Page 62 - ST November 2013

BY LETITIA GLENN
SADDLE SAVVY

Need our help assessing your saddle it?

Just send photos of your horse like these:

If you’re wondering whether you have your saddle 2. With saddle and pad secure. ONLINE with no 1. HORSE
rider.
PROFILE
set up for success, you can trust us to give you
3. BEING RIDDEN at all gaits comfortable for you.
NAKED
guidance. Our 12-year quest to enhance the riding
experience for horses AND the people who love them Please make cer-
tain that your view
has introduced us to thousands of individuals of is from exact center
of the midsection
countless breeds, shapes, sizes and levels of ability.
of horse’s body, and
Whether you’re riding English or Western, the basic
that we can see all
PHOTOS WE WOULD NEED TO HELP PROPERLY 4 feet.
Send several
FIT A SADDLE TO YOUR HORSE are per the photo- photos if you are
graphs shown here.
concerned that
your camera angle
Please make certain that horse is standing on level is not right.

ground with all 4 feet in view. Head UP (not elevated
and preferably even with the withers), not down, and

background in contrast so we can see top line clearly. 2. HORSE
PROFILE
Camera angle should be level and taken directly
from perpendicular to middle of his midsection.
with

SADDLE
Place saddle in
WE’VE DONE YOUR RESEARCH FOR YOU and
we’re here for you and your horse. Please take ad- the position you
normally do, but
vantage of what we’ve learned. Send your photos, with no pad nor
shims.
comments and questions to: saddles@parellisad- It is still important
dles.com.
to keep your cam-
era angle correct

and make sure we
can see all 4 feet... Meanwhile,
you’ll ind lots of
illustra-
and that his head tions, checklists and suggestions to help you
is up, not down.
enjoy harmonious rides with your horse at

3. HORSE www.ParelliSaddles.com when you click on “Educa-
PROFILE
tion” and “Downloads.”

with

SADDLE
VIDEO is always very helpful, of course, if you
and PAD
can manage it. We’d need to see footage of HORSE

Place saddle and MOVING at all gaits if possible, without saddle
pad in position,
including shims if ON LINE.

you have been us- Important extra photo needed, along with 1 - 4 at right:
ing them. Cinch or 5. YOUR SADDLE PAD
girth should be as Lying on the ground, with shims
tight as you would pulled out and laid on top in exactly the pattern/position you place
have it to ride.
them if you use them inside your pad’s shim pocket...or tell us if your
pad has no pocket and whether or not you use shims anyway.

4. HORSE

PROFILE

with
YOU

MOUNTED

Sit with saddle, pad and
shims if you use them.

Whether you ride ENGLISH or WESTERN, our research indicates that

shim patterns are usually the same for the same horse.

60 | Savvy Times November 2013