Rocinante Saddle Fitting

02/11/2024

Rocinante Saddle Fitting has a NEW home on Instagram and Facebook! Since adding on Equine Massage last year I have decided to consolidate all the social media of Rocinante Equine. So head on over to Rocinante Equine (formerly Rocinante Stables) and give it a follow! This page will stay active for a little while but the best place to find me will be in the new one. Thank you everyone for your support 💕

12/20/2023

I will be in the Beaufort/Bluffton area this Thursday and have room for 2 more spots! Text 843-410-9226 if you are in need of a saddle fitting or for a new saddle for Christmas 🎄

07/27/2023

I live for messages like this! It goes to show how important well fitting tack is for you and your horse's ability to move correctly and comfortably.

07/06/2023

Today was day 1 of the second section of Equine Myofascial Sports Massage School. Over the next 4 days we will be learning more advanced techniques! I am very much looking forward to practicing these new skills. This fall I will be certified and able to bring these services to your horses!

06/06/2023

But really 🤣😭

We love what we do, but some days we can FEEL ourselves going grey.

06/05/2023

Happy customers!!! A custom Loxley Dressage just arrived for this pair and the first ride in it was amazing for both. I love when I can help riders and their horses find the perfect saddle ❤️

05/23/2023

✨️This just in! The Bliss Sportiva Eventer Monoflap ✨️ This beauty gives you a close feel and a slim twist with OUT sacrificing your horse's back. Available for demo now 😎

05/18/2023

Such amazing info on this page! Highly recommend hitting the like button.

These are perfect examples of improper vs proper trapezius development. Something us saddle fitters are always evaluating. If I come across a back with severely underdeveloped muscling, I always reserve the right to recommend physical therapy for the horse before a saddle can be fit.

05/17/2023

Workbench day

05/10/2023

I've taken a break from fitting the last few weeks for a few bouts of travel and a clinic but now I'm back at it! My trusty 4-wheeled steed Bobbie is loaded up and ready to go. Beaufort today, Holly Hill and Ridgeville tomorrow. Message if you need me! 🐎

04/26/2023

Headed to LRK3DE with BLISS OF LONDON tomorrow!!! Keep an eye out on this page and my stories for alllll the photos 🐎🐎🐎

04/09/2023

Today I finished up the first section of Equine Myofascial Sports Massage School! It was an incredible 4 days. I learned so much and saw some great results already in the horses. Looking forward to the next 6 months of learning and practice ✨️

I did a terrible job taking more photos so here is the view out the back of one of the beautiful horse properties we visited in Camden.

04/06/2023

Today was the first day of Equine Myofascial Sports Massage school! Lots of info and lots of hands on already. I know I've been a little quiet on here recently but there are some exciting plans in the works (long term) for Rocinante Saddle Fitting. I feel so lucky to get to study under Mike Scott as this particular course has been upgraded and designed for his former Saddle Fitting students. I've been feeling pulled towards equine body work for a long time and and am looking forward to being able to offer my clients a much more integrated approach to their horse's comfort and health 🦄
Here is Mike demonstrating direct pressure technique and Charger saying "thaaaats the spot!"

03/08/2023

✨️Takeaways from the full horse dissection with Eq-Soma Osteology & Anatomy Learning Center and Sharon May-Davis ✨️🌻

NOSEBANDS and the effect they have on the horse’s body Part 1:

Loosen those nosebands! Most that I check during saddle fitting appointments are too tight. The correct fit is at least TWO fingers between the noseband and the top of the horse’s nose (the bony part, NOT the squishy sides where it’s easy to cheat- see the photo). This also goes for flash, drop nosebands, figure 8s, micklems, etc. Two fingers!

Why do I say this? In the dissection we saw adhesions under the skin of the horse’s nose and in between EVERY layer of muscle underneath. These adhesions were caused by a too tight noseband, in this case most likely a flash or a micklem. They covered the whole area of her muzzle.

What are adhesions? Adhesions form from injuries to the fascia causing it to crink and tear into knots. Due to the tightness of the noseband, the muscles in her muzzle could not move correctly and the strained movement literally tore the fascial layers. Muscles use fascia to slide and when they cannot it’s like throwing sand onto an icy road. No more sliding! Adhesions are painful all on their own, not to mention the discomfort caused by the noseband itself. Imagine putting a tourniquet around your bicep and then try to do pullups and push ups for an hour. How painful would your arm be after?

Tight nosebands also restrict blood flow, breathing, the tongue, the hyoid, and pinch delicate facial nerves. More on that coming soon.

See photos below for good and bad examples and next time you ride double check how tight your horse's noseband is.

✨️I want to edit this to add that the tight noseband was NOT used by this horse's most recent owner. It was used by a trainer years back✨️

03/08/2023

I currently have the Loxley Mono Flap and Dressage demos in stock! Send me a message if you're looking for a new saddle this spring or if your current saddle needs a check up 🐎 [email protected]
843-410-9226

For the glitter lovers!
The loxley dressage monoflap with a brown glitter fabric trim and matching Cantle.

03/06/2023

More about the dissection I attended last week:

02/28/2023

Wow.

Probably still the best word I have for the experience I had this past weekend. I attended a full horse dissection with the incredible Dr. Sharon May-Davis, a world renowned equine physical therapist specializing in biomechanics, rehabilitation, and anatomy (among many others). She is the author of many published papers and the leading expert in Equine Complex Vertebral Malformation. Sharon is a wealth of knowledge and her experience reaches far beyond what many could even hope to gain. If you are a horse person, listen when she speaks, the lessons are invaluable.

I have SO many take-aways from the past three days and will start sharing them soon but I want to start this series of posts with thanking Elsie - our beautiful teacher. Her life ended too soon but she is forever immortalized and forever cherished for the lessons she taught. I want to thank Elsie's owner for her bravery and decision to let Elsie's story be told.

I also cannot forget to thank Pam and Diane, these amazing ladies who started the Eq-Soma Osteology & Anatomy Learning Center are changing the industry all on their own and are a wealth of knowledge!

Also to my classmates. You are all the most incredible group of horsewomen and its so encouraging to be in a room full of like-minded people. The future is bright.

Don't forget to thank your horse everyday, they have more grace than we can ever imagine.

02/22/2023

Rose gold on a red head!
This beautiful BLISS OF LONDON monoflap is just perfect for this girl, and a rose gold cantle doesn't hurt either 😍 She has a happy back after a full reflock!
Reflocks are an important part of long term saddle maintenance. Over time wool panels get hard and lumpy causing discomfort for both the horse and rider. A full reflock replaces all the wool in the panels taking them from hard to soft supportive shock absorbers once again.