Pictures Rider error - not maintaining the contact

Not read the whole thread but a saddle that prevents the rider sitting down and around the horse like that will never give you the right base to be more functionally symmetrical. You need your knee to drop more and your pelvis be better supported in front. I would highly recommend Equimech or another trainer from the Equestrian Fitness Institute to help off horse, we all have bad habits, pain, restriction etc that we take onto the horse.
 
Last edited:
sbloom said:
Not read the whole thread but a saddle that prevents the rider sitting down and around the horse like that will never give you the right base to be more functionally symmetrical. You need your knee to drop more and your plevis be better supported in front. I would highly recommend Equimech or another trainer from the Equestrian Fitness Institute to help off horse, we all have bad habits, pain, restriction etc that we take onto the horse.
Click to expand...
Can definitely vouch for Equimech. I signed up for six classes via web last Oct. Anytime I do one of them at home the next day my seat is so much more stable and quiet.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Thank you @HeresHoping I do long and low work with her, I’ll start doing more. I thought I hold her to tight, but at camp was told to ride with shorter reins/shorter contact again. (Conflicting!)

Am sure the instructor I’ve booked will be able to help.
Click to expand...


HeresHoping sais exactly what i was going to say.

They need to be able to work long and low to be able to engage their hind quarters and lift the abdomonal muscles and this engages the back muscles etc.

I always stat clear of instructors who tell you to have a tighter contact, its a lazy/false way of riding.

We had to stop with one instructor who insisted that my horse needs to be ridden in a short contact otherwise he wouldnt accept the bridle and come round.
This horse has one of the softist mouths i have ever ridden and if i did that his chin would be plastered to his chest.
We work him through the seat, in warm up long and low walk and trot and then up into a low contact for a bit of canter warm up. And then once we start to ask for a "working contact" where he starts to come up higher and work into my hands. Then when he is fit enough we shorten slightly and ask for a higher carriage when asking for medium trot etc.

So dependant on where we are in the sesson i can ask and adjust his frame. All through my seat, legs and hand height.

A classical trainer would be hugely helpful, i had a load of lessons with Julia La Gaurd and they completely changed the way i rode and how i looked at my impact on my horses way of going.
 
You said you use too much inside rein, why not try every time you want to go for the inside rein, use the outside one instead. This has worked really well for me as I always favour the right one
 
Thank you so much all!

I lowered my stirrups 2 holes and immediately felt like I was sat much better, she also felt freer in her shoulders. 🥳🥳

Only problem was the pommel of the saddle then pushes on my lady flower.. and is uncomfortable and gives me an awful weggie. This must be why I’ve always ridden in it so short.

Will be interesting what the saddler says next week.
 
Last edited:
doodle said:
I do exactly the same with my right hand. My right shoulder comes forward, my elbow comes out, my hand flattens and I open my fingers and don’t hold the reins firmly. My right hand then comes across his withers.

I had a lesson and instructor picked up on that and constantly reminded me. What has helped is focussing on my elbow and keeping it to my side. And then my thumb. It has made a huge difference. When I actually take a proper hold of my rein (I want to be soft on his mouth so hold the reins loosely which actually makes it worse) I can keep my thumb on top. When I think about my elbow to my side I can hold the reins better and my shoulder is in a better position. As a result my horse gets a more steady contact and instantly goes better.
Click to expand...
This is me exactly !
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Thank you so much all!

I lowered my stirrups 2 holes and immediately felt like I was say much better, she also felt freer in her shoulders. 🥳🥳

Only problem was the pommel of the saddle then pushes on my lady flower.. and is uncomfortable and gives me an awful weggie. This must be why I’ve always ridden in it so short.

Will be interesting what the saddler says next week.
Click to expand...
That sounds as if you need a different saddle!
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Thank you so much all!

I lowered my stirrups 2 holes and immediately felt like I was sat much better, she also felt freer in her shoulders. 🥳🥳

Only problem was the pommel of the saddle then pushes on my lady flower.. and is uncomfortable and gives me an awful weggie. This must be why I’ve always ridden in it so short.

Will be interesting what the saddler says next week.
Click to expand...
They are not great saddles in my opinion I would try and get something a bit better.
 
Pinkvboots said:
I would say wrong shape in front you need a much wider profile so it sits lower that's why it looks perched.

I've always thought they are not for wide horses just all wrong.
Click to expand...

It didn’t fit like that last year, looked much better but was never very comfortable for me if I’m honest. Struggled to get something to fit so I just went with it.

He did say before a Albion K2 would fit her nicely.. will see if I can save the money or maybe the credit card can be used for the first time.

Might do ground work until then.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
It didn’t fit like that last year, looked much better but was never very comfortable for me if I’m honest. Struggled to get something to fit so I just went with it.

