Birker2020
Well-Known Member
My saddler fitter has been amazing. She is called Liz Harker and is from Horsesense Saddlery who used to be based at Solihull Riding Club but have now moved due to unforeseen circumstances. She's been part of the crew for years and is a SMS Qualified Saddle Fitter.She's been out three times which unflinching dedication to try to fit Lari up with a saddle, the first time with two of my saddles (sadly neither fitted him) and the second time with three saddles belonging to my friend. Those didn't fit him either. The third time, she came last night to fit the one she'd ordered which was a high withered saddle.
The trouble is Lari is fairly high withered but also lacking muscle, he needs to develop more topline and there is a dip going down from his spine on both sides which will eventually be filled with muscle (longisimmus dorsi I think its called looking at a diagram). The new high withered Wintec 2000 GP didn't fit. It was a very good guess and came off his withers nicely but it wasn't good enough, Liz is very thorough and prefers not to use thick saddle cloths and goodness knows what to stuff under to keep the horse comfortable, she'd prefer to get the saddle to fit the horse and not the horse to fit the saddle if that makes sense.
Last night my friend asked why we'd not tried her Thorowgood T6 saddle (neither of us could find it when we looked) so we tried it on and although it was too wide Liz changed the gullet to a medium and low and behold with a thin saddle cloth and a prolite pad it fitted perfectly. It will be great as a short term solution until he has built up the necessary muscle he needs so I can order a new leather saddle. I'm hoping the pro rider can ride him once a week and maybe give me a lesson too every now and then.
So out we went into the school and I put him on the lunge as the previous owner had warned me if he wasn't ridden most days he could be sharp (he'd gone 12 days by this point since he was last ridden by me when I tried him) He hardly cared on the lunge, he was good as gold, so after a couple of circles in trot it was plain to see he wasn't going to react. He was like this in the wind and rain when I long reined him the other night.
It was a particularly busy evening but its a huge outdoor school so it wasn't too bad, I think there was 6 of us in there. So I took the plunge and got on. I wasn't in the slightest bit nervous, I had my trusty air jacket on just in case but he was like a lamb to Bailey. I'm sure once he's got his feet under the table he will come out of his shell! So we walked, trotted and cantered on both reins, he was amazing, apart from a couple of little snorts when we first started he took it all in his stride and was lovely. His canter is amazing - like a rocking horse and doesn't aggravate my back.
A huge thank you to my friend also. I'm not sure she'd want me to mention her name on here but if anyone needs a cracking good ACPAT physio send me a PM!
Thank you Liz from Horsesense. You are truly amazing.
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