RE:

["Kathy Mayeda" <kathy_mayeda@atce.com>]

Don't clip! Need hair for protection.  If the hair is being pulled,
then there is pressure somewhere that will cause problems.  The hair
is just an indicator of a problem saddle fit and will only get worse
as you put on the miles.

K..




-----Original Message-----
From: Kristine Hammond [mailto:tinka@reno.quik.com]
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:07 PM
To: luv2ride@tds.net
Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: 


Greetings Dee,
Well, sorry it took me so long to respond, I was gone for the weekend.
I didn't know what was keeping me from being able to post-I was flopping
around in my new saddle like a kid just learning to ride.  Someone
suggested I move the stirrups forward 1 or 2 inches.  I moved them
backwards 1 inch by mistake, and wound up riding about 35 miles this
weekend and wound up being able to post without a problem.  I guess
stirrup position is more important than I thought.  That inch made a big
difference.  This saddle has a center fire girthing system, I have never
used one and neither has my horse.  It was of course back further on his
barrel than his other one, and I was told the proper way to saddle my
horse with this saddle was approsimately 2 inches further back of where
I had been saddling him previously.  I would say it's probably 3-4
inches back of where his other cinch went.  In the beginning he was
quite surprised!  Spent the first 20 minutes (on the lunge line) crow
hopping around,  He has adjusted to it now, only rarely kicking up while
going downhill.  I think his long winter hair is being pulled when we go
downhill.  I am going to clip that area to determine if that is really
the issue!  I have only used this saddle essentially since December 26.
It is the first time my horse has had this type of saddle on the my
knowledge, previously I used a big horn. I don't know if he is feeling
the pressure from my seat,  I still have a lot of things to figure out
about this rig.  Any suggestions are welcome, and I am grateful for
them.
 
Kriss