----- The following addresses had delivery problems -----
gretchenfathaver@ee.net (unrecoverable error)
----- Transcript of session follows -----
... while talking to mail.ee.net.:
>>> RCPT To:<gretchenfathaver@ee.net>
<<< 550 <gretchenfathaver@ee.net>... User unknown
550 gretchenfathaver@ee.net... User unknown
----- Original message follows -----
Return-Path: <cypress!Stasia_Hurley@cypressres.com>
Received: from cypress.UUCP by netcomsv.netcom.com with UUCP (8.6.12/SMI-4.1)
id JAA06664; Fri, 19 Apr 1996 09:51:08 -0700
Message-Id: <199604191651.JAA06664@netcomsv.netcom.com>
Date: 19 Apr 1996 08:36:04 U
From: "Stasia Hurley" <Stasia_Hurley@cypressres.com>
Subject: Re: Fitting saddles on mules
To: "gretchen " <gretchenfathaver@ee.net>
Reply to: RE>Fitting saddles on mules and wide
Gretchen,
Thanks for your note. Everything that you said is very interesting to me and
if/when I find a saddle that I really like I will consider having it widened if
it does not fit right. The other things is that I actually have a 15 hh
connemara pony, not a mule. The points that you cover in your note are
extremely valid no matter what you ride. It sounds like the problems encountered
are similar. It is lucky that the mules have someone like you who is so
resourceful!
Thank you for offering to sell me the Stubben Parsival but I have found that the
Stubbens don't fit ME right. (I may change my tune after a couple of months
looking for a saddle!) I hope that you find that the australian saddles help you
out. I have a question about the widening that you may know the answer to. All
the saddle makers use different trees etc. Are there some manufacturers that
they cannot widen? Thanks again!
Stasia Hurley
Palo Alto CA
--------------------------------------
Date: 4/19/96 9:12 AM
To: Stasia Hurley
From: gretchenfathauer@ee.net
>From ee.net@mail.ee.net Fri Apr 19 08:57:56 1996
Received: from mail.ee.net by netcomsv.netcom.com with ESMTP (8.6.12/SMI-4.1)
id IAA14520; Fri, 19 Apr 1996 08:57:56 -0700
Received: from [206.230.39.25] (zort25.ee.net [206.230.39.25]) by mail.ee.net
(8.7.4/8.7.3) with SMTP id LAA02408 for <stasia@cypressres.com>; Fri, 19 Apr
1996 11:58:36 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1996 11:58:36 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <199604191558.LAA02408@mail.ee.net>
Subject: Fitting saddles on mules and widening trees
From: <gretchenfathauer@ee.net>
To: "stasia" <stasia_hurley.cypress@cypressres.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Being a fellow mule enthusiast--I recently got a young draft mule who
was going to be sold by a former employee for slaughter, as he is not
broke--I was browsing through mule stuff and came upon your note on
wanting to fit your mule. You do not have to give up a favorite
English saddle just because it is too narrow a tree. For a little over
$100, I had a place widen the trees on 2 saddles from 32 cm. to 34. A
32 is what "wide" trees usually are, at the most. I have a Foxtrotter
who is ridiculously wide in the front, and actually, the 34 is a tad
too wide on him. Once you have enough width, though, it is extremely
simple to narrow the tree down by about 1 cm. less by jamming in chunks
of felt into the slots at the front of the saddle that allow you to
stick the felt between the tree tips and the stuffed panels. You just
jam it in with a screwdriver.
I had my trees widened at: Gordon Meurisse, 611 West Lunt, Schaumberg,
IL 60193, (847) 539-6779. They also told me about the felt and sold me
the right size and type. They cater to polo players, and have
extensive experience in saddle modifications and repair. The widening
of the tree involves them opening up the saddle and sending it out to
someone who has special equipment to widen the tree;then Meurisse puts
the saddle back together. They do a great job--you cannot tell either
of my saddles were tampered with. The stitching matches, etc.
I have an 18" Stubben Parzival (dressage) saddle that I had widened to
a 34 tree that I would be willing to sell to you for $750, if you are
interested.
I am a bit leery of using a County Competitor on a mule, however. The
Counties are known for having a lot of sway in the bars, and mules'
backs are unusually straight and unswayed. It is like trying to
stabilize a rocking chair on the floor by tying the front of the seat
to the floor--every time you get up or down (as in posting), the chair
still rocks, and puts pressure on the center of the bars. This can
sore your mule's back. I personally favor Aussie saddles on mules
because you can so readily change the shape of panels by working the
stuffing to where you need it by awling. English saddles, with the
panels covered in leather, can be likewise modified, but it requires
that the panels be opened up and then restitched after the stuffing has
been moved. With the wool serge covering on Aussie panels, you can
just poke an awl through the wool serge and work it back to move the
stuffing. A lot of the Indian-made Aussie saddles are quite wide--I
bought one for my mule. Another cheap alternative that is likely to
fit a mule is a McClellan. I know this sounds radical, but they feel
surprisingly good.
The saddle I have that has fit the largest variety of backs is an
all-purpose Passier.
Another reason I am now leaning towards Aussie saddles is that I broke
my tail bone in '87 when my Foxtrotter spun out from under me when some
deer suddenly appeared, and a lot of English saddles get my tail bone
sore now. I definitely get sore from bareback riding, too. The wider
Aussie seat will be a help with this. Too bad they look so funky!
I hope this information is of help to you--Gretchen Fathauer
(gretchenfathauer@ee.net)