Getting a saddle and have some questions

bit · Getting a saddle and have some questions

I noticed my treeless tends to slide back on Eclipse, and I have to get off and adjust it at least a couple of times during the day. Even with the breast collar, it slides back and the breast collar ends up getting tight on her. I finally decided to go western, and get a custom saddle. I just want to buy this stuff one time, and I don't want to ever have to buy this stuff again.
The saddle maker suggested a wool Navaho blanket. Ok, that goes on top of a pad, right? Right? What pad? Someone at one point suggested a 5 star. I got on the site and thought, which one? I have a nice bridle, good snaffle bit, but my rope reins have a metal connector. I wouldn't think they would be a good thing, metal on metal. Do I need slobber straps? Not long, big ones, I know. Do I need to get the macate, and just start over, ditching said rope reins? Ditch the whole dang thing and start with something set up? Freckers has a nice bridle with a parachute macate. Freakin expenseive. Lol, There's a lot of details that you can drown in. You western folk, any suggestions. Here's a pic of the saddle, still under construction.

PasoBaby_CarolU

I put the blanket under the pad. You can easily wash the blanket, not the pad. I have seen many people ride with just the pad.

Most people like 1" felt pad. I'd stick with natural materials.

If you needed a breast collar before, you'll probably need one again. Eclipse is a gaited horse and they have a lot of shoulder movement, probably the reason your saddle slid back.

bit

Already on it, Carol. Having breast collar made, as well. Someone just replied on Brent Graef forum:
Hi Deb,

Sounds like you may have gotten an About the Horse saddle made by Dave Genadek? I have one of Dave's saddles and with my saddle, it becomes too small if I put a wool pad underneath it. His saddles are designed to only need a double wool blanket (generally they come 60 inches long so you can double them). I have Five Star pads and I love them but they add too much thickness and it makes the saddle super tight in the shoulder. I just recently bought a Five Star blanket liner which is super thin that I am going to use with a single blanket. It will be the equivalent to the double blanket that is recommended. Go with whatever the saddle maker has suggested.

Ok, iath horse folks, would it be possible that NO pad and just a navaho, possibly a 5 star blanket liner? It's custom, so fit should be a close one. No pad? Really? the shoulder is where we are gonna need room.

becdubie

One thing I will always look for in a pad is that they have that split for the withers....and spine.
I have an old one that doesn't have that and it tends to flaten out and put pressure in the wither area.

HopeMissouri

There are quite a few folks with About the Horse saddles on the Gaited Horse Sense board. You might pose your question there.

At the David G. clinic I attended a couple of years ago, he suggested minimal padding.

When do you expect your saddle to be delivered?

bit

Should be here in about 3 weeks or so, and it's a Henderson not a About the horse saddle. I think it's a nice, close contact saddle. I plan on calling saddle maker and asking. Not to mention, slober straps, or no. Rope reins but macate? Do I NEED a macate?

Hertha

I've found clip on reins with a nice yacht braid rope are great because if I want to lead my horse, I just unclip it from the side rings on the halter and clip it onto the halter loop. I think the rope is half inch diameter. Has nice weight and feel to it.

I also like my Parelli hackamore with mecate but I am always careful to tie the reins to the saddle with a small dog collar when I'm off the horse. Vision of horse flipping it over her head and then stepping into the loop is not a nice one.

carefreegirl

well didn't you like the thinline pad for your treeless/english saddle? I think they have western pads as well...I have seen many ride with just a doubled over (or two) Navajo blanket, with no problem I think it depends on the horse and the saddle combination as to what is needed.

When I go to buy a western saddle pad again I am considering getting a 5 star pad, a thinline, or a CSI pad, when I get to that point then I'll do more shopping, and maybe get something completely different, lol...

As for slobber straps, I think longer/bigger ones are generally considered to be more desirable for younger/greener horses and riders (gives them a bigger pre cue, and slows down a riders hands), and smaller shorter ones are for more refinement, but I could be wrong. I personally really like my Karen Rohlf reins, but they may look a little odd with an western saddle, but I ride with them anyway when I ride western, which is rarely as my western saddle doesn't really fit Bently.

