Question from my Co-worker

[BS Gal]

I'm picturing an old horse with couch cushions on it. You mean cushings...

It's not an old horse. I think it's five.

Thanks to all of you. A couple of people are dealing directly with her now via e-mail.

MAN, there is a LOT of stuff I don't know about horses.....

 

[fredsaid2]

It's not an old horse. I think it's five.

Thanks to all of you. A couple of people are dealing directly with her now via e-mail.

MAN, there is a LOT of stuff I don't know about horses.....

You're kind to help her out. It's no fun being caught in the middle though!

Paso, you're our resident western expert. This could be another business angle for you....farm calls to assess saddle fit and offer recommendations. The english side does this. Will come to you with a trailer full of saddles or just assess the one you have.

Like with anything else, dealing with horses is being on a continual learning curve!

 

[BS Gal]

You're kind to help her out. It's no fun being caught in the middle though!

Paso, you're our resident western expert. This could be another business angle for you....farm calls to assess saddle fit and offer recommendations. The english side does this. Will come to you with a trailer full of saddles or just assess the one you have.

Like with anything else, dealing with horses is being on a continual learning curve!

I had one when I was in my teens, but it was SIMPLE. I rode bareback or with a pad, the ranch the horse was on scheduled the farrier and vet and all my parents did was pay the bills :spoiledbrat: The horse was kept in a pasture year round (this was in California) and they supplemented their food with hay or whatever. We bought grain and treats and were responsible for brushing and the physical care and worming, but everything else was taken care of. Those were the days.....

Thanks to all of your for your help.

 

[Nanny Pam]

If there were a cow in the field and a horse in the field, I would know which one was the cow & which one was the horse.

....and that is ALL I know about horses & cows. :shrug:

I just know that they are beautiful animals.

 

[Tazgirl]

Has he shed out completely? Is the coat slick or does some winter hair remain?

See if she can find someone to come out and help her evaluate the saddle fit. It's an important aspect and needs to be correct for the comfort and health of the horse. Unfortunately, one size doesn't fit all

Did she get a vet check before she bought the horse and if so did the vet say anything?

Tell her to call Gayers Saddlery off of Woodyard Road in Upper Marlboro. He will come down and evaluate her horse fit it for a proper saddle and he does take trade in saddles.

 

[mingiz]

If it's sliding around the tree could be too wide. Is it a western saddle? Paso will be a good person to give advice if it is.

I emailed the person and gave her a few options to see if the saddle is to big for the horse. Told her to try saddle without pad to try just a thin rug. The saddle should sit on the horse without alot of wobble if it fits properly. If she can't get it to cinch down tight enough most likely it's to big for the horse. I offered to go look at it for her.

Paso isn't the only western rider here.....

 

[MorganLover]

It might also be the horses feed making the horse "hot" if it is eating a lot of feed or a lot of sweet feed or what ever feed she is feeding maybe causing the problem. I'd ask her what feed the horse is on and to decrease the amount to the point were the horse is only on grass or hay. If the horse is eating too much and not working it off how else is it going to use the energy? If the horse is a hard keeper even in summer and NEEDS the feed then she should probably do better research and find a better feed for the horse.

The saddle may need to be a semi quarter horse bar, if she is using a full quater horse barred saddle. There are saddle fitters that do this for a living and teach the owner how to find the proper saddle. Sounds like maybe your friend does not like to take advice too well if she told you for sure that the horse doesn't blow up while being saddled most do, and all she has to do is walk it a bit then re do the saddle there is nothing wrong if the horse does that so she doesn't have to be difensive, she is the one that asked remember. LOL.

 

[MoochCat]

If there were a cow in the field and a horse in the field, I would know which one was the cow & which one was the horse.

....and that is ALL I know about horses & cows. :shrug:

I just know that they are beautiful animals.

That is important esp. if you need to milk the cow!!!

( just kidding NP )

 

[fredsaid2]

I emailed the person and gave her a few options to see if the saddle is to big for the horse. Told her to try saddle without pad to try just a thin rug. The saddle should sit on the horse without alot of wobble if it fits properly. If she can't get it to cinch down tight enough most likely it's to big for the horse. I offered to go look at it for her.

Paso isn't the only western rider here.....

Glad you're able to help! Do western saddles come in narrow trees? BS gal mentioned it's a slender built horse.

 

[Busterduck]

Glad you're able to help! Do western saddles come in narrow trees? BS gal mentioned it's a slender built horse.

If the horse does not have a BIG wide qh build, the she will need semi-QH tree. Western saddles come in full and semi trees and flex trees. It takes a big horse to need a full tree.

If she is using a full QH tree and her horse needs a semi, the tree will set down hard on the withers and when she is sitting on the saddle, the saddle will rub the withers. Your friend should be able to see that the saddle is not touching the spine of the horse anywhere. Also there are some brands of saddles that just do not fit well. Stay away from Buffalo Saddlery saddles. In my experience, they just are not made to fit most horses.

Also, in my experience, some of the cheap girths can cause sliding too.
Good luck and if you need, she can pm me with her number and I would gladly come and check the fit of her saddle for her and answer any questions she may have.

Good luck.

 

[MorganLover]

If the horse does not have a BIG wide qh build, the she will need semi-QH tree. Western saddles come in full and semi trees and flex trees. It takes a big horse to need a full tree.

