Puz has been a bit on and off lately, nothing specific that I can put my finger on, just a bit stuffy and not her usual bold self when being ridden.
I've had the physio out to iron out any kinks and I've had the saddle checked and all is fine. But today on my lesson she started off not quite right again.
My instructor mentioned that the saddle looked as though it was moving a bit, then got on so I could see and it really was!!! Anyway we tried a few things but we just slipped the saddle a little further back and hey presto that what was causing the problem!!!
I am SUCH a wally!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe that I have been putting the saddle a bit too far forward. Puz has got big shoulders so the saddle must have been pinching and restricting her movement.
Puz has a really nice seat that the saddle fits in, but as she lost alot of weight over winter the muscles that the saddle sits behind disappeared and as her mane rubbed out at the bottom, this meant I wasn't putting the saddle in it's usual place and it didn't look out of place.
I am SO SO furious with myself that I haven't noticed. This is the first winter she has ever lost weight so I've never had this issue with her, plus I've been tacking up so quickly (pushed for time as working late) I hadn't noticed that I'd started putting the saddle on a bit too far forward - now although it's not as though I was putting it waaaay too far forward, just too much for Puz, but still, I should have noticed, I've had her for ages so should have noticed that the saddle position had changed. :stomp:
I've had the physio out to iron out any kinks and I've had the saddle checked and all is fine. But today on my lesson she started off not quite right again.
My instructor mentioned that the saddle looked as though it was moving a bit, then got on so I could see and it really was!!! Anyway we tried a few things but we just slipped the saddle a little further back and hey presto that what was causing the problem!!!
I am SUCH a wally!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe that I have been putting the saddle a bit too far forward. Puz has got big shoulders so the saddle must have been pinching and restricting her movement.
Puz has a really nice seat that the saddle fits in, but as she lost alot of weight over winter the muscles that the saddle sits behind disappeared and as her mane rubbed out at the bottom, this meant I wasn't putting the saddle in it's usual place and it didn't look out of place.
I am SO SO furious with myself that I haven't noticed. This is the first winter she has ever lost weight so I've never had this issue with her, plus I've been tacking up so quickly (pushed for time as working late) I hadn't noticed that I'd started putting the saddle on a bit too far forward - now although it's not as though I was putting it waaaay too far forward, just too much for Puz, but still, I should have noticed, I've had her for ages so should have noticed that the saddle position had changed. :stomp: