More saddle questions!

["Maryanne Stroud Gabbani" <gabbani@starnet.com.eg>]

In a fit of lunacy last year I subscribed to Arabian Horse World (got any
idea how much that costs to Fedex to Egypt...proof my husband really loves
me) and my monthly equine Playboy is always eagerly awaited by us deprived
folk of the Sahara. This month's had write ups on the Quilty and the Old
Dominion and after looking over my used OF that I dragged back from Texas
last year, everyone was poring over the tack in the pictures.  Some
questions:
1. One rider wanted to know why everyone seems to be using running
martingales. I suggested that they might be lead lines looped around the
horses' necks, but many do, indeed, appear to be martingales. A particular
reason?
2. One picture showed a rider (loaned the magazine so I can't remember who)
in the OD who had a saddle that just covered the horse's back and then had
no panels coming down between the rider's leg and the horse. What kind of
saddle is that?
3. ReactorPanel and OF seem to be pretty much the same idea (and in the same
price range new...ouch!). Anyone tried both of them and have opinions?
4. The used OF does not seem to be that happy a fit with my mare. Usually I
ride in a Stubben and as long as I watch the girth we have no problem with
creeping saddles. She's never rubbed or galled on the girth, but she is an
all-time champion inflator.  The OF, on the other hand, seemed to slide back
no matter what I did. Is this normal?  There's a lovely ad for a clinic with
Valerie Kanavy that shows her and Jedi in Dubai. His saddle seems to be
rather further back than I'm used to with the Stubben...does this indicate
it's a OF thing? Her saddle does seem to be an OF. On the other hand he
looks longer and taller than my Egyptian.

That's enough questions to keep people puzzling I think.  Maybe I can
finally begin to understand some of these things long distance.
Maryanne Stroud Gabbani

Cairo, Egypt
gabbani@starnet.com.eg


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