Crazydancer
Well-Known Member
I am considering bringing my 20 yr old back into regular light work. He was semi-retired at 15 as he'd had desmopathy (no I hadn't heard of it either 
) and vet advised 24/7 turn-out, and reduce work load to just gentle hacks, no schooling/jumping/fast work.
We've done that, and he has just been an occasional hack since then. I bought a young horse last year as I wanted to do more, and the old lad has really done very little since then.
I watched him hooning around with her last night, and he looks fab. I checked his legs tonight, and there is no swelling at all, they are the best they've been. So I think it would be great to get him going again.
But - the problem is his back. As he hasn't been ridden for a while, and his age, his back has dropped, and there is muscle wastage each side of his withers. he was always very flat backed, and withers were hardly noticable. So obviously his old saddle doesn't fit. But hopefully with some work this will improve.
So what would be the best thing to ride him in? I want to improve his topline a little, so having a new saddle now would mean having it checked every month or so, even of that would be possible. Would the solution be a treeless saddle or bareback pad of some sort?
Any ideas guys?
Shortbread fingers if you got this far!!
) and vet advised 24/7 turn-out, and reduce work load to just gentle hacks, no schooling/jumping/fast work. We've done that, and he has just been an occasional hack since then. I bought a young horse last year as I wanted to do more, and the old lad has really done very little since then.
I watched him hooning around with her last night, and he looks fab. I checked his legs tonight, and there is no swelling at all, they are the best they've been. So I think it would be great to get him going again.
But - the problem is his back. As he hasn't been ridden for a while, and his age, his back has dropped, and there is muscle wastage each side of his withers. he was always very flat backed, and withers were hardly noticable. So obviously his old saddle doesn't fit. But hopefully with some work this will improve.
So what would be the best thing to ride him in? I want to improve his topline a little, so having a new saddle now would mean having it checked every month or so, even of that would be possible. Would the solution be a treeless saddle or bareback pad of some sort?
Any ideas guys?
Shortbread fingers if you got this far!!