Opinions please-horse on loan

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Trixie88

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Hi

I have a horse on loan,had her 6 weeks now we had our issues but are getting there,we have come a long way.I plan to eventually buy her not until next year tho.

She tosses her head when ridden,I changed her bit and put a martingale on,she still does it on a long rein.teeth
and back are fine.looking at the saddle,it looks quite narrow.she is 12
and has has the saddle since she was 4.I am getting a saddler out to check,the thing is it isn't my saddle.I will talk to the owner but what would you do?mention you would eventually buy her?say would he mind if the saddle was changed or improved?thanks
 
If you are going to carry on loaning for the next 5+ months - and possibly buy horse after that, I'd have a good chat with the saddler.
See also if they can bring a selection of reasonably priced 2nd hand saddles to try too.

Questions to ask are:
1. Can the present saddle be adjusted by the saddler so that it does fit the current shape of the horse?
2. If not, what saddle can they suggest to try that is going to be suitable for your & the horses needs?

If you can get a saddle to fit the horse - either its own or another, then thats to your mutual benefit.

Obviously you need to talk this through with the owner, but am sure they will be sensible about you calling out saddler for a consultation - at your expense. The saddle does need to fit - even if you terminate the agreement to loan/buy at a later date.
If this led to changes needed, then as an owner - I'd be expecting you to pay for it as full loaner with a view to buy horse (particularly if you did get a replacement saddle!)

Good luck - hope you get it sorted out :)
 
I would be very surprised if the saddle was a good fit. If she's had it since she was 4 then she will still have been maturing and changing shape. Have a chat with the owner, if she cares about her horse I don't see how she can complain about you being concerned about his comfort and suggest she might like to be there to see what the saddler says. You don't have to spend a fortune, a good second hand or adjustable synthetic shouldn't break the bank. If the problem isn't addressed you are never going to improve his way of going.
 
The saddle definatley does not fit her in a certain place. I have booked a saddler to come out in 2 weeks to see what he can do. The owner is in teh Falkland islands, but he is very novicy and hence why she probably has never had it checked! Good thing she came to an experienced home! He just put it down to being mareish, although having a closer look and having years of experience around horses, she is in pain and could behave a lot worse than she is! I have only had her 5 weeks, and know that there is a problem and am trying to address it, hence why i have started from the beginning and working my way up to find the main cause. This is what annoys me about people who don't have experience and buy horses because they have the money! Hopefully it isn't too late to fix it!
 
Tammytoo said:
Good for you! It may be worth having a chiro give her a onceover to relieve any tension/soresness that may have built up over the years.
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i completely agree with Tammytoo, if she has had the same saddle from a 4yrold it is defo worth getting a chiro out to her!! physio is all about muscle but chiro will sort out the mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine!
 
amymay said:
I'd simply buy a new saddle.
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If only it were that simple! If i had the money and she was mine then i would! The owner says she had her saddle and back checked 2 years ago and everything was fine! Alot can happen in 2 years! Anyway he is coming out, all signs point to the saddle and i have had another opinion from some other owners.her owner seemed a bit annoyed and put it down to her trying it on...which may be part of it too...but there is something else not quite right!
 
amymay said:
Then you can't afford a horse.

If the owner isn't in a position to replace it - you'll need to either stop riding her or end the loan.
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I think when you take a horse on loan you are taking on the most expensive part about horses!! Anyone can buy a horse its the up keep that is the most expensive!

The fact that a saddle needs to fit a horse and rider may come into account here! I ride a little 15hh horse that i event! He had a saddle fitted as a 5 year old and seamed to do the job until i started to event him last autumn at age 10, he changed shape, the saddle hurt him and it also was uncomfortable for me to ride in! I started using my own saddle that i have for my own 2 girls and it fitted him fine with a riser under it, his whole attitude changed for the better once i stopped using his original saddle!

Since the saddle he 1st had was no longer useable i asked the owners was it ok if i traded it in with my local saddler, they were happy to let me do that and i found a trade in one and they only had to put £150 to it!

