On Impulse Equine, LLC Saddle Fit and Equine Massage

06/18/2023

QUESTION: What does this saddle cloth tell you?

ANSWER: Nothing.

True story. So many people get totally hung up on the patterns of dirt on saddle pads... but it actually doesn't usually mean much at all. Look at the one in the pic... some may interpret it as having more pressure at the back of the panels and at the front under the points... but actually, the dirt comes off with movement... it's rubbed dirt and sweat out of the coat.
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'WHAT?!?!' I hear you scream 'THERE IS MOVEMENT?! SACK THE SADDLE FITTER!'
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But, before you get your knickers in a twizzle, take a deep breath, because of course there is movement between a saddle and a horse's back. If there wasn't, the horse couldn't move. If we put a fixed object (saddle) onto a fluid/moving object (horse) then there are areas of movement. Obviously we don't want the saddle to flap around like a salmon trying to get upstream, but some movement is good!
But, what if the stains are uneven? Maybe your horse rolls on one side more? Has more dirt in their coat that side? Maybe your leathers are a little wonky donkey... maybe, maybe... so many maybes.

So, please don't consider marks on your saddle cloth to be a reliable judgement of saddle fit. I'll tell you what IS a reliable source... *DRUM ROLL PLEASE* your saddle fitter, they're the most reliable source. 😘😘😘 I know, I'm a predictable old fart, aren't I?

Me ###

05/25/2023

Inconvenient Truths About Saddle Fitting

The following statements are strictly In My Opinion following 30 years of experience. Things I wish someone had said to me that I’m feeling confident enough to share with you!

* If you cannot afford quality properly fitting tack, you cannot afford to have a horse. Period. Especially for first time owners, tack should be included in the purchase budget.

* The saddle must fit both horse AND rider otherwise, irreparable damage can be done to either or both.

* Many saddle brands are marketed as “custom” and very, very few actually are. IMO “custom” means that the tree itself was designed and built to your horse’s back. Most “custom” saddles are built off of less than a handful of generic trees with multiple flap options for the rider. This is bespoke, not custom.

* Many saddles are marketed as “fully adjustable” and very few actually are. IMO, “Fully Adjustable” means that the saddle tree can be adjusted in width AND angle and panels can be adjusted in length, profile and flocking.

* All saddle brand reps are highly educated and trained in selling saddles (and up-selling saddle accessories), not all reps are highly educated and trained in actually fitting saddles. I LOVE my brand reps but still recommend having a truly independent fitter as part of the horse’s healthcare team.

* IF you have a large budget (4k+), an average shaped horse who is conformationally suited to your size and you’re able/willing to work with a rep/dealer, your saddle purchasing experience is likely to be very expedient.

* If you have an average budget (2k-4k) and an average shaped horse who is suited to your size, you can expect that your saddle purchasing experience will require some patience and leg work.

* If you have a low budget (less than 2k), regardless of other factors, your saddle shopping experience is likely to take several weeks (f not months), LOTS of legwork- trials, shipping and running around and some patience and frustration. Found a great deal on eBay? Cool, it probably has a broken tree. If you aren’t willing to save up the money or spend the time, you don’t get to complain about how uncomfortable or unfashionable your $800 synthetic saddle is.

* If you do not have an appropriately fitting saddle, DO NOT RIDE YOUR HORSE! Your horse does not “need” you to ride them. There are hundreds of conditioning + relationship building activities we can do with our horses on the ground. Hop on ba****ck once a week and work on your seat.

* If your horse is young and still growing, expect that you will go through several saddles as they develop and mature.

* If your horse is an unconventional or difficult fit, you will probably need a custom saddle.

* If your horse has suffered an illness or injury or otherwise has had a significant amount of time off, guaranteed your current saddle doesn’t fit them any more.

* If your horse is rapidly changing, particularly if they’re coming out of a previously poor fit, you are likely to go through several saddles as they change.

* If you have a wool flocked saddle, expect to have the flocking inspected and adjusted every 6-12 months.

* If you have a foam flocked saddle, expect to purchase new panels at least every 2 years.

* Truly custom saddles take time to build. If you’re ordering custom, expect at least 12 weeks. Sometimes 6 months. Exceptional makers often have waitlists that are years long.

