Sennie's new saddle

[cazrider]

ooer.. big purchase. i've just bought Sen a new saddle. I've been thinking about it for a while and finally gone and done it. I'm very pleased I did as I could see, and eventually feel that this saddle is so much a)easier to ride on in a good position, and b) better for him. It's a Fieldhouse VSD (extrawide:eek:) and fits him to a tee.

The saddle fitter, Roger from Ingatestone Saddlery said the Wintec I was riding him in was causing me to tip backwards therefore blocking him from moving forwards and coming off the forehand. After I'd ridden in it for a while Roger checked it and made me sit on him again on my old saddle. What a difference. I could feel exactly what he meant by tipping backwards. It may go some way to explaining the difficulties I have with schooling Sen. Poor chap. I feel a new regime a coming.:)

Virago came over to see the fitting. We both learnt a lot. She got to hold Sennie for the pic. Would he put his ears forward. Would he heck. Thanks for the help Virago.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a24/cazrider/Copy2ofIMG_1378.jpg

[Whatanejit]

Oh, lucky Sennie!

What happened to the SBS?

[Clare-22]

Oooh nice saddle :D I love my GFS saddle.

How are things at the new yard now, all settled? Sennie certainly looks chilled in the pic :)

[cazrider]

yes thanks Clare. We've done loads in the last two weeks. so he's got used to trains, hacking in the village, down lanes for the first time in ages, you name it. The only thing i still have to do is take him out entirely by himself, and have him in the stable by himself for any length of time. He still gets a bit freaked by this, but I assume it will come.
It's lovely and peaceful down there. At least it is normally. This lunchtime, at saddle fitting time, i think the whole world turned up. And Virago and another friend and Roger all watched my less than good riding in the field. Very embarrassing. :o I hate having people watch me.

[Virago]

And Virago and another friend and Roger all watched my less than good riding in the field. Very embarrassing. :o I hate having people watch me.

:eek: Not as embarrassing as that photo! If I'd known I'd have my piccie taken I'd have done my hair this morning!

Seriously though, it was the first time I'd seen a saddle fitter at work and it was really interesting. Sennie was pretty chilled and I think he liked all the attention (and money!) spent on him! Typical guy!

[cazrider]

But you were great. Thanks so much. It helps such a lot if there's two of you. Good to have the cup of tea de brief afterwards too.:) next you'll have to try the saddle.

[Virago]

:) :) :)

[Clare-22]

Glad to hear it is all going well :D

How did he take to the trains? We have a train line running very close to our yard and hacking and I was suprised how accepting Loki was of it, he seems more confident with them than idiot drivers!

[cazrider]

Well they have two fields, and the smaller, winter one is right next to the line. So, we put them in there for the first night for that very reason. That night was how long they took to get used to it. No issues at all. I thought it would be one of the bigger isssues, but actually it turned out to be one of the most minor.

[Laura+Phantom]

That looks great, if I ever need a treed for Phantom (if i've brave enough to start jumping more than 6 inches on him, for example) i'll definately look at that one. Phantom is a wide boy too!

Sennie is gorgeous :) he looks comfy to ride!

[cazrider]

Thanks Laura.:) Yes, he is comfy to ride. He's a bit on the forehand at the moment but the sddle fitter puts it down to the old saddle restricting his movement, so I need to work on that.

[Skib]

There are a lot of abbreviations in this thread.
Like I am trying to learn about saddles? And had a lesson from Harry in the States.

Fieldhouse VSD
SBS?
GFS saddle

This is all Greek to me. And Cazrider once kindly let me ride Sennie too - so I feel bad I dont understand.

[cazrider]

Sorry Skib. I know abbreviations can be a pain.

Fieldhouse VSD = A Fieldhouse saddle which is a VSD cut. This is a cut of saddle flap which is somewhere between a dressage and a GP cut. So perfect for Sennie and me as a dressage is too straight a cut for me, but a GP too rounded, especially as the likelihood of doing any serious jumping with Sennie is slim, as you know.

http://www.saddler.co.uk/acatalog/Fieldhouse_Saddles.html

SBS= Flexion SBS, again not exactly sure what the abbreviation stands for, but it is the Heather Moffatt treeless saddle I used to ride Sennie in. In fact the one you rode him in.

I'm not sure what a GFS is.

Hope this helps.

Caz

[Pink's lady]

GFS stands for G Fieldhouse Saddle. (presuably the G is the guys first name?)

VSD means Very Slightly Dressage.

Cazrider - out of interest why did you get rid of the SBS?

[frazz_starlight]

He's very nice, and lovely new saddle!!!
What breed is he?
xxx

[cazrider]

Thanks PL. I was very embarrassed to read GFS on the saddle last night, after I'd answered Skib's post, and worked it out.:o

Whatanejit and PL, I still have the SBS, but felt I'd like the alternative of being able to spread my not inconsiderable weight on his back.

Thanks frazz_starlight. :)He's a welsh section d. It is an awful photo of him though. He's much prettier than that.

[Skib]

Thank you - one grateful woman is slightly less ignorant now.

I did know when I visited that I was riding Sennie in a Heather Moffet saddle because the hang of the stirrups wasnt what I am used to. However, I didnt associate that with the abbreviation and didnt like to mention it. I know that many folk on NR are intensely loyal to Heather and have been helped by her and I didnt want to cross swords with any of them.

As a riding school rider, my maxim has been to ride in any saddle I am given. I regarded it as my responsibility to adjust my riding to the saddle Sennie was in. It was only a short ride and I didnt risk canter - but I returned home with a private sense of failure that I hadnt adored it (Though I loved Sennie).

It seems to me that, as with so much in riding, there is no single correct answer for every rider and every horse. The style of riding one is taught must make a difference too. My attachment is to the saddles (and stirrup position) used by my own RI. - dressage training saddles based on a design by Podhajsky. May be they too are VSD, or very slightly not dressage.
The new saddle Sennie is wearing looks a similar compromise. Thank you for explaining. I hope that you and Sennie will be very happy with it, Cazrider.