He did say before a Albion K2 would fit her nicely.. will see if I can save the money or maybe the credit card can be used for the first time.

Might do ground work until then.
Click to expand...
The thing is that the saddle has to fit both the horse and the rider. Young horses do change shape quite a lot. I had a saddle fitted to my 4 yr old, after a few months, she started bucking in it. We were at livery and another youngster had 'outgrown' her saddle. We swapped saddles and both horses were much more comfortable, although mine needed another saddle later on.
 
You can just see how much flatter the front of the pommel is compared to yours is, yours is too upright and narrow for your horses shape to fit properly it must also feel unstable, that would just roll on my horse and be up his neck after the first trot.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
The thing is that the saddle has to fit both the horse and the rider. Young horses do change shape quite a lot. I had a saddle fitted to my 4 yr old, after a few months, she started bucking in it. We were at livery and another youngster had 'outgrown' her saddle. We swapped saddles and both horses were much more comfortable, although mine needed another saddle later on.
Click to expand...
You’re right.. I wish I said it didn’t feel very comfortable for me when it was fitted and I bought it new in Sept last year. It’s been checked twice since it was fitted (she had a break off work) but it’s pretty much new. I guess I’ll loose a good 50% on it.. gutting.

I had real issues getting a saddle to fit as well.
 
Pinkvboots said:
You can just see how much flatter the front of the pommel is compared to yours is, yours is too upright and narrow for your horses shape to fit properly it must also feel unstable, that would just roll on my horse and be up his neck after the first trot.
Click to expand...
Can see the huge difference between both saddles. It does feel unstable. I feel I really need to balance to keep it level. It does move forward quite easily, I have had slip issues since I bought it.

The fitter who originally fitted it new said she was barrel shaped and fat, but my vet at the time said she wasn’t fat. Although her ribs are very barrel like..

I’ll go back to them as they will check for free if you take a saddle purchased from back for a check.. be interesting what they say. If he says it’s because she’s fat - my vet saw her a couple of weeks ago and said she looks good.

Guessing it’s bareback or groundwork then.
 
Last edited:
Hormonal Filly said:
You’re right.. I wish I said it didn’t feel very comfortable for me when it was fitted and I bought it new in Sept last year. It’s been checked twice since it was fitted (she had a break off work) but it’s pretty much new. I guess I’ll loose a good 50% on it.. gutting.

I had real issues getting a saddle to fit as well.
Click to expand...
I was in a similar situation years ago had no idea how wide my horses were and had saddle fitters that didn't either, I learnt the hard way my other Arab had terrible muscle wastage from a saddle I bought a brand new show saddle and it was totally wrong.

You just have to try and find someone that understands that way of fitting sbloom on here is very good maybe message her and she may be able to help you.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Can see the huge difference between both saddles. It does feel unstable. I feel I really need to balance to keep it level. It does move forward quite easily, I have had slip issues since I bought it.

The fitter who originally fitted it new said she was barrel shaped and fat, but my vet at the time said she wasn’t fat. Although her ribs are very barrel like..

I’ll go back to them as they will check for free if you take a saddle purchased from back for a check.. be interesting what they say. If he says it’s because she’s fat I’ll disagree, my vet saw her a couple of weeks ago and said she looks great.

Guessing it’s bareback or groundwork then.
Click to expand...
She isn't fat she is just well covered and round my Louis is the same his ribs are just about there, I'm not surprised the saddle moves it must feel terrible I would feel very insecure in it and its probably why you ride so short.

Where are you?
 
I’ve got a wide Black Country quantum you would be welcome to sit on her - I’ve got it for my 4yo who was flat across the wither/back but who has since sprouted a wither!
 
I have always understood the stirrup leathers should hang down centrally which yours obviously doesn't, as it's going towards the back of the saddle which to me indicates the pommel/front of saddle is sitting too high.
 
irishdraft said:
I have always understood the stirrup leathers should hang down centrally which yours obviously doesn't, as it's going towards the back of the saddle which to me indicates the pommel/front of saddle is sitting too high.
Click to expand...

Hadn’t noticed that.. but you’re right. It’s easy to see how unbalanced it is when looking at the stirrups.
 
I have asked my previous saddle fitter and an old work colleague/friend who is a saddle fitter, both said to narrow and balance of the saddle is all out. To high in front which explains why I’m not feeling right in it position wise and they advised not to ride in it.

Sent images to the fitter who fitted it 5 weeks ago.. mind horse is the same weight now she was then. She said looks a touch high but it’s a jump saddle so will fit differently to a GP? But implied it fits. Baffling as I can see it doesn’t look right?

I’m going to do ground work (poles, long lining, might long line over some small cross country jumps as we had a lot of rein) and in 2 weeks have an appointment with my original saddler who fitted it last year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top