I’m a bit of a fan of the Wintec saddle, I must admit and have found getting one fitted to my rather wide, swayed backed gelding to be a particularly good move in relation to his comfort and mine (although I’m certain a fitted leather saddle would have the same result).

When I first got the saddle fitted to Pride, he was rather… obese and a couple of years later dropped down to a better weight and therefore changed shape. It was very easy to have someone out to reassess the saddle and how it sits on him and make the appropriate changes. Some more padding was required in the panels and the gullet was able to be adjusted to a wider one as Pride’s shape over his wither had also changed.

I have on another occasion had someone out to again assess the fit of the saddle when my gelding again changed shape/weight and they had to reflock the panels. It’s been suggested that the saddle be assessed on an annual basis and let’s face it, your horse can change shape quite a bit over this duration.

This was all done as part of a service offered through Horseland in Australia. Horseland actually have an Accredited Saddle Fitting Course which can be found out about at https://www.horseland.com.au/Saddlefitting/Saddle%20Fitting.asp. Again, this is a course I’d be interested in just for personal learning but two levels are offered and people have made a business out of providing this service.

http://www.eurosaddleimports.com.au/service.asp – saddle fitting for NSW and Queensland, Australia.
http://rbe.co.uk/html/saddle_fitting.html – saddle fitting service located at Milton Keynes, Bucks, UK.
http://www.sansomsaddlery.co.uk/saddle_fitting.htm – saddle fitting, Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

“A horse already knows how to be a horse; the rider has to learn how to become a rider. A horse without a rider is still a horse; a rider without a horse is no longer a rider.”

tag: saddle fitting service, course, australia, united kingdom, saddlery

Fancy yourself handy with an industrial sewing machine? Creative? Think you could design a better saddle – more comfortable, a better fit to the horse or with something that would make it a cut above the rest? Perhaps you need to get into saddlery. If you’re situated in UK, it seems that you’re in the right place to chase up the advice of those already experienced in the field. If you’re in Oz, you might wanna consider traveling!

With so many disciplines, you may be interested in focusing on one type of saddle in particular or covering a range. Dressage, show jumping, general purpose, side saddle, western, endurance or perhaps stock saddles. While in South Africa we rode in a type of trail saddle with a rather high pommel, deep seat and high cantle. They were extremely comfortable for long rides with lots of trotting or cantering but definitely not something I’d seen on trail in Australia. Generally on a trail ride we’re in a stock saddle. I am very much a fan of the saddle pictured, however.

http://www.mastersaddlers.co.uk/ – Master saddlers across the UK.
http://www.calcuttandsons.co.uk/ – where a well established saddler in Australia did his apprenticeship, gaining experience before setting up his own business.
http://www.saddlerycourses.com/
http://www.saddlersco.co.uk/thesaddlerscompany/introduction.html
http://www.saddlerytraining.co.uk/
http://www.saddlerytrainingscotland.com/

“The rhythm of the ride carried them on and on, and she knew that the horse was as eager as she, as much in love with the speed and air and freedom” – Georgess McHargue

tag: saddlery, leather work, training, south africa, travel, united kingdom

Last year I was having a few problems with my gelding feeling sore while being worked and had it suggested by someone else who had someone out to their horse who practiced bowen therapy that I get my boy looked at when they got theirs looked at. They highly recommended the person and their technique so I agreed and after two sessions about a week or so apart he felt great.

Bowen therapy, a ‘tactile remedial therapy’ rather than massage, stimulates the body’s healing ability bringing about relief from discomfort and pain. This therapy is used on both humans and horses and is gaining interest around the world.

Because it caters to both horse and human, perhaps this is a therapy that could be learnt, a qualification earnt and then put into use to bring in an income?

http://eqitopia.com.au/bowen_therapy.html – a closer look at what Bowen Therapy is and where it originated from, from a site based in QLD, Australia.
http://www.bowen.asn.au/html/ – Bowen Therapists Federation of Australia.
http://www.equerryhorseservices.com/ – Practitioners located in Blackburn, Victoria, Australia.
http://www.equinebowentherapy.com/ – course offered in New Zealand, prerequisites listed on the prospectus page.
http://www.bowenworkacademyusa.com/ – Bowen Therapy in the US.
http://www.bowentherapists.com/ – The Bowen Therapists European Registrar.

“Surgeons General Warning: Horses are expensive, addictive, and may impair the ability to use common sense.”

tag: bowen therapy, australia, education, america, new zealand, united kingdom, europe, tactile therapy, qualification

In a nutshell:
CranioSacral Therapy is a “method which focuses upon the central nervous system and uses light touch to optimise body movement.”

Cranium – 1. the skull of a vertebrate; 2. the part of the skull that encloses the brain.

Sacrum – bone resulting from the fusion of two or more vertebrae between the lumbar and the coccygeal regions, in humans being composed usually of five fused vertebrae and forming the posterior wall of the pelvis.

Based on it’s name, one can conclude that this form of equine massage focuses on the whole horse – from head to tail. There seems to be a lot of different methods out these days to help you relax and be a better rider and to help your horse relax and perform better.

And the best bit? So many of these methods you can learn yourself to help improve your performance and relationship with your horse. And of course there’s the added bonus that if you’re good at what you do and you’ve gone to the trouble to receive a piece of paper to prove your skill then you can potentially earn some money doing something you enjoy that is helping others’ horses.

Take a look at:
http://www.healthyhorsesnaturally.com.au/equine-craniosacral-therapy.asp
http://www.equinecraniosacral.com/ – site of Maureen Rogers, US Representative.
http://www.equinology.com/info/course.asp?courseid=22 – CranioSacral course.
http://www.equinemassageireland.com/ – CranioSacral Therapist, Ireland.
http://www.danishequineacademy.com/ – Danish Equine Academy focusing on massage.

“Great riders are not great because of their talent; they are great because of their passion.”

tag: craniosacral massage, course, ireland, australia, education, america, horse studies, equine massage. denmark

Just a note for anyone in Victoria, Australia or more specifically around the Keysborough area who’s interested in getting into teaching/looking for instructing work. Melbourne School of Pony Equitation are on the lookout for more instructors.

You don’t need a qualification but can work towards your EFA Level 1 through the school and gain teaching experience. A sound knowledge of riding principles and tacking/untacking horses would be needed however to carry out lessons. A general lesson consists of one to up to half a dozen students who catch, groom, tack up their horses then ride and bring in and untack, groom and put away.

The school has a 70m x 30m outdoor arena as well as a cross country course, jumps paddock and other areas to ride. If you’re interested in teaching and are available over weekends, consider contacting the school for work.

“His hooves pound the beat, your heart sings the song – Jerry Shulman.”

tag: horseriding, australia, Level 1, EFA, coaching, instructing