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Post by Louise Dixon on May 26, 2015 15:59:12 GMT
My 4 year old son has recently moved off a shetland onto a sec A, to enable him to come off the lead. The sec A came with a lovely Ideal saddle, which fits him well, but is way too big for my son. We have persevered, but he just can't rise to the trot, which he had mastered on the shettie, and was getting disheartened. Today, I put the shettie's Thorn pad on the sec A, and he got his trot almost straight away - hooray! However, the pad was slipping sideways dreadfully if his balance went off centre at all, which at 4, of course it does. We have used the pad for all sorts on the shettie, with the boys hanging off upside down to pick things up, and it never budged. The only difference was that the sheetie has a Thorn leather girth, whereas today we were using a standard Cottage Craft one. Do you think that would make that much of a difference? Suggestions of anything that might help without compromising the pony's back much appreciated. Very happy to try getting him a leather girth, and if need be, we will get a smaller saddle fitted, but would like to keep them happily riding in the meantime. Thank you!
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Post by lalalaa on May 26, 2015 16:59:22 GMT
I tried a thorn pad on my fell and it slipped worse than a saddle
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Post by CarolineNelson on May 26, 2015 17:15:34 GMT
Gosh Louise, you're a tryer!
i) How about a 'sheepskin' type seat cover on the saddle which does fit the Sec A? Will stop his bum sliding in the too big saddle.
ii) or, a crupper (is there a fixing?) for the pad. If not, create a crupper (you're an imaginative person!) from plaited bale twine (the heston bale thick stuff) or even a couple of old tail bandages - and then a rolled 'stable rubber' type thing to go under the dock.
C x
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kirky
Full Member
Posts: 238
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Post by kirky on May 26, 2015 17:24:44 GMT
Have a look at the gel out or gel in seat saver by acavallo on the horsehealth.co.uk website they are very good.
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Post by maddiesmum on May 26, 2015 20:34:54 GMT
I use an acavello gel pad edged in sheepskin (pony size) under our Thorn on our section A & Dartmoor for shows. Cheaper option for home is a bit of non slip stuff for draws cut to size from the pound shop, works a treat!
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Post by Wishiwasrich on May 26, 2015 21:18:55 GMT
Limpet pads work well
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Post by Louise Dixon on May 27, 2015 7:35:09 GMT
Gosh Louise, you're a tryer! It's amazing what you can do once you get the baby tied on in a good baby sling! Although she did have hiccups all night last night, think it might have been the trotting/running. Poor Isobel!
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Post by Louise Dixon on May 27, 2015 7:41:46 GMT
Thank you for all the help!
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on May 27, 2015 8:17:08 GMT
In my day we had big prams you could settle the baby in and let him/her watch or sleep, whatever! Stick it under a tree with swaying leaves and either straight off to sleep or watching fascinated by the movement. A few years ago my neighbour used to walk down to use my sand school with baby WB in one hand and pushchair full of toddler in the other, park toddler watching school and off she went on the next schooling session. I think toddler is now riding WB - but in Germany, where children seem to ride horses not ponies, this one does anyway.
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Post by dancer on May 27, 2015 16:36:22 GMT
We use a thorowgood airoform girth on ours - it doesn't slip like a cotton girth.
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Post by Louise Dixon on May 27, 2015 18:26:43 GMT
In my day we had big prams you could settle the baby in and let him/her watch or sleep, whatever! Stick it under a tree with swaying leaves and either straight off to sleep or watching fascinated by the movement. A few years ago my neighbour used to walk down to use my sand school with baby WB in one hand and pushchair full of toddler in the other, park toddler watching school and off she went on the next schooling session. I think toddler is now riding WB - but in Germany, where children seem to ride horses not ponies, this one does anyway. I do have a super old pram, Sarah, but when my boys are riding, they are into extreme off roading - the more it looks like only a madman would ride up or down it (no flat bits here) the more they want to go there!
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on May 27, 2015 21:02:00 GMT
Even at 4yo? That's why I thought their riding would be in a more restricted area! No wonder the Thorn slips. Good for them, and more power to your various elbows.
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Post by highlanderlass on May 28, 2015 22:59:16 GMT
I use a very thin none slip gel pad under our pad and it has never moved. I have the gel pad, fleece numnah and then the saddle pad, we use a leather girth that we got made with the saddle. Out of interest, does your girth have elastic at one end? My leather girth does so I was wondering if your girth does.
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Post by Louise Dixon on May 29, 2015 8:14:27 GMT
Even at 4yo? That's why I thought their riding would be in a more restricted area! No wonder the Thorn slips. Good for them, and more power to your various elbows. The 3 year old is worse! They just want to ride where they see Daddy go on the quad, and they love looking their sheep.
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Post by catkin on May 29, 2015 17:51:37 GMT
I would always fit the saddle to the pony before the child, so worth trying to get the saddle that fits the pony to work for the child. Is it too big or giving a different feeling to the pad do you think? Covering it may help, but it could be that the closer contact with the pony is what's helping the child? You could try using a handle (D ring to D ring) to help the child find their balance in the saddle. Very useful for lunge lessons too! For various reasons, I have also tried pads on the larger ponies and found they slipped whatever I did. Good luck!
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Post by Louise Dixon on May 29, 2015 18:12:31 GMT
The saddle is hugely too big for my son just now,his boots are on the flaps. If need be we'll get a smaller saddle fitted, but i'll have to save up and would like to keep him wanting to ride in the meantime.
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Post by Louise Dixon on Jun 13, 2015 17:10:32 GMT
Fixed! Acavallo pad and Stubben cord girth with Thorn pad, happy pony, happy boy, rising trot restored = happy mummy!
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