If she is using a full QH tree and her horse needs a semi, the tree will set down hard on the withers and when she is sitting on the saddle, the saddle will rub the withers. Your friend should be able to see that the saddle is not touching the spine of the horse anywhere. Also there are some brands of saddles that just do not fit well. Stay away from Buffalo Saddlery saddles. In my experience, they just are not made to fit most horses.

Also, in my experience, some of the cheap girths can cause sliding too.
Good luck and if you need, she can pm me with her number and I would gladly come and check the fit of her saddle for her and answer any questions she may have.

Good luck.

that is all the same stuff i said but i used BAR instead of tree. So Buster is saying the same thing as i about the type of saddle she bought for her slender horse.

 

[MorganLover]

just to clear this up "hot" it can cause a horse to be hyper but if the horse is just a lazy horse even on a food that makes it "hot" like my horse she just sweets and doesn't act stupid, but then there are those that do both sweet like crazy and act hyper. As soon as i took my girl off the 10% sweet feed can't remember the name, and put her back on the Blue Seal Vintage Senior i could tell the difference even though she isn't a "hot" horse i could still tell. So the point i was trying to make was that the food might be causing the horse to sweet alot making it a hot bodied horse, not really a "HOT" horse as in hyper. just to clear that up and to make sure i made sense (thanks MGH lol.)

 

[Dougstermd]

As most of you know, co-worker bought a horse recently. She asked me to post two questions:

1. Her horse is sweating a lot. Why and is this normal?
Need more info. Does she mean when she rides the horse or when it's just milling about in the pasture? Is the horse overweight? When exactly is the horse sweating and where on it's body? All over or just specific areas? Is it constant or does it subside as the temperature drops evenings/early morning? Has she taken the horse's temperature?

2. She bought a new saddle, but it around. It has nylon straps. Think the straps need to be replaced? What?[/QUOTE

me think she drinking

 

[Phyxius]

Did she get a vet check before she bought the horse and if so did the vet say anything?

Tell her to call Gayers Saddlery off of Woodyard Road in Upper Marlboro. He will come down and evaluate her horse fit it for a proper saddle and he does take trade in saddles.

No offense to Leonard, but he tells everyone they need a wide saddle, then they get it and when their horse is sore and bucking the call Susan Coffey and she comes out and either reflocks it or gives you a set of shims.

I'd steer clear of that tack store unless you already know what saddle and size you want.

 

[fredsaid2]

No offense to Leonard, but he tells everyone they need a wide saddle, then they get it and when their horse is sore and bucking the call Susan Coffey and she comes out and either reflocks it or gives you a set of shims.

I'd steer clear of that tack store unless you already know what saddle and size you want.

He's very opinionated on brands too. Everything is substandard save the ones he sells! If he has one you like and it fits well you're good to go. Otherwise I'd shop around a lot before settling on anything in particular.

 

[mingiz]

I will try a saddle before I buy another one. There are a few dealers that will give you a demo to try before you buy. Also horses lose and gain weight which will cause a change in the way the saddle sets on them. Mine is stocky and stays fat so she keeps her full quarter horse bar saddle.

 

[fredsaid2]

I will try a saddle before I buy another one. There are a few dealers that will give you a demo to try before you buy. Also horses lose and gain weight which will cause a change in the way the saddle sets on them. Mine is stocky and stays fat so she keeps her full quarter horse bar saddle.

It doesn't help this particular person but Dover Saddlery has a test ride program. You can ride for serveral days in most of the saddles they sell. I tried one many years ago. Didn't work, sent it back, refunded my money without a hitch.

 

[Pasofever]

Get a treeless they will fit ALMOST any horse...

 

[BS Gal]

I can tell you this. She didn't have the horse vet-checked first, even though I told her to, based on what I have seen on here. She doesn't have a farrier, she doesn't plan on giving it any shots or having it be seen by a vet. Does that piss me off? Yep. I watched the horse threads for weeks before she bought it and asked some questions and asked her some questions and gave her the advice I read on here. Basically, she's bought a horse for $3,000, unchecked by a vet, not having any luck riding it, bought a CHEAP saddle on line (like less than $200) and is whining about the horse. So, I'm done with trying to help her. I tried to tell her what you all said, but she wouldn't listen. You know, it's one thing to have a horse when you're a kid and you have it at a stable or ranch, like I did ..it's another thing to have one on your own at your own property. If I EVER decide to ride again, I would lease.

 

[Katie]

I can tell you this. She didn't have the horse vet-checked first, even though I told her to, based on what I have seen on here. She doesn't have a farrier, she doesn't plan on giving it any shots or having it be seen by a vet. Does that piss me off? Yep. I watched the horse threads for weeks before she bought it and asked some questions and asked her some questions and gave her the advice I read on here. Basically, she's bought a horse for $3,000, unchecked by a vet, not having any luck riding it, bought a CHEAP saddle on line (like less than $200) and is whining about the horse. So, I'm done with trying to help her. I tried to tell her what you all said, but she wouldn't listen. You know, it's one thing to have a horse when you're a kid and you have it at a stable or ranch, like I did ..it's another thing to have one on your own at your own property. If I EVER decide to ride again, I would lease.

OH..NO shots..nothing? She won't ever be able to do trail rides, go anyplace, but just ride at her home.