Tamlaght Equestrian Care

02/02/2025

Lexy update.

This week I had a little wobble, otherwise known as panic. Unnecessarily thank goodness.

Lexy has been so content, no longer afraid of the saddle, happy to be tacked up just a little apprehensive of the initial girthing, but happy to be tightened once it is on. We have just been placing the saddle, no ridden work while we work on her associations.

But on Tuesday I went to pull the girth through and realised she had a ventral edema. Now these can be nothing much - a little tear perhaps and localised swelling or they can be indicative of bigger issues - and due to the journey this lady had had I immediately went to protein issues and other possible long term problems. I'm not a vet (far from it) just a horse owner and saddle fitter who sees 20/30 horses a week so I see and hear about all the medical issues and therefore have heard lots of horror stories, hence any issue is immediately ran through my memory bank and all possible outcomes considered.

So I phoned my vet (again). Scans done, full bloods and other than heightened inflammation markers, nothing showing up. No CK levels to indicate a tear so a bit of an odd one but it disappeared within 48hrs and we will be rechecking her blood as I've popped her on an anti inflammatory for a few days just to be safe.

She is otherwise happy, healthy and loving her life at the moment. Physio here again this morning to double check we can't find a cause for the inflammation levels. She will always be my one sided mare due to her hip imbalance and her inflammation markers could be related to this but she is coming on so well.

Here she is yesterday having a little lunge, no gadgets just stretching and enjoying herself.

31/01/2025

The work phone is currently not working!

If you need me please email [email protected]
Or PM the page

Sorry for any inconvenience, hope to get it sorted this afternoon.

30/01/2025

NOW BOOKED - THANKS

Tuesday 4th @ 12:30 - Newtownards area

Due to a cancellation the above apt time is now available. If anyone has booked for a later date and would prefer this slot please pm me.

If not requested by end of business tomorrow it will be available to book online.

29/01/2025

OK........... What is wrong with these pictures??
(For clarity these are 3 separate jump huts along one side of the arena.)

Is it just me or would you have to fix it??

29/01/2025

DUBLIN DATES!

Due to high demand and so we can support Hannah Dillon in her saddle fitting journey we are organising saddle fitting in the Dublin area.

Looking likely that these will be held at Knightfield Stud on 25th March and 24th June.

We plan to hold these days every 3 months so we can service any sales as well as support new clients. Lynette our Level 4 advanced IASF fitter and an SMS QSF will hold the saddle fittings, bringing a wide range of saddles, and will be assisted by Hannah Dillon, Trainee SMS fitter. Hannah who is based in Kildare will be on hand once qualified as your local fitter, who we intend to support throughout her career as needed.

Spaces are limited but we may extend it to a 2 day event if demand requires. You can book your slot on the link below. Arena hire costs are covered in your booking fee.
Knightfield Stud

Saddle Fitting Service and Arena Hire with Lynette McKeown. Level 4 IASF Saddle Fitter.

29/01/2025

All buzz here at Cafre college careers day. Really looking forward to meeting the up and coming Equestrian professionals and hopefully influence their understanding and expectations in regards to saddle fitting. I thrive for competition and believe research is constantly progressing making re-education a constant requirement. It's why we cannot just qualify and then work. You must keep investing and the students today will hopefully have fresh perspectives which I can't wait to hear.

27/01/2025

One apt still available at Bennett's Equestrian, Newry tomorrow at 230/3.

26/01/2025

Ah pants! I tried I really did... But....

Saddles belonging to my horses cleaned 0/4
Horses groomed and given solarium time 3/3
Saddle pressed for client delivery on Tuesday 1/1

Lexy even offered to do the skipping out 😉

If procrastination was an art I'd be famous 🫣🤣 ummmm...... Are my stables starting to resemble the red light district??! 👀😲😱

26/01/2025

Cleaning and looking after your saddle - client request. I am a saddle fitter not a saddler, so this is just how I look after my stock, please comment if you have any great leather care tips!

Ok here is the truth of it, I am awful at prioritising cleaning, mainly because when I clean I obsess over one little thing and don't get through very much. So our stock is cleaned by the wonderful Ella Watters, when she has time. And otherwise generally gets a quick lick.