I would have been happy to contribute to the cost but they felt that it was their responsibility to provide THEIR horse with suitable equipment! I am not loaning the horse however but this might just be an option for you to consider! saddles are an expensive piece of kit but sometimes with horses money is not the considered factor!
 
amymay said:
Then you can't afford a horse.

If the owner isn't in a position to replace it - you'll need to either stop riding her or end the loan.
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Thats a bit harsh isn't it? I can afford a horse just fine, her keep and feed and everything is paid for...the difference is spending £500 on a saddle, at least! At least i am doing something about it and not just going to make her put up with it! that is responsible...if it comes to the point where she needs a new saddle then we will cross that road when and if it comes to it! If you dont have anything constructive to say, then why say anything at all!
 
I have to say if i couldnt afford a horse, i wouldn't have got one to loan! The saddle is fine for me, thats not the issue and until the saddler comes it isnt definate it doesnt fit her! I mean if she will have to have a new saddle i will speak to her owner, im sure he will be happy for me to trade it in, and would rather she have one thats fits her. Paying for the upkeep and spending at least £500 on a new saddle are 2 different things! Anyway we shall see what the saddler says and take it from there!
 
Trixie88 said:
Thats a bit harsh isn't it? I can afford a horse just fine, her keep and feed and everything is paid for...the difference is spending £500 on a saddle, at least! At least i am doing something about it and not just going to make her put up with it! that is responsible...if it comes to the point where she needs a new saddle then we will cross that road when and if it comes to it! If you dont have anything constructive to say, then why say anything at all!
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I don't think it harsh - no.

This is a horse you have on loan, with the intention of buying. Therefore if you can't afford an essential bit of kit for it, you can't afford the horse.

If you were loaning this horse without the intention of purchase the story may to some be different.

However in my eyes, the only difference in loaning is that you don't fork out to buy the horse - everything else though is payable (and that can ocassionaly mean the expense of it's wardrobe).

As for being constructive - I have been. Have a long, cold look at your finances to ensure that you can afford the upkeep of a horse, and everything that that entails. That is constructive advice.
 
I didnt say i was buying her straight away though, not at least until next year! Plus if you must know i am due a payrise, therefore when that comes through i would be able to afford a saddle! Like i said, if she does need one and i have to pay for it then i can afford it...but as she isnt mine at the moment, and wont be for a while it is the owners responsibility!

By the way, do you actually have a horse? I have taken into account the expenses, i have been working with horses for years and years so i know exactly what to take into account, and she has everything she needs now as i have just spent a fortune on rugs for the winter which she will need! So don't tell me what i can and can't afford!
 
As for being constructive - I have been. Have a long, cold look at your finances to ensure that you can afford the upkeep of a horse, and everything that that entails. That is constructive advice.[/QUOTE]

Plus i would like to say i had a very long and hard look at my finances and didnt go into this lightly...if i didnt have the money then i wouldnt have bothered!
 
Plus i would like to say i had a very long and hard look at my finances and didnt go into this lightly...if i didnt have the money then i wouldnt have bothered!
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Brilliant.

Enjoy the horse.
 
Trixie88 - dont feel you have to explain your finances on a forum !!

Im in the same situation as you and didnt have £500 to just pay out on a new saddle. I had a wintec gp which I had refitted to the horse, he then had his back and teeth done. His teeth had been done 6 month previously but the backs were sharp as chucks his head up when the vet had his hand in his mouth.

An good vet gave him a small amount of sedative and he stood still. His back was sore in 3 places. Once this had been resolved I got the saddler back out again once I had saved for a dressage saddle.

I would ask the saddler if they would part ex the existing saddle for something basic like a wintec just to keep her ticking over untill you save. Or get her sized up and look on ebay.
 
Its very hard when people try and tell you what to do!

I think i am just going to wait and see what the saddler says and take it from there really.

Thanks
 
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