Saddle Fit

Saddle Fit is Important for your Horse's Comfort

photo credit: johnson1952…

Getting your saddle fit correctly is important. A poorly fitted saddle may reslut in a sore back and pain for your  horse. Ensuring that you select the right saddle for your horse is vital. It not only affects the position in which the rider will sit, and therefore can be beneficial in preventing back ache or muscle pain, but it also affects the horse. No responsible horse owner would want their steed to be in discomfort and pain and so choosing the best saddle is very important.

Costum Saddle Fit

Fitting Your Saddle Properly is Important

There are companies available who will measure your horse and recommend the saddles that they think are most appropriate but as with most things this service costs money. This service ensures yo prevent any distress to your horse when you rid
photo credit: geishaboy500e it.

Positioning the Saddle

Once the correct saddle has been purchased it is important to remember that positioning the saddle on the horse’s back is also vital in ensuring your horse is comfortable when ridden. There are three main muscles in the horse’s back which can be affected by the use of a badly positioned saddle. It is important to familiarize yourself with these and their locations before attempting to position the saddle on your horse. This will give you an idea of where the saddle needs to sit in order to be most comfortable for the horse.

In addition to the muscles which can be affected by the saddle you must remember that the saddle is positioned on the horse’s back and so this can have an effect on the spine and its vertebrae. Remembering this should remind you of how important this lesson is and that you cannot afford to take risks with your horse if you want it to lead a long and painless life.

Firstly, place the saddle on the horse’s back, forward of the wither. Once you have done this, slide it back along the back of the horse until it cannot comfortably go any further. This will vary dependent on the shape of the individual horse but the lowest point of the saddle should correspond to the lowest point of the horse’s back. If the saddle is in the correct position, the saddle tree will not be pressing on the scapula (the shoulder of the horse) but will rest in the natural grooves behind them. The most common mistake is to position the saddle too far forward and this then causes the saddle to press on the muscles in the scapula causing pain, impeding movement and creating the possibility of saddle sores.

Once you have learned how to position the saddle you will find it comes naturally after a time. It is worth taking the time to do it properly though if you wish to remain the owner of a healthy, happy horse.

What is your trick to know if the saddle is fitted correctly? Let us know. We’d like to share. Just type it in the comment box below and send it to us!

…See you later Laura

Horse Insurance – Is It Worth It?

Horse Insurance -  Know Your Policy

Check Your Horse Insurance Policy

Thinking about getting horse insurance? Learn the difference between horse mortality insurance and major medical coverage horse insurance. It could save you some money.

There are two main streams of insurance areas: mortality which pays out if your horse dies and medical insurance for veterinary care.

Mortality Horse Insurance

The rule of thumb for mortality horse insurance is if you can easily replace the horse, then mortality insurance is not necessary. No matter if the horse is $3,000 or a $300,000 fancy show horse, if you can comfortably replace your investment then it is worth the risk to remain uninsured.

As an investment it may be wise to consider the cost of premiums versus the cost of the horse. If for example, you have purchased a horse valued at $100,000, the premium is 3% of the value of the horse per year. This adds up to $3,000 per year. If you continue to pay the premium for 6 years that is $18,000 spent on insurance.However if the horse dies after year 6, the payout will be $100,000 when you have invested $18,000 on insurance.

Read the horse insurance policy carefully and make sure that there is a provision to cover euthanasia should a tragedy occur that the horse cannot be saved. Also most mortality horse insurance policies include theft, should someone steal your horse.

Major Medical Coverage

The only way to get medical coverage is by having a mortality horse insurance policy on your insurance. The major medical coverage is an addition on the mortality coverage. Any amount can be insured for the mortality portion so that the medical coverage can be obtained.

It is recommended to get major medical horse insurance. To see if it is cost efficient, consider stacking up the major vet bills against the cost of the insurance policy. Things like colic, pneumonia, suturing a wound could all potentially be covered. It is important to carefully review the policy to understand what is covered.

One area to study is diagnostics. Some policies outline diagnostic techniques as being 100% covered if they result in a treatment covered by the horse insurance policy. Others identify as paying out 50% if it results in a covered treatment and some will pay nothing. Check the policy regarding the horse’s age.

Some horse insureance policies do not insure elderly horses. If major medical is wanted a minimal mortality coverage may have to be obtained in order to get the major medical coverage. As the horse gets older, be prepared to have higher premiums.

Other areas to consider are the professional care and hospitalisation care after a treatment. Some policies consider 20 days to be covered and some go as long as 90 days.

Before Signing the Check

Before signing on the line for your horse insurance policy, check with a seasoned and well trusted agent and veterinarian to find which policy suits you best.

What kind of insurance policy do you have on your horse. If you don’t have a horse, what type of horse insurance would your get?

Let us know…. We’d love to hear from you.

Read more at Suite101: Insuring the Horse – Is It Worth It?: Horse Insurance, Know Your Policy http://horses.suite101.com/article.cfm/insuring_the_horse_is_it_worth_it#ixzz0eV21Wfns