* In general, western saddles are easier/more forgiving to fit than English saddles. This does not mean that every western saddle fits every horse.

* Rarely can you use the same saddle on every horse in your barn. Multiple horses usually require multiple saddles.

* While shimming and/or flocking can provide solutions for mild fit issues, no amount of shimming or flocking can make a saddle that truly doesn’t fit, fit.

* Girthing and billeting are just as important as the fit of the saddle itself.

* Anatomical/Skeletal fit to rider is a real thing, not a marketing gimmick. Just ask the swath of skeletally female riders who suffer from chronic back pain and UTI’s.

Some words of advice from my industry peers and mentors-

“Take all that money you’re spending on bodywork and buy yourself a decent saddle. Your horse won’t need so much bodywork”.

“Saddle Fitters can only fit the horse that is in front of them today”.

“Saddle Fitters are not fortune tellers”. Your SF’er cannot and should not tell you that this is the last saddle you’ll ever need, nor can or should they give you exact time periods for use.

“When your fitter says “No”, they’re not out to get you, they’re giving you an honest and compassionate opinion. Ignore it at your own (and your horse’s) risk”.

“Saddle Fit is a large but not singular contributor to equine health and wellness. Address the entire circle of influence”.

Speaking from experience, I know how daunting and frustrating finding the right saddle can be. Like, I REALLY know. But the effort and money is worth it- there’s simply no substitute for properly fitted tack and a happy comfortable horse AND rider.

04/13/2022

How aware are you when you touch your horse?

You don't just touch with your hands (physically). Most often, the intention/energy behind your touch is more important.

Have you noticed that your horse will often respond to your presence, your energy, your movement? Maybe they change their posture, their facial expression, or even move their body/feet. In this way, we "touch" our horse with our energy and intention... whether we like it (or mean it) or not, before we are even close enough to physically touch them.

When you physically touch your horse... are you aware of that energetic/intentional presence in your touch? Or are you just "blindly" touching your horse.

When you are at a distance that is too far for physical touch, are you aware of your energy and intention in that interaction?

One thing we can be certain of: there is no such thing as "no energy" when we touch or interact with our horse (or anything else, for that matter). But there is often "unintentional energy" in our interactions if we aren't aware of our intention or energy.

(Sometimes, some horses learn to completely ignore this if they spend enough time around humans that are unaware or rude with their energy, while some others may even get offended/defensive... and these learned compensations bring on entirely new challenges).

Much like a meditation, each time we are around our horses, we should start every interaction with setting our energetic intention. Even if that intention is just "to be" with our horse. Be intentional with everything we do. Because it will always affect our horses... whether we are aware or not.

Veritas Saddles * Flexible Fit Equestrian USA. * Bemer Group USA * Pilates & Horses

01/03/2022

This is beautiful and describes exactly how I feel when I see this too. Celebrating the love for senior horses and their owners!

I see you out there, and I love you for every sacrifice you have made.
I've mentioned it before--I adore shooting elderly horses. Not so much for the actual horse--i love the grumpy dudes and dudettes who are stingey with their ears, of course--but my absolute adoration comes from the people behind every single grey hair. Every single dropped back. Every single ridge in a carefully managed foot.
I see you, old horse owners. I see the promise you made your old friend--that he'd never leave your side again, that he'd never have to worry about a next owner. That he'd never load on a trailer bound for the unknown.
I see the expense it takes in dollars and worry. The careful diet you obsess over, the careful turnout buddies and just the right pasture with the perfectly not-too-big rolling pit.
I see you beaming at your old horse--proud and happy they are still proud and happy, despite not having sat on their backs for sometimes decades.
I see you-sometimes barely scraping by with two horses, sometimes barely scraping by with one. I see what you've done--the bills you've paid month after month because your old friend is still happy to live.
I see the joy your old friend brings you when he tilts his head just this way, and the way he stands just inches from your hair-both of you breathing one another in.
I see your impending heartbreak for the day you may have to make that final decision. I see your internal struggle--is he happy? Is he ok? Am I keeping him around for him or me?
I see your tears thinking about that day, and the tears of joy reliving his youth.
To everyone with an old horse, I see you, and I respect and love you. 💕

10/10/2021

08/28/2021

Worth a look—- an alternative to hay nets.

https://kiwifeeder.com/products/collapsible-slow-feeder-for-horses

Includes Multiplate Free Shipping 14 Day Satisfaction Guarantee No additional duties or taxes on feeders shipped to the USA. Encourages head-down feeding Adjustable for all horses and ponies Doesn’t obscure your horse’s vision Your horse can’t get stuck in it (no strings, netting, or ropes) Sa...

