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Re: Loin Rubs!!! Was saddle blankets



Farafix@aol.com wrote:

> Gee, thanks, I wonder if she'll still be my friend when I suggest her new
> saddle doesn't fit her horse !?!?!
> Seriously, tho, I thought the ortho-flex saddles were supposed to have some
> flexibility to fit different backed horses.

Like any saddle, Ortho Flex saddles are not for every horse (although mine fits
Rocket like a glove!).  The panels are relatively long on them - almost too
long for the average size of Arab.  If the horse has any sway to their back,
even the flexible panels cannot completely accomodate the dip and it can
bridge.  I was lucky... Rocket is simply a HUGE arab (16H and built like a
tank) with a level back and good withers.  I dread the thought of finding
another saddle for the next horse that comes along!

I feel that part of the loin rubbing seen with the OF is due to the booties - a
pad that attaches directly to the saddle's panels, for those who haven't seen
one.  Rather than the saddle shimmying on the pad (as with a traditional
saddle), the saddle & pad are moving on the horse's coat.  OF has finally
started making a separate traditional pad and light duty cotton sleeves to
protect the saddle panels, but I haven't seen this set up in person yet.  To
complicate things more, the booties are normaly synthetic material which is
more likely to rubb the hair out.  They sell all wool booties, but is
outrageously priced!

I bought a Toklat Woolback pad  that is made for my OF Express Lite - I love
it, and it was 1/2 the price of the OF wool booties.  We weren't having
problems, but it should last longer.  I have two Toklat Woolbacks from 1989
that are used for training and competing on Mike's horse - they show some wear,
but they are hardly worn out!

Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Ranch
Bruceton Mills, WV - where we're sitting under 14 inches of snow, drifts to 3
ft, 50 mph winds, and windchill in the -30*F   Who said spring was coming?!?!?!




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