[RC] Saddle Twist Story (long - for hip arthritics) - Gloria Adams
Hi All,
Read with interest about saddle twist (as I do all things
about it). 4 years ago I became symptomatic
with SEVERE hip arthritis that now
has only worsened, causing me to sometimes walk with a cane. It also caused me
to sell a great mare who needed a
rider who could now do more with her than I could in my handicapped state, Bruce Weary’s great
foxtrotter mare, Sugar.
While it may be true that
narrow twist fit a man better, I just wanted to say that
if you have a pathologic hip (mines
from osteoarthritis), a narrow twist might help save your riding career a
little (but no where near completely, if its severe like mine: ie: walking with
a cane, unable to walk 3 blocks without pain, wakes you up at night, can’t sleep on that hip, pain only 50% relieved by 1200mg Motrin/day).
I have now only been able to ride in narrow twist saddles
for 4 years. The problem with that
can be (word of warning), a narrow twist will sit the rider higher above the
withers. This is no big deal with a horse that
has withers.
But if you are riding a mutton withered horse (as I am now –
just got him), you will have a big problem, as the saddle will be perched too
high on that type of horse, &
will be unstable (rolls side to side).
I even have a custom Sawtooth saddle (with a narrow twist
made – just got it 3 weeks ago, $4000), but I had huge trouble on this new,
fat mutton withered cutting/roping horse.
I was so upset, new saddle (that
fits me finally as close to perfect as God is able to a cripple), but it didn’t
fit my new calm horse, & was
rolling side to side.
I have a corrector pad from way back, I put it under my new
saddle, & it works (basically it seems to give a non-withered horse,
withers). & it sits just where it does on a horse with withers & does
not roll. This is hard to explain, but it’s a tough plastic like football
shoulder pads, with some thin felt over it.
The corrector is rather
thin (1/4 inch), so I am not going to be roping some 1000# steers until this
horse loses weight. Then I will add a western ½ inch felt pad, & we will
see.
Before I remembered about the Corrector, I went to a local
saddlemaker regarding this. He said “God could not make a saddle to fit a
person with a severe arthritic hip who needs a narrow twist & wants to ride
a wide low withered horse”. I was sick (horse was $12,000).
So, anyway, the point of this story, is if you have this
same problem, the Corrector might help you.