03/19/2021

Does anyone if there will be a saddle fitter at the
Georgia on my mind spring show? Fellow saddle fitters let me hear from you! Thanks!

Low and High Hunter Derbies Gorgeous facility Unlimited Riding Arenas Loungeing Pads Concierge Lounge Tons of Awesome Awards!

02/25/2021

So when you ask me about gel pads....

Half pads are used in many English riding disciplines to correct saddle fit, help distribute rider weight, and to absorb impact. The objective of a recent study, conducted in the United Kingdom, was to determine how half pad type affected the distribution of pressure under a well-fitting saddle.

Twelve high-level dressage horses tacked with properly fitting dressage saddles were ridden in a seated trot and canter on both the left and right rein. Horses were ridden with four half pad treatments which included a control, gel half pad, wool half pad, and foam half pad. All half pads were placed on top of a cotton saddle cloth and were “tented” into the saddle gullet to provide wither clearance.

Researchers concluded that wool and foam half pads could help reduce pressure towards the back of well-fitting saddles at the canter, however, riders should consult with a professional saddle fitter to discuss if different half pads are suitable on an individual horse and rider basis. For more information on this research, visit the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0737080620303981

01/21/2021

GIRTH PRESSURES AND ITS EFFECT ON EQUINE LOCOMOTION


Previously it has been assumed that the highest pressures beneath the girth are localised to the sternum. From a study we did before the London 2012 Olympics, using an electronic pressure mat positioned beneath the girth combined with motion capture, we quantified the effect that girth fit and design has on grith pressures and locomotion (1). In that study we demonstrated that, contrary to popular belief, areas of high pressures were localised behind the elbow and not on the sternum.

We observed areas of high pressure beneath girths in dressage, jumping and event horses, across all gaits (walk, trot & canter) (1) and more recently we have demonstrated the areas of high pressures in racehorses galloping occurs in the same region as previously described, behind the elbows. When girth pressures were reduced with girth modifications, the horses gait altered across all disciplines, highlighting the effect that girth pressures can have on locomotion.

We must not underestimate the effect that girth fit and design can have on locomotion. A girth that causes high pressures will cause the horse to seek a compensatory strategy to alleviate the discomfort caused, in this case by the girth. It should be noted that the areas of high pressure occurred every stride, therefore in a schooling session, in a girth which is poorly designed and or doesn’t fit, the horse is experiencing areas of high pressure behind the elbows every stride.

Some of the take home messages:

🟢Ensure the girth buckles are up as high as possible - away from the sensitive areas behind the elbows
🟢If using a martingale or training aid, which goes around the girth, caution should be taken as you will create a ridge of pressure on the sternum. Consider using a girth which has the girth attachment on the outside of the girth.
🟢Anatomically shaped girths with medical grade closed cell foam are preferred as they do not deform and help to reduce girth pressures
🟢Make sure the inside of the grith does not have cracks
🟢Ensure that girth buckles (left and right) are equal +- one hole
🟢Make sure that the girth is fitted in relation to the horse’s anatomy

Since this study, there are a lot of girths on the market which claim to be pressure relieving and or allow “freedom”. Whilst I am supportive of new designs for the good of the horse, users must be cautious over such claims which are not supported by evidence and particularly look at the fit and design of the girth, as from this study, girth fit and design must not be underestimated.

Please share to raise awareness of girth fit.

Hope the above is of interest.

Kind Regards

Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire
Www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk


1) Murray R, Guire R, Fisher M, Fairfax V. Girth pressure measurements reveal high peak pressures that can be avoided using an alternative girth design that also results in increased limb protraction and flexion in the swing phase. Vet J. 2013;198(1):92-7.