MystieMoo
Well-Known Member
So, here's a thing and I just wanted to share ...
When we first bought our mare 3 yrs ago, we had a good old HY waffle girth that we'd used for our previous horse. It fit and did the job just fine.
Fast forward to last year and my daughter wanting a more up-to-the-minute girth ...
Tried a Stubben GP on the advice of someone - absolutely no good for eventing as the straps were too long causing a tack malfunction at their first BE resulting in an unseated rider when the saddle slipped going round a corner. They'd have come 6th if not for that based on only 3 fences from home and my daughter's stop watch.
Sold the Subben, bought a Prolite on advice.
Not too long after mare started to show symptoms of gastric ulcers. Scoped by Rossdales - best gut they'd seen in a long time, definitely no ulcers. Took blood tests, nothing. Nothing showing in hindgut. Work up, x-rays, nothing. Got osteopath out and he found soreness on her back and didn't like the look of her saddle fit. New saddle fitter, Martin Wilkinson, called out - horrified by the way her dressage saddle had been fitted, absolutely too tight. GP saddle salvagable. We bought a new saddle, fitted by Martin - I must stress that this was our choice as he said he could sort the GP.
After osteopath treatments, vet check, brought the mare slowly back into work. My daughter is also 'wonky' through the hips which correlated with the mare's back issue, so she has osteopath and podiatrist now, too.
Everything has been going well, but the mare just didn't seem altogether happy at times around her girth area when being tacked up or ridden. But nothing to pinpoint.
Last week, we forgot to take the Prolite to our lesson. Had to use the old HY I always keep in the lorry as a spare. Mare went beautifully, just like her old self. I raised this point with my daughter. This week went for lesson, used Prolite and not as great at times.
I put my foot down - rare for me - and insisted they use the HY for schooling today. And guess what? Mare went absolutely perfectly! Free-moving, tracking up perfectly, bowling along.
Our mare is a 16.2hh ID x Cob. The Prolite was the regular one, not narrow.
I just wanted to share this experience and wondered if anyone had found the same sort of thing? I sometimes wonder if the old tried & tested equipment with no frills is better - I stress the word 'sometimes' here. I grew up in the 70s & 80s of snaffle or Pelham, cavesson or drop, string or Cottage Craft girth etc ... ?
NB: I'm not super knowledgeable when it comes to saddle fit etc, best girth etc - just didn't crop up when I had my ponies really as we all just seemed to have the same thing back then.
When we first bought our mare 3 yrs ago, we had a good old HY waffle girth that we'd used for our previous horse. It fit and did the job just fine.
Fast forward to last year and my daughter wanting a more up-to-the-minute girth ...
Tried a Stubben GP on the advice of someone - absolutely no good for eventing as the straps were too long causing a tack malfunction at their first BE resulting in an unseated rider when the saddle slipped going round a corner. They'd have come 6th if not for that based on only 3 fences from home and my daughter's stop watch.
Sold the Subben, bought a Prolite on advice.
Not too long after mare started to show symptoms of gastric ulcers. Scoped by Rossdales - best gut they'd seen in a long time, definitely no ulcers. Took blood tests, nothing. Nothing showing in hindgut. Work up, x-rays, nothing. Got osteopath out and he found soreness on her back and didn't like the look of her saddle fit. New saddle fitter, Martin Wilkinson, called out - horrified by the way her dressage saddle had been fitted, absolutely too tight. GP saddle salvagable. We bought a new saddle, fitted by Martin - I must stress that this was our choice as he said he could sort the GP.
After osteopath treatments, vet check, brought the mare slowly back into work. My daughter is also 'wonky' through the hips which correlated with the mare's back issue, so she has osteopath and podiatrist now, too.
Everything has been going well, but the mare just didn't seem altogether happy at times around her girth area when being tacked up or ridden. But nothing to pinpoint.
Last week, we forgot to take the Prolite to our lesson. Had to use the old HY I always keep in the lorry as a spare. Mare went beautifully, just like her old self. I raised this point with my daughter. This week went for lesson, used Prolite and not as great at times.
I put my foot down - rare for me - and insisted they use the HY for schooling today. And guess what? Mare went absolutely perfectly! Free-moving, tracking up perfectly, bowling along.
Our mare is a 16.2hh ID x Cob. The Prolite was the regular one, not narrow.
I just wanted to share this experience and wondered if anyone had found the same sort of thing? I sometimes wonder if the old tried & tested equipment with no frills is better - I stress the word 'sometimes' here. I grew up in the 70s & 80s of snaffle or Pelham, cavesson or drop, string or Cottage Craft girth etc ... ?
NB: I'm not super knowledgeable when it comes to saddle fit etc, best girth etc - just didn't crop up when I had my ponies really as we all just seemed to have the same thing back then.
