HORSE MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER AND MORE!!!
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Topics in this issue:
1) Comments from readers
2) Feature: Saddle fitting
3) Recommended products and services: Certified saddle fitter
4) Rally and rating tips: Tack cleaning hints
5) Questions and answers: Bareback riding
6) Fun and educational websites
7) Featured rule: Baling twine

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Comments from readers
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Hi Stormy,

I usually put your newsletter away until later in the day to read and then
give a copy to Katie, but I noticed you interviewed Nicole Stieb. I
couldn¹t wait to read it. What a nice article. I totally agree with that
philosophy. If only I could ride that way! Bailey and I have a long way to
grow together. I¹ll print out a copy for Nicole!

Take care,
Nan Ellis

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Saddle fitting
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by Stormy May and the Master Saddler's Association

Saddle fitting has always seemed to be more of an art than a science to me.
Saddles that seem to fit a horse perfectly, can send them off in a fit of
bucking, while saddles that seem to pinch the withers and rest on the spine
are accepted without a qualm.

In researching more about saddle fit, I was amazed to read about the Society
of Master Saddlers in England. They are an organization that certifies
people in the art and science of saddle fitting. Saddle fit in England is
part of every horse's routine. Every six months, just like the vet checks
the horse's teeth, the saddle fitter checks the fit of the saddle. Not only
that, but each saddle is custom fitted to each horse and rider. The
swapping of saddles, or using the same saddle on different horses is a big
taboo. Each saddle is individually padded to compensate for the specific
horse's back.

There is an American counterpart to this organization, it is the Master
Saddler's Association, based in Maryland. On their website, they detail the
10 points of saddle fit as outlined below. The only certified saddle fitter
in all of California is Nancy Dotti in Sonoma County, CA (contact
information below in the recommended services section.)

Step 1) Position of the saddle

Place the saddle slightly forward on the horse's withers. Next, press down
on the pommel and slide the saddle rearward until it stops at the resting
place which is dictated by each horse's conformation. Repeat this procedure
several times until you feel the saddle stop in the same spot repeatedly,
well behind the shoulder blade. Resist the temptation to place the saddle
too far forward on the withers. This is a very common fitting mistake and
can interfere with your horse's soundness and movement.

Step 2) Angle of the points

To find the points, lift the flap of the saddle and look for a little
leather pocket into which the wooden processes of the pommel are fitted. 
This is the point pocket and there is one on both sides of the pommel of the
saddle just under the stirrup bars.  These points should lie parallel to the
withers.  If the angles are too narrow, the points will dig into the
musculature, also causing the middle of the saddle to be in uneven contact
with the horse's back. If they are too wide the saddle will sit down in
front putting pressure on top of the withers.  To assess the point angles,
stand looking from the front with the flap lifted; the points should be
parallel with the musculature within 10 degrees of the heaviest side. Some
points are concealed making it difficult to determine their angles. If this
is the case, you will have to rely more on the panel pressure procedure to
determine if the point angles are correct.

Step 3) Panel pressure and contact

(Note: The panels are the wool stuffed underside of the saddle, which rest
on the horse's back.)

Place one hand in the center of the saddle and press down to secure the
saddle in place as you test for panel pressure.  Run your other hand between
the front of the panels and your horse's musculature and feel for any uneven
pressure under the points. The front panel should not pinch the withers in
any area.  While maintaining pressure on the top of the saddle, run your
hand, palm up, under the entire panel along the back feeling for even
pressure. You may also raise the sweat flap to ensure that the panels fit
snugly and evenly on both sides of the withers and along the back to check
for bridging.  Bridging is a space near the center of the where the panels
do not make good contact with the horse's back. Wool stuffed panels are
almost universally considered superior to foam for the following reasons:
assuming correctly designed panels, wool conforms to the many shapes of the
horses back and can be adjusted if necessary to correct for a multitude of
fitting problems. You cannot, however, correct for a poorly designed or
incorrectly fitted tree.

Step 4) Pommel to cantle relationship

Visualize a straight line parallel to the ground from the pommel to the
cantle. In saddles with deep or moderately deep seats, the cantle should be
between 2 to 3 inches higher than the pommel. In shallower seats, such as
close contact jumping saddles, the cantle may only be approximately 1 to 2
inches higher than the pommel. In almost any saddle, if the cantle is level
with or below the pommel, the saddle is not properly fitted.

Step 5) Level seat

Visualize the same straight line parallel to the ground and look this time
at the deepest part of the seat.  This area should be level in order to put
the rider squarely on their seat bones and in balance.

Step 6) Wither clearance

There should be adequate clearance between the pommel and the top of the
horse's withers, approximately two to three fingers. More than three
fingers¹ clearance may mean the pommel is too high, i.e. the tree is too
narrow. A saddle with less than 2-3 fingers may mean that the saddle is too
wide.  With wool stuffed panels, make allowance for the saddle to settle a
half inch or so. There is an exception to this indicator:  horses with flat,
round withers may have more clearance than usual under the pommel. In these
situations you may need to rely more on the balance of the seat and pommel
to cantle relationship. On horses with high, narrow withers maintaining
proper clearance is something that has to be monitored and maintained.

Step 7) Channel clearance/Gullet width

There should also be adequate clearance over the spine and connective tissue
throughout the channel of the saddle. A channel that is too narrow will
impede the horse¹s movement dramatically and may even cause the spine to be
observably sore. Feel the width of the spine and connective tissue with your
fingers and estimate its width. The channel of the saddle should completely
clear this width, resting on the long back muscle of the back called the
longissimus dorsi.

