New saddle changing the whole way I ride. Any one else have this?

OwnedbyChanter

OwnedbyChanter

With out my boys life would be bland
Apr 16, 2009
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Raininghamshire
So I had a proper flatwork session today and for the first ten minutes I hated my new saddle. Last night it felt amazing but today everything felt wrong.

I adjusted my stirrups twice and still I felt wrong, The block was digging in to the top of my right thigh and my right leg was swinging like it was hinged and I had no control.

I finished my warm up and stopped to adjust myself and try and feel what the hell was going on. Then the penny dropped :( After I broke my ankle that whole side was weak plus my AS is worse on that side. I have been riding my poor ponies so twisted I am surprised they went forward at all :(:eek::eek::eek:

I soon realised that the new saddle did not allow me to move my leg the way I did before and held it in place this also meant I could not twist my hips at all meaning I sat straighter. After an hour he was cantering straight lines (he had previously started to canter quarters in) he was forward and soft over his back his canter leg yields were amazing and suddenly we could manage walk to canter serpentine.

I feel really bad for my boys I was so crooked:(:( any ones else found this once the changed
 
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I found the thigh blocks on the Fairfax very odd to start with, my dressage saddle is a very flat open one, it hardly even has a knee roll, I prefer this for the riding I do in it. Its good its helping you be more aware of your straightness though, they say a good saddle should effortlessly put you where you need to be :D it does feel odd when you first switch though doesn't it. When I went from my old model SC dressage to their new model one it felt so weird to start with, totally different and made me more aware of my issues until I got used to the new position.
 
I try saddles fairly regularly and if they alter "me" too much it's a non starter.

I was told that the new stirrups I bought improved my position, I looked more secure and yes they did support my lower legs.
However after the 5th ride I was aching from being put into a position my body simply couldn't do. The cob had said no to this change after the second ride!

I wouldn't feel bad about being crooked, we all are. What we do is adapt and the horse learns to read us from that adaptation. Had mine gone better with my improved position I would have kept the stirrups, but she was mum no I dont like it and it created discomfort.
 
For years I heard the praises of Tuckers but had never even sat in one.
I was very pleased and when I took some lessons last year
It was nice to not have to re align my legs!!! And could focus on other things!!!
 
stand"newforest said:
I try saddles fairly regularly and if they alter "me" too much it's a non starter.

I was told that the new stirrups I bought improved my position, I looked more secure and yes they did support my lower legs.
However after the 5th ride I was aching from being put into a position my body simply couldn't do. The cob had said no to this change after the second ride!

I wouldn't feel bad about being crooked, we all are. What we do is adapt and the horse learns to read us from that adaptation. Had mine gone better with my improved position I would have kept the stirrups, but she was mum no I dont like it and it created discomfort.
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I understand some of what you are saying but ginger could not canter a straight line therefore i was actually causing damage to him regardless if he adapted to me or not my position was causing him to change. That alone in my mind was not good enough.

All the saddle has done is not allow me to twist through my bad hip after half an hour the change was amazing in him given time i will adapt my riding which i think is kinder than making him adapt to my bad riding
 
I didn't write it very well did I.
I am glad the change in him was positive. For me altering something simple as stirrups had a negative effect on mine.
 
I had the same issue. I bought a thorogood T8 and found I hated it despite having a T6 before BUT apparently it's me that's crooked not my new saddle! At the moment it feels like one stirrup is always longer then the other but actually now 6 rides in I am noticing it less. (Stirrups are level)
 
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OBC you know my views on this and one of ours would put the rider on the ground in this saddle! Horses and saddles for horses is worth a book, We prefer old fashioned flatter saddles with little knee /thigh and the ability of the rider to adjust position more.
 
Well I rode again at a comp today and hardly noticed a thing I was riding better his did not ride quarters in on a straight line and my hips hurt less.

The problem is my AS is advancing rapidly now @eml after any period sat still at my desk I can't walk my hips are so stiff and I am leaning forward when I walk. I can't alter my position unaided. What this saddle has done is not allow me to twist the difference is amazing but the main thing is I am not causing ginger any more issues as at the end of the day due to my job I may have to sell him if I get posted abroad if that was never a issues he would adjust to me and we would live happy ever after in our wonky world but I can't sell on a wonky horse.
 
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