saddle fit

Wow, it's really about time I started using this blog. Such a handy tool, and I've been ignoring it.

I've recently started paying attention to saddle fit. I must say, I feel ashamed that I've never paid too much attention to saddle fit in the past. I own three saddles, but I currently only use one: my Wintec 500 all-purpose. I got this saddle at some point before Cadenza turned 3, and it's pretty much the only saddle she's ever had on her back. As far as the tree goes, it fits fine; subsequently as far as I knew until recently, the saddle fit fine.

However.

As I was researching the Cashel Soft Saddle, I found this site, which gives a lot of useful information about saddle fitting. Apparently, most modern saddles, even the "high end" brands, have a "V-shaped" gullet that comes in and rests to close to the spine, which causes the horse to constantly tense certain muscles in its back in order to relieve pain, I guess. :( Prolonged use of such a saddle, resulting in prolonged tenseness of the back, is apparently the cause of a hump near the back of the spine. I know Cadenza has this hump (pictured), and I've wondered and worried at it for a long time. No vet has ever given me the answer that it has to do with saddle fit, though. So, I took a look at my saddle, and sure enough, the gullet panels do not provide appropriate clearance.

This is problematic because I don't think a Wintec all-purpose is worth the cost or trouble of having a customized fitting. In fact, I'm not even sure that a saddler would customize a Wintec. Yet, a new saddle, or a new used saddle, is not really in my budget right now, especially because I plan to get a really nice dressage saddle as my next and last (for a long time) saddle. I could sell my other saddles, but the other two are virtually worthless, and a used Wintec probably wouldn't bring in much either. So, I have some thinkin' to do on this matter. I feel really guilty using my saddle now, though!

The good news is: my Soft Saddle arrived yesterday. I rode in it for the first time today, and I LOVE it! I think I might look into making some of the alterations mentioned in the Lorien Stable article, though, because it does rest too much on the withers. :P I only walked and trotted today, and I didn't notice any problems with slippage, but I didn't want to push my luck: the breastcollar I ordered is on backorder. Anyway, I'm sure I'll have lots more to say about the Soft Saddle later.


First post, off topic -- dog adoption fees

Not a very promising start, but hey, I'm not really promising anything anyway.

I sometimes torture myself by reading through Craigslist's "pets" page, and often I see "For Adoption" or "Pet Needs Home" ads like this one:

14 Week Old Boxer/Shepherd Mix Needs A New Home (Ronkonkoma)
Date: 2009-03-29, 11:39AM EDT

My 57 year old mother adopted a puppy a few weeks ago. Due to her age, landlord and work schedule she is unable to keep him. He is a 14 week old boxer/ shepherd mix. He is very active and playful and needs a loving home. He is neutered and has his first set of shots. Will include with him his cage, food, and leash. Are asking for a adoption fee jsut to cover what we have spent on him to adopt him and his shots, neutering costs. Please email me if you are interested.
Thankyou!!

There are many things about these ads that bother me, but the thing that's really got me right now is the demand for an adoption fee "just to cover what we have spent on him to adopt him and his shots [and] neutering costs." Her "age, landlord, and work schedule" did NOT come as a sudden surprise, I'm positive ("Hey mom, how'd you get to be 57?? Just yesterday you were 32!"). My point being, this dog is their MISTAKE. And who should pay for that mistake? Certainly not the dog. But by demanding these adoption fees (which certainly they could afford in the first place, so it's not like they need the money to survive; no, they just want to be REIMBURSED!), they are clearly under the impression that someone else should pay for their mistake. They're not only turning the dog out of its home, and relying on someone else to clean up their mess by taking the dog off their hands, but they're expecting that person to be so darn thankful to have these people's leftovers that they'll also be more than willing to reimburse all the money the dog's eaten up so far. And on THIS they're staking the dog's future well-being. Not on who's best able to offer the dog a suitable home, but on whoever's willing to pay for their mistake. ARG, this is so maddening!

If this is the prevailing attitude towards animals -- that they're so disposable -- it's no wonder so many horses are going to slaughter. They are just simply not worth the amount of money in care that needs to go into them!