We give everything a good rub over with a warm, wet cloth and we use the cameo shampoo bars - designed for cleaning your horse - for dirtier saddles. I love this product as it comes in a little scrubby bag, it doesn't sud up and smells amazing hung in your tack room when you're finished.
I also use a soft tooth brush to clean around seams, d rings, badges etc

Then I have 3 products which I use as follows:

Older hard leather saddles or dry cracking girth billets - neatsfoot oil. Any brand, but I use fieblings. Liberally applied to leather only, allowed to sink in for 5 mins or so, then rubbed into the leather with a dry clean cloth in circular motions. Oil can cause stretching so be careful with girth billets, on monoflaps the girth straps are more prone to drying out and cracking - as they are in the elements - and I do oil these straps lightly. EDIT - see Hattie Crabtree comment below, as can rot stitching.

Soft leather, calf leather, saddles in good condition - Renapur. I love this stuff. It conditions, softens, gives a healthy gleam and feeds the leather. It is quick and easy to use and doesn't dry out the leather like many balms can. No oil on these saddles! Especially not on the seat as you can cause it to stretch or discolour!

Fairfax saddles - I only use their own Rapide gel. I also use this gel when I just want to give the saddle a quick cosmetic lift as it can really lift the colour of the leather.

I NEVER use any spray cleaners and I won't use any product that has alcohol in it.

Girth should be removed, saddle cover on and girth placed over the top of the saddle cover. Ideally stirrups removed too or at least in stirrup covers and rolled up.

However if you look in my tack room rather than stock room you will see my stirrups rolled up, girth flapped over the top and the saddle cover somewhere in the vicinity! 🫣

I'll blame how busy I am but in reality I don't prioritise my own tack as much as I should. This post has made me feel guilty so off to the tack room I go 🤣🤣👍

I am not affiliated with any of these products, so this is not a post to "sell" certain products. I'm sharing what I use. Would love to hear what you use and why. ❤️

25/01/2025

Want to come on a wellness journey with me?

Meet Lexy. She is 14 and had a show jumping career, then 2 foals and then... Well I'm not quite sure, but she came up for sale... And guess who bought her!

Well of course I did! I wanted a show jumper ready to go, that would forgive my asymmetry and take me straight out competing. Is that what I bought... Nope NOPE nope.

I tried lots of horses, and at the end of the day none of them just made my heart say yes. She did. This little mare with a world of fear in her eyes. She has one dropped hip and a proper fear of being girthed up. Even doing up the surcingles on a rug was stressful for her.

So I brought her home. Not to go out and compete. Not to fulfill my own preconceived goals. But hopefully to give her the life she deserves.

She may end up a brood mare, she may end up a companion but for now this is what I know.

I've had her almost 2 months. She is now relaxed, happy and lovely to ride. However she still does not like to be girthed.

We've ruled out ulcers and any skeletal issues. We've had regular veterinary advice and guidance.
She is having regular physio, solarium and massage pad time as I want her to start associating people with kindness and always feeling better.
Her hoof balance has been addressed by my super farrier.
Her teeth have been done and REALLY needed done 🫣

She is being loved and pampered and has only been ridden 3 times as I figure out what is best for her.

My horses choose what we do. It's always been that way. They love to jump, we jump. They love to hunt, we hunt. They love dressage.... I think you get the idea.

This lady is 100% happy as soon as I am mounted. She loves to ride. But until I can girth her without an adverse reaction, I will be holding off. Because I want to ensure she isn't just doing her job because she feels she should. I want a partnership with her. So we are going slowly and she is choosing for now.

She was tried in a very old Albion K2 (a heavy saddle for a very weak top line), she was ridden by me in an equipe expression with a merino wool lined numnah which she seemed to like. I chose this as it was light, I felt secure and the fit was good, but to give her all the comfort she needs right now I want her in flock.

Once she builds a bit more natural top line from long lining, ad lib forage and turn out, she will be in her very own FCS Fiona Cork Saddles event saddle. Light, comfy flock, perfect gullet channel and panels chosen specifically for her shape - with room for her to improve.

So this is my Lexy, getting rounder and being pampered. And yes, a bit spoilt I suppose, because she has already stolen my heart and I don't think she's been spoilt in quite some time. ❤️

I'll enjoy sharing her story with you.

25/01/2025

On a cold and frosty day, with branches strewn everywhere and snow on the ground, my 830am clients made it to me at 3. 🥰

Sofie Halcrow and her beautiful new mare sporting a Tamlaght Equestrian Care show rug, in the blustering wind and rain 🤣 at least it stayed dry for the ridden assessment.

Her mare was absolutely super, even ignoring my 3 eejits as they galloped round the field. They were gutted when her mare just bossed it and walked past their field oblivious to their foolery.

