New To Endurance

[rides2far@juno.com (Angela C. McGhee)]

>natural
>sea sponge fitted for endurance (again, from Running Bear) and go for 

Leigh, Leigh!  I'm so hurt. Haven't you listened to ANYTHING that I've
told you?  Here you are recommending a cheaper saddle, but recommending
an expensive sponge that the pros don't use?  >sigh<

Now, what you want is a big hourglass shaped car wash sponge, and cotton
STRING that comes in a bag from K Mart!  (ignore Lynda Corry's ranting
about rope). Those natural sponges are great if you only plan to be a
"River Dipper", but who wants to go through life with THAT stigma?

If you're just going to try out some limited distance and not train 5
days a week like SOME of us when we got started and went insane...  you
won't have to go on the "great saddle hunt" just yet. Besides, your horse
isn't the shape he's going to be in competition yet, so a custom fit
would be wasted.  

The advantages of the "higher quality" equipment are often comfort to
you,  and to the horse.  With my old non-endurance saddle, I had holes on
the inside of each knee after 50 miles.  I tried to keep my old western
for a spare and found that I couldn't stand to ride on it for 20 minutes
any more, so I sold it. 

 My gripe with the Big Horn is that the stirrups are too far forward, so
you end up in a chair position and have a sore back from trying to lean
forward to get your feet under you. Leather bridles get stiff pretty
quickly if you're a compulsive sponger.  The leather breast collar won't
last long under that sort of abuse either. 

My recommendations on tack are, buy a good quality used saddle.  They
won't depreciate much at all...just don't let'em get stolen.  I got a
practically new OF back in 1990 for $500.  I wouldn't take that for it
today. 

 I like Marilynn Horstmeyer's biothane bridle & running martingale...the
Ortho-Flex neoprene crupper (Griffin's has a cheaper one that looks
pretty good), Griffin's 8' nylon reins with regular buckels on the end,
and a Toklat wool pad. 

 I use a neoprene girth, but if you prefer the western type, Marilyn
Horstmeyer has a very nice design.  It's got stainless steel buckels, and
a felt liner that is attatched to the rest of the girth with a huge wide
(would never turn loose) piece of velcro.  That way you can peel off the
entire liner and throw it in the washer without having to put those huge
buckels in.

My breastcollar came from OF years ago when they were closing out their
neoprene.  I've really liked it.  Watch out for breastcollars with a
narrow band over the withers, and avoid letting the buckel be centered
where it would rub.

By the way, a 4 3/4" bit usually fits and Arab better than the standard
5".  I like a full cheek snaffle, and put those little bit holders on to
keep it in the right position.  There's a biothane dealer in Florida who
makes them out of biothane.  You usually have to deal with leather.

I buy my syringes from Teddy at Runningbear.  They're the only ones I can
get the electrolytes to go through.  I usually chase Roger Rittenhouse
down to get my electrolytes.  He sells them in small bags so I don't have
to deal with a huge container turning to rock.

Angie 


Angie McGhee & Kaboot
Wildwood, GA
Rides2far@juno.com
Kabootnme@aol.com


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