footing (something totally absent on our land) that I can use for longeing. Once she’s gained a bit of condition, we’ll throw in some ground poles and cavalettis, and add some bareback riding. We’ll see where we are in a month. I’m wondering if her Passier will be a good fit again, or if I’ll have to move on to something else … something, perhaps, with a hoop tree … I know that gravity pulls harder as one ages (that’s my theory, anyway), so her “fit at 14” back may be different than her “fit at 11” back. Time will tell … stay tuned!
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Oh my goodness, you gals at Trumbull Mountain write such great columns! I just want to congratulate you on your decision not to breed your mare . . . I did it twice! and though the experience was memorable and educational . . . I can tell you honestly I would not to do it over again . . . ended up with very nice foals out of a very expensive and highly acclaimed sporthorse stud but here is the key thing I learned . . . there are too many wonderful, great horses desperately in need of homes and I should not have been adding to the population . . . as an-animal loving family I do a barn party fundraiser every year to assist an animal charity in need–it can benefit horses, dogs or cats and my experience with this fun-filled charity event over the past 10 years, is that I had no business embarking upon the whole breeding program . . . from the moment those babies hit the ground, I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility to ensure they ended up in the ‘right’ home when it became obvious their abilities far exceeded mine . . . and I was blessed to make contact with a wonderful trainer two states away who bought both babies at ‘fire sale’ prices–the second baby, after she was badly injured by a frustrated trainer . . . Amanda kept one and trained the other for an outstanding career for a young rider . . . So please give yourself a giant pat on the back for stopping now and giving your aged mare the best attention and time you are able to provide . . . I do wish I had the wisdom some 12 years ago to do the same . . . for the amount of money I spent, I could have purchase a string of polo ponies but instead, wish I had dedicated myself to helping another horse in need . . . some amount of wisdom does come with age, I have learned at 56! Have a great day! Linda Zimmerman, Racine, Wisconsin
Linda, thanks for the kind words. And you’re right – there are too many unwanted horses (and other animals) in the world. I spent 4 years as a shelter and euthanasia technician at a local humane society, and the unwanted animal issue is a very real concern to me. My motivation for breeding Lyric wasn’t to get a sales prospect, however – it was to get my next horse. And this wasn’t a decision I took lightly. I spent years studying the Hanoverian breeding history, pedigrees, lines and nicks before I even purchased my mare, and it took me years to find a stallion I felt was suitable. If all had gone as planned, the youngster would have been ready for backing about the same time the mare would have been easing toward retirement. But the years (as well as my financial and emotional battering) finally caught up with us … so I guess I’ll be training my next greenie a few years later than I’d planned!
Keep up the good work on the animal welfare front – we need more folks like you.