Cracking rider with a cracking horse. Exciting partnership to watch this year. 👀
Emma Halcrow

24/01/2025

Saddle fittings next week;

Tuesday @ Bennetts Equestrian Newry - 2 afternoon slots available
Friday @ TEC 930am.

Otherwise fully booked.

www.tamlaghtequestriancare.co.uk/book-now

24/01/2025

Ruddy storm! 6 arena mirrors from Mirrors for Training delivered Monday! Delivery driver put them inside a lean too so on checking them last night I thought they'd be grand. Absolutely gutted. I really thought These ones were designed not to crack or smash.

I will be accepting my upgraded facilities just may not have mirrors after all 😭😭😭 this is my 2nd set, after the first ones from a less reputable source smashed being offloaded!

On a positive note, my horses are coping well with the storm. How's everyone else doing?

22/01/2025

22/01/2025

Forward girth groves.

If your horse's girth grove is in front of equilibrium (where the rider seat bones should be for the horse to carry through the back as easily as possible) then your girth grove is considered forward.

This can cause the saddle to slip forward. If coupled with a downhill flat back, lower at the base of the wither than at T18 (last thoracic vertebrae and end of saddle carrying area) then your saddle will most likely slip forward.

How do we stop - or at the very least reduce this?

Firstly a proper fitted saddle - with the correct tree, deep front gussets and shallow rear gussets, we need to ensure it is in balance. This will reduce forward slip but also place the rider correctly, encouraging them to sit heel below hip. A saddle that is out of balance can cause pressure points due to rider weight being concentrated through one section of the panels.

Correct girthing. I do not like using point straps permanently but they have a place. They are the girth straps that are webbed off the point itself. I refer to these as 0. Then 1, 2, 3 are the girth straps that are webbed to or preferably, through the tree. If you have a balance strap this is 4. Standard girthing when everything is normal is 1 & 3. 0 and 2 can reduce the saddle sliding forward, provided the saddle is in balance. However please ensure you refer to your fitter and follow their advice as using the point strap if the saddle has the wrong tree, wrong point length and/or is out of balance will restrict your horses movement and concentrate the rider weight through the 1st 3rd of the saddle. Some saddles have 3 straps and no point, some have 5. Some have a balance strap which has a different purpose altogether.

The actual girth. A straight girth will not work. You need a shaped anatomic girth that sits nicely in the girth grove then bends back to carry up the horses side straight to the girthing on your saddle. Some anatomics bend forward again and will not work for this scenario. I like the GFS anatomic girth for this confirmation.

This was requested by multiple clients - I hope it helps but if you find all this confusing - please use a fitter!

Images borrowed from Google. I can't see ownership. If they belong to you please let me know and I will happily tag to give credit. Saddlefit 4 Life ® (last image)

21/01/2025

Joined today by the lovely Hannah Dillon,trainee SMS fitter from Southern Ireland, always a pleasure to joined out fitting with other like minded fitters. It’s tough to cover the whole province but hopefully with Hannah in the south and Caitlin porter at the north coast, the future for well fitted horses is looking bright.
As the only fitter in Ireland who is IASF and SMS qualified it is a privilege to share my experience with the young talent.

18/01/2025

Lynette.... Why are you placing my saddle so far back? I may as well be on their butt!

But seriously, where should your saddle be positioned? How do you know it's right?

We come from a nation of saddles on top of shoulders. Taught to set the saddle above the wither and the panel legs over the shoulder. We warm up and saddle has "slipped back", jump off put it back on top of their ears, sorry shoulders., and still we don't realise the saddle doesn't actually belong there.

The SMS teach a saddle should be 5cm behind the scapula. The IASF teach you to place the point of the saddle behind the shoulder rotation. You will see me lift a leg and check how far the scapula rotates. Most often 2.5" (so SMS guidance) but sometimes it's just an inch, or 3inches. This determines where I place your saddle. Then the final panel contact must not be past T18. This is how I determine what length of saddle (which alters by brand and model) will sit nicely on your horses weight bearing area.

The scapula is lined with soft cartilage, your horse should be able to move the scapula freely without contacting the tree points.

Once placed correctly your girth straps should hang naturally inline with your horses girth grove, hence why we have shaped girths. But that's a whole other post!

This post was a client request... Keep letting me know what interests you and I'll do my best to deliver 😍☺️
❤️

Excellent illustration borrowed from Natural Horseman Saddles.com Natural Horseman Saddles