...though I hope to get her out for a short trail ride tomorrow if the weather cooperates. I'm still working on a very important issue NO BRAKES AT THE CANTER. I did a full lap of the paddock last night before I got her to slow down. I wonder if I should just let her run it through until it becomes work then start asking for the stop. I can circle her, and force a stop that way, but I'm fully sick of working this horse in circles. She stops fine at the walk and trot. She seems to just get a bit ...over excited when we speed up. Found that if I grab a hunk of mane and lean back that I'm not bouncing all over her back, which made her a little more agreeable to cantering. Not proper form by any measure, but had to do something to smooth things out. Just not fair to ask her for a canter and then beat her to death trying to find my balance as I have very little experience riding that gait. Must say it was lovely and smooth, even if I was on a non-stop horse ***sigh***.
Found a pad that works under the Abetta without dry spots. I doubt that it would work for long rides, but at least it will get us through for work up in the paddock. In the meantime I'm going to try a treeless that is fairly low cost. If I feel I can balance myself, and feel she is more reliable to not spook or buck, I may eventually go with a higher end treeless. I just didn't want to sink the money into a thousand dollar saddle only to find I can't ride it. I like Barefoot's saddle with the built in under panels, and also the western styled Sensation. The Sensation has a twist built into the seat somehow and that may be better for my hips with the physical disability. The saddle I'm going to try is a Hilason treeless, it is a hybrid (pictured in an earlier post) not usually offered for sale by them. I liked the soft front pommel and the lack of a zipper because that is usually where these type saddles go bad, is the zipper. The cantel is formed into more of a seat with extra padding, and it has a slight knee roll. I'm going to look at all the attachment points for the girth, and leathers and have the reinforced by my saddle fixer guy if I think they don't pass muster. I may also have him create some kind of a "night latch" or grab strap for a crisis situation. Phebes really has been pretty good, she's just young and green, and this presents some hairy situations now and then. The next thing will be to get it here (about Tuesday or Wednesday), check it out for issues, find a short dressage girth that fits, and decide what kind of pad I'm going to put under it. Something non-slip I'm sure will be necessary. I'd like to have another Skito, but the one I have is kind of slippery. I had a wool back one, and didn't care for the wool as much as the poly wool blend. Maybe to start I can just get by with a nice orthopedic waffle weave pad? If you are riding treeless and have found a pad that works and keeps you off the horse's spine, I'd love to hear from you. ~Endurance Granny
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