Horse breed/type for bad hips!

[Candy12]

Well! Thank you all so much for all these suggestions - brilliant!

Apparently what happens is that my bad left leg is in a perfect relaxed position, but my right leg, to take the weight off my hips, turns, so my right toe juts outward. I can tell this is happening after about 5 minutes in the saddle 'cos my calf is pinched by the stirrup leather! Ouch!! The fact that by that time my legs are quite numb doesn't really worry me, it's just the nasty pinch that told me something was wrong.

I have tried two different types of tree-less saddles & a few GP saddles of various styles but the 'pinch' is still there!! I've tried bareback - great - but can't stick it for long, & begin to feel quite unstable when I go numb!

I have decided to part with my cob, & after all your suggestions, will probably be looking for a Sec. D, or a TB x native. - have looked at Icelandics & they are well out of my price range (unfortunately).

I think I will also go to my local riding school/trekking centre & try out as many different shapes & sizes of horse that I can find (should be fun!) & if I find the right horse/pony, I'll make sure that I can have it on a good trial before I buy!

Also, love all the tips you've posted - especially the one of carrying two whips to tap your boots to get the horse going!!

Thanks again - I'll let you all know how I get on!

 

[alfiesmum]

Good luck

Hi good luck with your search, just another random thought when I read your post, have you thought about dressage leathers/treeless leathers that do up the other way round, look at Horse and Harmony I think? might be the other one, anyway, you have a different bit at the bottom and less pinch (I think, that isnt really very technical, but I know what I mean, lol).

I wish you all the best, there are lots of us who keep riding because we love horse/are mad!

 

[montys helper]

Well! Thank you all so much for all these suggestions - brilliant!

Apparently what happens is that my bad left leg is in a perfect relaxed position, but my right leg, to take the weight off my hips, turns, so my right toe juts outward. I can tell this is happening after about 5 minutes in the saddle 'cos my calf is pinched by the stirrup leather! Ouch!! The fact that by that time my legs are quite numb doesn't really worry me, it's just the nasty pinch that told me something was wrong.

I have tried two different types of tree-less saddles & a few GP saddles of various styles but the 'pinch' is still there!! I've tried bareback - great - but can't stick it for long, & begin to feel quite unstable when I go numb!

I have decided to part with my cob, & after all your suggestions, will probably be looking for a Sec. D, or a TB x native. - have looked at Icelandics & they are well out of my price range (unfortunately).

I think I will also go to my local riding school/trekking centre & try out as many different shapes & sizes of horse that I can find (should be fun!) & if I find the right horse/pony, I'll make sure that I can have it on a good trial before I buy!

Also, love all the tips you've posted - especially the one of carrying two whips to tap your boots to get the horse going!!

Thanks again - I'll let you all know how I get on!

hi if your ever in devon give me a shout as id like u to come ride my horses in my saddles to see what you think. wear chaps also to stop the pinching of the leathers.

 

[Louki]

No, they're not usually that kind of height, though I have seen some around 15hh advertised. In any case, even the smaller ones can carry grown men. 12 1/2 stone would be no problem for an Icelandic. And of course, the shorter the horse, the easier it is to get on and off!

I consider them narrow, but then it depends what you compare them to, e.g. the barrel-shaped Highland that I'm riding at the moment...

Ditto this. Im just 40miles away from Francis & Wally, we all have icelandics, but my girl is totally different to the ones F & W have. My girl is 14/1 and no where near as rotund (sorry guys ! you can nip me for it sometime, but you do have way more tummy than Fina does ! ) as F&W's. They come in all shapes and sizes and are fantastic weight carriers. Icelandics, like any horse, can be trained to be ultra sensitive on the aids, its all down to the training given and the effort put in by the rider.

 

[tabithakat64]

Cobs aren't always wide, I'm riding a lovely five year old whilst my very wide Welsh Cob is off work and he's about average width wise.

I have arthritis in my lower back and hips and a wonky pelvis and I've found riding something narrower means riding is much less painful. I have much better control over my legs, find it easier to adjust my postion and apply leg and seat aids correctly.

I actually find riding bareback or in a treeless saddle more painful than riding in an English saddle with a narrow twist.

I would try riding as many different horses in as many different saddles as possible before making a decision.

 

[Moonrat]

I can't ride wide horses, I have a spinal curvature and an arthritic hip and what happens is if I widen the pelvis to suit a wide horse my back goes rigid and I can't ride anyway. I was hoping to buy a pony when I sold my Anglo/Irish mare Lily, but guess what I ended up with? An Arab! Never was I so surprised, i thought Arabs were flighty creatures who could only be managed by far more experienced riders than me. But no, he's little, 14.2 and forward going so not a lot of need for leg, responds to voice or physical commands and looks after me when I'm not well. At the moment he's learning to stand with his head up for a while when we get home so I can roll off him leaning on his neck, (can't get off the normal way as hip doesn't work!) and he's getting it! They're not for everyone but I strongly recommend if you can't keep your boy, going and having a try on one. you'll have a very special friend for life.