An Autumn

Hello my friends!

I know that I have been absent from the Internet.

I have really wanted to tell you about all that is occurring but- Out of respect for certain parties...wanted to wait for word on solutions first, to a delima  with my mare, discovered last month.

My sister above and her mare Pantz, enjoying an Autumn sit near a pond & lunch. And -of course, reviewing phone photos. We both have been using our phones for photography of late.

We have been taking the mares out together each week to get in shape for a BEACH OUTING tomorrow...it's finally here!

 My mare really-really liked- the one, tiny bite of Almond butter and jelly sand which I gave her!! But, " such food is not horse food"..., I told her..to her disbelief!

We are having an altogether wonderful Autumn so far...yea some colder foggy days but then today, of course I have to work, is forecasted for 70!

Last week while out and about riding, my mare showed some totally scary behaviour. She was unable to walk at all.... just little short steps.

I was out about some 4 miles when it happened. I jumped off and checked her by lifting all legs and it seemed to stem from her shoulder...the left one. She could NOT lift it. This MUST have been due to the vaccination shot of  Flu/Rhino, she recently had. That is the ONLY thing I could come up with. I hand walked her ever so slowly home and massaged her, gave her another Ledum round ( Homeopathic for puncture wounds)   after we arrived. The next day she seemed good. I tried to ride on the third day, after the shot...again, about 3-4 miles out...she locked up from using her right shoulder, this time. Again, we gingerly hand walked home. I gave her another massage, and had been placing ledum and Arnica in her feed since the first indications of pain showed. 

 I finally got my order from SPRINGTIME INC. of Spirulina waffers.  They are a whole food enzyme that assist people, dogs and horses in purifying the blood, assisting in allergies and breathing problems, detoxifying liver and kidneys and ulcer helper. It reduces inflammation, stimulates the immune, and is a nerve tonic of sorts. I began giving her just a couple..she'll actually eat them out of my hand!

The time, massage and supps seemed to help...on the Autumn ride with my sister, some 5 days after -was a goodie!!

Some of you may notice something different...it may be too subtle, so I'll assist you in the noticing of it.

This is NOT MY NEW ANSUR SADDLE.

My current dilema  is that my saddle has hurt my mare's withers. I did not see it coming and by the time it did...white hairs on the top and sides were there, after she shed her summer coat last month. Her grunting had increased, but I had taken her Easy Walker shoes off and thought it to be softer soles in front..I was wrong.

I've been depressed and left to decide that- NO MATTER WHAT- ALL SADDLES NEED TO BE FIT..and NOT just buy the consumer-me- that is under the belief that this is the one that will work,  not reading anything suggesting one make/model in the line is different-but in looks- than the other, for horse body confirmation/structure. 

 After spending 5 years and 5 other saddles looking, well , you all that know me best here do know- I put alot of research into the decision for this treeless saddle. Don't get me wrong..it does have a structure in there- A "Flex CORE" one that is the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden 1-4 hours on!!!

While it started out with 2 fingers of clearance.... there was NONE for the padding in the gullet to start with. See how it rests on her withers?

It has now settled to NONE when I sit upon it---without a girth! Sorry for the blurred photo..my sister was holding -an angry -TB mare to illustrate and took the photo too!

( you should have seen us doing that stunt to prove that the girth is not the problem, pulling it down upon her back!!!)

 Obviously, I lived to tell the tale!

So, in order to not ride without stirrups the entire time at the coast and at home after...we went for a quick fix-used saddle shopping.

We arrived at a favorite local tack store..and my sister started to call out the make of all the saddles she recognised, before we looked..she was always right! She cracks me up.

She got to one saddle....this one...and suddenly gasped and started fondling it, like a lost family member...

She had correctly called it as well, a "Stubben Tristian".  I sat upon it, on the fake half horse stand they had in the tack store. It felt very good to me. She then told me, after close examination, it was her old saddle. She knew because of 2 things..a divot out of the front pommel leather and an extra whole she had punched in the stirrup leathers, on  near side only.

WOW...I was smitten ...I measured the gullet "Point of Width"..it was the right looking amount. I checked it out to do a 3 day trial. It was near perfect..but the cantle was one inch below the pommel, making it have me sit too far back. I remedied that with a closed cell  "Cashel pad".

So my friends..while I may have given myself an ulcer because of stress surrounding this whole thing.... it really distresses me to think my choice was incorrect in my expensive saddle purchase... this inexpensive ( $200) solution may be alright short term for trails.

I still believe in the ANSUR Saddles. The" FLEX CORE" structure is the MOST comfortable I've ever ridden . Nary a back ache did I have, in the past 3 months! I think my mare too, as her back/shoulders never hurt her. It's this model that sucks for her..and the saddle fitter that comae out from the Co. showed me that by putting his "Excel" model on her..giving her 3 inches of wither clearance top and plenty for the sides too!

If I had only been informed of the differences...I WOULD HAVE chosen more wisely and definitely differently!!! I ALMOST got the right one...the choice would have been CLEAR to me which jump saddle to get if I had known one had better wither clearance! I was not the treeless saddle expert..but I tell you what..I am gaining in knowledge now!

My back is killing me already, from the few rides I have had on my Tristian...I had to order an "Enlightened Equitation"-" Seatbone saver- from Heather Moffit! A gal at the stable owns one and allowed me to use it..it did help!

So, tomorrow..it's off to the Beach with my sissy- and also -my Cashel  bareback-Softsaddle- I KNOW that is compy for me and the mare!!!

Wish me luck, send me prayers and just plain have hope , like I do that the ANSUR CO. honors me in the ongoing quest to correctly "saddle fit" my TB Wonder Wa mare!

See ya all soon, and I do hope to catch up with you all...and get OUT OF MY FUNKIFIED state of mind!