What saddle/pad/roller/combo/option did you back your horse in?

Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt

Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt

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As title - interested in what you used to back your horse...
saddle you had fitted?
saddle pad and roller?
bareback?
treeless saddle?
any saddle that was to hand and roughly fitted?

For background info I will be backing a 7yo sec d, so - generously shaped but fully grown with mature joints etc...though never ridden so back muscles in 'unbacked' condition...

Have posted separately about saddle-fitting and fully intend to do this as soon as feasible, but interested to see the usual wide-range of experiences I've come to expect from HHO'ers! :)
 
I'd be wary of using something that "roughly fits" - tough one though as a full fitting assessment needs the horse to be ridden. So, ideally you need a tree that you know will fit now and for a while, and worry less about flocking overall as the subtleties of saddle fit just can't be done at a standstill with no rider. Be prepared to get the fitter out more than once in the first six months....a young back is a soft back and MUCH more vulnerable to damage from both pressure and instability in saddle fit.
 
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Thanks sbloom - you kindly replied to my other thread asking for fitter recommendations and I do intend to go down this route...but for now am just interested to know what others have done...:)

By the way, when you say a 'young back' are you really saying an 'unbacked back' or would you consider this horse to be in a similar muscular state to a young, unbacked horse, despite the fact he is 7? (I realise you would have to generalise here to answer this as you don't have the horse in front of you!)

So, HHO'ers, what have you backed in?
 
I just sat on my mare the other day totally barebacked.

I will continue riding her bareback through all her initial education - walking and halting. I wouldnt do more than walk bareback though, and as soon as I ask for trot, she will be bought her very own saddle, fitted by a saddler. I'm thinking the Wintec 250 GP - cheap as chips, but fine for us for the first few years whilst she changes shape every 30 secs! xxx
 
myrddinwyllt said:
By the way, when you say a 'young back' are you really saying an 'unbacked back' or would you consider this horse to be in a similar muscular state to a young, unbacked horse, despite the fact he is 7? (I realise you would have to generalise here to answer this as you don't have the horse in front of you!)
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Generally I'd say bones change with age, but muscles change with work, so the back is the same whatever age, if unbacked and otherwise unworked. Even if worked - driving for instance - the muscle is still not the same.
 
Cedars said:
I just sat on my mare the other day totally barebacked.

I will continue riding her bareback through all her initial education - walking and halting. I wouldnt do more than walk bareback though, and as soon as I ask for trot, she will be bought her very own saddle, fitted by a saddler. I'm thinking the Wintec 250 GP - cheap as chips, but fine for us for the first few years whilst she changes shape every 30 secs! xxx
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Brill, very interested to hear that! :)
 
Bareback first all the time for me. I always think it is more the girth they react than the actual rider, so I prefer to get them started bareback for the ridden work [in between doing the lunging/long reining work in tack still] and then ride them in tack after.

I generally don't bother with a roller, unless I think they are going to properly explode of it - in which case I do use a roller as I don't want the saddle copping for it!
 
Binky01 said:
Bareback first all the time for me. I always think it is more the girth they react than the actual rider, so I prefer to get them started bareback for the ridden work [in between doing the lunging/long reining work in tack still] and then ride them in tack after.

I generally don't bother with a roller, unless I think they are going to properly explode of it - in which case I do use a roller as I don't want the saddle copping for it!
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Ah - as per your lovely recent pix then! Can see this would make sense and give them an all-round experience of tack/weight in different stages...Great, thanks!
 
Binky01 said:
No problem! :)


Sat back on the older stallion today. He was broken and driven when he was younger but since has been used solely at stud and running with his ladies!

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...5347839_125068787550205_746223_90481191_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...81165_125068787550205_746224_1351878484_n.jpg

He's a sweety though...he'll be easy peasy to bring back into it I think!
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Great stuff! Think my new boy will be fairly straightforward too...he was a stallion until last year too...pretty calm and friendly..plenty of personality but just unspooky...he's been apparently un-bothered by being tacked up and laid over too...so, we'll see! ;)
 
Roller and a hessian sack, but I will have been grooming by standing on a bale, and leaning and slipping leg over for several weeks.
He will be working in long reins with roller or a saddle, and be calm and happy.
I move on to a saddle pretty soon, but do very little, and make sure he walks the last mile home with no rider and a loose girth.
I tend to spend a lot of time on ground work and general education, but if I had a good light rider available, and ideal facilities, I would press on faster.
 
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I have done the leaning over bareback because I think it is nice for the horse to feel me rather than just an odd weight in the saddle at first, if you see what I mean?

In parallel I'd get the horse used to the saddle. The feeling of the girth has not been an issue but that may be because I have always used rollers (without a rider) prior to the saddle so they are familiar with that feeling. I prefer to use a roller prior to the saddle since they are smaller, lighter, and they are easier to handle especially if you are on your own. Then, I've moved on to roller + saddle pad, then to the saddle. First just the saddle, then, I've moved on to having the stirrups down - even on the lunge, so they get used to them flapping about. I also tried to get them used to weight in the saddle by pulling on it a bit, and pulling the stirrups from both sides. First at a standstill and then at walk.

By the way, before sitting up on the horse for the first time, I have also introduced situations where I tower over them, by standing on something, or even standing next to them when they lie down (on the side their back is on, well back from the head, to avoid flailing legs/head should they get up!)

I'd also do jumping up and down on the ground etc. so mounting won't phase them.

After the horse being completely used to moving with a saddle, weight in the saddle, and having me on board bareback I'd move on to leaning over the saddle, sitting in the saddle and then to being lead in a walk.

Basically my strategy has been to break down the different elements and to try to practice them separately before combining.

Other people I know would use a saddle the whole time and it has been fine too. Perhaps it depends a bit on whether you are backing your own pony that you know and have a strong 1:1 relationship with little by little, or back many horses professionally in a time efficient way. With my own ponies backing has not been a big step at all because they have been so used to hanging out, leaning, even having me around while they lie down in the field.
 
I 'm currently in the process of backing my youngster and I have so far got him youst to having a rollar on his back (fleece lined) done up, and have just put the saddle on to see his reactions.

However I have just started to groom him by standing on a box and leaning over his back as part of the process so he gets youst to me being around him (if that makes sense).

I plan to eventually get on him bareback first so he gets youst to the feel and weight of me, before I contemplate having the saddle on as well.
 
MrsD123 said:
Roller and a hessian sack, but I will have been grooming by standing on a bale, and leaning and slipping leg over for several weeks.
He will be working in long reins with roller or a saddle, and be calm and happy.
I move on to a saddle pretty soon, but do very little, and make sure he walks the last mile home with no rider and a loose girth.
I tend to spend a lot of time on ground work and general education, but if I had a good light rider available, and ideal facilities, I would press on faster.
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MrsD... a hessian sack? could you please explain to this numpty why?
 
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