Copious_Amour

ElaineW

A long time ago I picked up parelli's rope mecate and slobber straps..
I didn't really use them much with my first horse, and Jett came with his headgear..
Now with Levi I had started using it.
I do not like that yachting rope for reins. You can't get the twist out when you make your looop.
And the older it got the bigger it got and heavy. It would pull down on his snaffle. and slobber straps where heavier too. so in my quest to be lighter I went to ebay and found a very nice 1/2 inch mane mecate,, it's LITE! NOt heavy at all. Found a nice lite set of slobber straps too..
but when it comes right down to it Bit,, YOu can use anything you want!!!
I also have clip reins,, but gave the mecate a try and I like it..
I am going to privatly send you a photo of Levi's head gear to check out..

Have a great day!
Elaine

PasoBaby_CarolU

Elaine, if you wash the yacht reins (just throw in washer) the dirt will come out and they'll be light and soft again. I do a load of halters, leads and reins a couple times a year. Put the clips in old socks and secure with rubber bands so they don't scar up your washer drum.

I am with Hertha on the clip reins. I trail ride a lot and like that I can unclip them from the bridle, clip them on the halter (or just use one clip on my jaquima) and tie the horse for lunch break. Having just had a bad accident with Rosie, I would rather not have a tied hard loop.

I don't care for mecate reins, or the rope on the Parelli hackamore, just as I didn't like the pissador rope popular with Paso Finos. I hate having that extra rope that you HAVE TO tie on your saddle (or have to hold if you are bareback) securely. I forever see people with that rope dragging where the slack has gone down or come loose. I tried tying the cavalry knot around my horse's neck and besides getting wet and sweaty and wrapped in mane, I had a near disaster with that getting caught in brush.

I like to KISS. The less complicated and easier I can make it, I like it.

carefreegirl

part of the reason I like Karen Rohlfs reins is because they are way easy to take on and off, a simple buckle, like on a belt, but yet I don't have the metal on metal like you have with clip on reins, and they are also less likely to come undone on their own then the clip on reins. To me they are the best of both worlds, in-between having a clip on rein and having a rein that is more securely fastened.

I got my reins second hand and so they were a good deal to, and they have substance, but are not heavy, they feel good in my hands, geez I sound like a commercial, but I really do like my reins, and I have used, traditional leather reins, rubber eventing reins, and I have ridden in yatch rope mecate, my favorite are my karen rohlf reins, I'd also like to get a set in a slightly smaller diameter (if they are even made) to see if I like that as well.

ElaineW

Your right about washing the ropes Carol,, I used to wash my leads,, my first lead is just so fat and poofy , and I could be wrong but i think ithas shrunk! lol..
And I just can't throw a rope away, so I keep them.
But the Mecate I am talking about is the same rope that's on the parelli's natural hackamore.. for me they are to fat and heavy..

Julie has my clip on reins, she loves them!
Now I can say for sure that I do not like leather reins.. I have had a few different kinds and just don't care for them..

PasoBaby_CarolU

I agree with you Elaine, I don't care for the diameter/weight of Parelli reins. I get my reins made by Paso Fino tack dealers, and go with a yacht weave, but lighter weight and longer then usual. I like an 11' rein so the horse can drop her head to drink when I trail ride. I have shorter sets for 'practice' at home where I don't need the length. And lighter sets that I use for double reining when having too much bulk is too difficult to deal with.

I see a lot of trainers with 1" or thicker cotton rope reins and I can't imagine having that much in my hands for any length of time. I do like to start youngsters with a 1" yacht set I have. The weight helps them get the message that it means something. As soon as they have that light, I move back to reins for my comfort.

ElaineW

That's interesting Carol!

I would be interested in seeing what kinda rope that is.
Around here all the reins at the co'ops tack stores are all 8 foot for some reason. Way to short!
but I found a NICE set of reins on sell, they had the clips,with the leathers. Half Circle Ranch calls them 'water loops'. But I only gave like 9 bucks for them. so i take them home, take them apart and make Julie a nice set of reins out of smaller rope I found at the boat store.
Of course they are a NICE green she likes LOL.. and the end price for them was only like 15 bucks!

bit

For now, I'm riding. Found a cool headstall I forgot I bought. Love it. Have a great bit and curb strap, so that left reins. I don't care for the metal on metal clip ons, and that's what I had. Tree line reins that clipped on. Hey wait, that clip is attatched to a slobber strap. Hmmm. I removed the clips, attached the slobber straps to the bit and, viola. The reins really aren't as long as I would like them, so still want to get some reins. I'm looking at parachute cord or mane hair reins. Still need to talk to the saddle maker about the pad. That just leaves a mohair cinch and I'll be cooking with gas. I think I'm going to take all this stuff I've bought and sell it at a tack swap in Kansas City this weekend. Time for someone else to buy stuff they don't need, from me!

ElaineW