Albany Horse Central

11/06/2025

😬🐴😂

20/01/2025

Thought this was interesting…

Lynette.... Why are you placing my saddle so far back? I may as well be on their butt!

But seriously, where should your saddle be positioned? How do you know it's right?

We come from a nation of saddles on top of shoulders. Taught to set the saddle above the wither and the panel legs over the shoulder. We warm up and saddle has "slipped back", jump off put it back on top of their ears, sorry shoulders., and still we don't realise the saddle doesn't actually belong there.

The SMS teach a saddle should be 5cm behind the scapula. The IASF teach you to place the point of the saddle behind the shoulder rotation. You will see me lift a leg and check how far the scapula rotates. Most often 2.5" (so SMS guidance) but sometimes it's just an inch, or 3inches. This determines where I place your saddle. Then the final panel contact must not be past T18. This is how I determine what length of saddle (which alters by brand and model) will sit nicely on your horses weight bearing area.

The scapula is lined with soft cartilage, your horse should be able to move the scapula freely without contacting the tree points.

Once placed correctly your girth straps should hang naturally inline with your horses girth grove, hence why we have shaped girths. But that's a whole other post!

This post was a client request... Keep letting me know what interests you and I'll do my best to deliver 😍☺️
❤️

Excellent illustration borrowed from Natural Horseman Saddles.com Natural Horseman Saddles

13/05/2024

Seeded yesterday and the rain goddess has granted 6mm. Very satisfying.

26/01/2024

Horses need salt…

03/06/2023

LOL!

03/06/2023

https://www.facebook.com/1300591836/posts/10230540215591382/

22/03/2023

Safety comes with building a relationship based on trust, communication and psychology.

I am lucky.

I have fallen. I have been kicked. I have been stepped on. I have been bitten.

I’ve had falls that could’ve and should’ve caused permanent injury.

I’ve had falls that have broken my fingers, wrists and hands and continued to ride through such injuries.

I’ve had falls that could’ve gravely injured me and robbed me of the very job and activities that bring me so much joy.

I had one fall in particular, a few years ago, where I landed so hard I thought I may have broken my back. Every fall before this, I had been able to just get up and go catch my horse. This time, when I tried to get up, the pain was so sharp I had to take a knee. I felt like I was going to be sick.

Since this fall, I’ve had back soreness and body soreness issues. My low back, hips and knees are not great.

Recently, I had an MRI. I was expecting bad news, but instead I got good news.

I am lucky.

I have beaten up my body and needlessly put myself and horses in dangerous situations that are entirely avoidable and could be made so much safer just by training with more patience and thought.

I could’ve robbed myself of a lot of longevity and caused permanent injury.

But, I am lucky.

That luck has made me consider what it would’ve been like if I hadnt been so fortunate.

If these injuries had caught up with me.

Oh, the anger and frustration I would feel.

Others are not so lucky.

Others are still actively endangering themselves doing the same things I once did. Being applauded for it and told they’re gritty and brave.

It isn’t necessary. It isn’t worth it in the long run.

We don’t need to endanger ourselves as riders to the extent that is normalized.

Horses can be dangerous on a good day, but far too often in training and care, us humans throw gasoline on that figurative fire and create situations that are much more risky than needed.

Safety is cool.

Patience is cool.

Not injuring yourself is cool.

We can be safer. We can stress horses out less. We can preserve our bodies more and we can yield the same results or better just by taking a step back and relaxing.

We don’t need to create dangerous situations in the name of training.

You can train to avoid such dangerous situations.

And your body will thank you.

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Learning resources: http://MilestoneEquestrian.ca/resources

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Patreon: http://Patreon.com/sdequus

23/01/2023

Meals on wheels

24/09/2022

Lily is doing so well as a driving pony!

17/09/2022

Caught in the act!