Repeat Steps 6 & 7 with the rider in the saddle, checking for adequate
clearance over the withers and spine.

Step 8) Saddle stability

The saddle should remain stable and not shift excessively from side to side
or from front to back.  Keep in mind that such shifting may be a function of
your horse's symmetry and not the saddle. A qualified saddle fitter should
be able to make suggestions to minimize or eliminate the problem.

Step 9) Seat length

The saddle should never go behind the 18th thoracic vertebra, which is the
vertebra corresponding with the last rib.  Behind this vertebra are the
lumbar vertebrae, which is the weakest, non-weight bearing area of the back.

Step 10) Horse response

Throughout the whole saddle fitting process, monitor your horse's response. 
Watch his ears and body language.  Does he try to step away from the saddle
or flinch when it is placed on his back?  Or is the opposite true; is he
more accepting of the saddle?  How does he move when he is ridden?  Does he
seem freer or more restricted?  The horse is the most honest indicator we
have when fitting a saddle so pay attention to it and note any changes.

[exerpted from the Master Saddler's Association website]

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Recommended products and services
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Is it time for your saddle fit to be checked? The only saddle fitter
certified by the Master Saddler's Association in California is:

Nancy Dotti
Contact Saddles
Sonoma County, CA
707-575-8637
email: ContactSaddles@...

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Rally and rating tips:
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Tack cleaning hints from page 44 of the 2002 Horse Management Handbook:

Stirrup pads can be cleaned with a toothbrush and a sink cleanser. [Editor's
note: To really brighten old white pads, use white shoe polish after
thoroughly cleaning!] Some people, after cleaning irons and bits, put them
in the dishwasher to get them very shiny. To clean the elastic on girths, a
toothbrush and paste (not gel) toothpaste works well. The whitening agent
in the toothpaste cleans the elastic and rinses out easier than does soap.

Suede knee rolls may be cleaned with the paste hand cleaner used by
automobile mechanics to remove oil from their hands. Dampen the suede, then
rub in the cleaner. After a few minutes, it should be rinsed off. This may
be repeated until oil is gone, then allowed to dry. Care should be taken
not to saturate the knee rolls with water.

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Questions and answers
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Hi Stormy,

Just received your newsletter and loved your comments about using
natural horsemanship to ride softly.

My daughter, Averie (who was in Ponu Club until we moved from CA)and
I have been doing more bareback riding. I think I remember seeing
you ride bareback in the bits video (I could be mistaken on this).
But anyway, do you have any pointers for riding bareback? Is the
position totally different from English? We have been told to place
our legs way forward. Is this correct? Is it still heels down? Any
tips on riding bareback would be appreciated, as we wish to do more
than just walk--we'd like to trot, canter and gallop bareback. (We
use the bitless bridle)

Many thanks for always encouraging consideration of the horse in
your newsletters.

Mona Johnson (former Pony Club mom from Shasta Pony Club, CA)

Hi Mona,

What a great question for the next newsletter! Yes, I do ride bareback and
bridleless in the bits video. The most effective position for bareback
riding depends on the horse and rider's conformation. Ideally your position
would not change from the Basic Balanced Position where your ears,
shoulders, hips, and heels are all in one vertical line. Since you don't
have stirrups, there's no need for your heels to be down, but the bottoms of
your feet should be level. If your toes point down, it tends to send your
weight up and you become top-heavy and unbalanced. If you have a very
wide-barreled horse, your legs might naturally sit more forward than with a
slab-sided horse, but the deviation shouldn't be more than about 6" from the
Basic Balanced Position. The most important thing to consider when riding
bareback is how the horse is responding. If you start to see more tail
swishing, head shaking, reluctance to move forward, or spooking, these are
all signs that it might not be comfortable for the horse.

A well fitted saddle, while it might not feel as sensitive as riding
bareback, will distribute your weight more evenly along the horse's back
muscles, keeping the weight off of their bony spine as well. Riding in the
saddle without stirrups is the best way to develop a strong leg and
independent seat. If you and your horse enjoy bareback riding, there's no
reason you can't trot, canter, gallop, and jump that way, just spend the
time it takes to get strong enough to post the trot and hold yourself
lightly at the faster gaits.

Thanks for YOUR consideration of the horse :O)
Stormy

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Fun and educational websites
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Site for the Master Saddler's Association:
http://www.mastersaddlers.com/

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Great information from an active member of England's Society of Master
Saddler's:

http://www.saddleworld.co.uk

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Another version of the points of saddle fit:

http://www.equisearch.com/tack/eq9points447/

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More ideas about saddle fitting for English and Western saddles:

http://www.AnimalDynamics.com/seminars/saddlefit/principles.html

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The following website is linked from the national ponyclub.org website and I
can see why! It is full of computer-based quizzes for all levels of horse
crazy kids, from breeds and points of the horse quizzes, to coloring pages,
leg bones, grooming tools, and even a section on women pioneers. Find it
all at:

www.horse-country.com

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Featured rule
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2002 Horse Management Handbook page 29 section 11:

Baling twine

When baling twine is being used as a safety, or breakaway device, it MUST be
of the rope (hemp) variety. Nylon baling twine (often yellow or orange in
color) may not be used for breakaway purposes. Twine may be used as a ring
on a halter or lead shank for tying mounts or to tie up hay nets or buckets
(loop on screw-eye) but is NOT required.

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Call for submissions
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Help make this newsletter the best it can be. Do you have any issues you'd
like to see addressed here? How about ideas for recommended products, books,
or videos? Want to submit your own article, or a question for the questions
and answers section? Send them to: stormy@... and I'll keep a log
of topics and articles for upcoming issues.

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