The problem with saddles these days is there are just way too many choices! This is a real problem for me as I’ve finally considering moving away from the saddle I’ve been riding in for the past 16 years. Why? Well, it’s a 14” barrel saddle worn to perfection but it’s gotten a little snug [...]
So what’s with bits these days? Back in my pony clubbing days in upstate NY we had the snaffle. When you got to more advanced work in dressage there was the double bridle and if four reins were just a little too tough to handle, you could always cheat and use a Pelham bit with a “rounding” to join the curb and snaffle reins into one, thus giving you only two reins to work with.
When I start a horse I use only a bare minimum of equipment. First and foremost is an enclosed area to work the horse. A round pen is ideal for this. Sixty feet in diameter is best, smaller and you run the risk of straining a young horses legs when cantering and larger means a
