Ever since my awesome trip to Indian Cave in October 2011 I have not been keeping my blog up to date. So I am going to do one long entry to get me to mid April of 2012. Haily got a spot with white hairs from the Indian Cave week, so I decided it was time to have a pro look at the fit on my Specialized Saddle. In Mid November we made a trip to Kanopolis State Park in Kansas and met up with Priscilla Lindsey. She fit the saddle for me and we did two nice long loops and Haily seemed happy and was moving nice. We did have a little soreness on each side of her spine, Priscilla told me to file down the edges of the fitting pad by her spine and that should fix it. I had truck problems on the way home cost me $1,400 to fix the truck and 2 days vacation. I “got” to use Usrider, what a wonderful company not sure what I would have done without them! Haily and I traded having not “be able” to ride issues for most of December. I had pneumonia and she had rain rot when I was better. I did finally take her up to Waubonsie for a ride on December 31st. We did a very short but nice alone ride. She was not herself, I had attitude going down the hills. Then on the 1st I went over to Brownville and did a nice 5 mile loop and she did great. So on January 5th the forecast was for 70’s, riding buddy Amelia and I took a day off and rode at the Caves. She did pretty well still have some downhill attitude. By Saturday she was sore in the back with a lump to match. So she got the next weekend off. I tried borrowing a friend Wintec but with it she was Cujo horse and that is just not her style. Met up with my barefoot trimmer Janet at Honey Creek on the 15th, we did a loop after Janet trimmed her. Went back to using the Specialized Saddle she was not a happy horse, she did not want to be in front and she was walking like a 90 year old Quarter Horse. Then Bev showed up and I was getting big time attitude, I knew at this point I have a big saddle fit problem. She was sore for 2 weeks with a BIG bump on her loin. I took her to a chiro and he said her pelvis was out and she had a few other issues he fixed her up and told me to ride her lightly the next day. The next day I saddle her up with the specialized and man do I have an unhappy horse. It finally registered with me this saddle is not going to work! So the next day I try out the grandkids abetta saddle. She liked it and we had a nice quite slow short ride. So I put the Specialized up for sale. But she was still getting a little sore. So I called in a massage therapist and she gave Haily a wonderful massage and told me she had the tightest back she had ever worked on. She also showed me how to work her back to relieve the tightness. I was not willing to use the Abetta for Endurance/CTR as it has a horn and that IMHO is just not safe for me. So I decided to give Linda Cole’s treeless saddle a try. Haily and I both loved the saddle from the first time we used it! February 26th was the first time I used the Stunni Treeless Saddle
While I was waiting to get the saddle from Linda I started hiking and mapping the deer trails behind my house. I decided to call these trails the Haily Hills. They are steep/wild and a kick to ride!
Stunni Treeless Saddle: This Very Awesome Very cheap saddle got us moving again! Here is a quick write up on each ride since we finally got a good fitting saddle
February 26th was the first time I used the Stunni Treeless Saddle
February 26th: Met Bev at the Cave and we rode only the River side including some of the non horse trails mapping some area’s for her CTR the end of April. 10.19 Miles
March 2nd: Haily was full of piss and vinegar not sure if it was the wind or what fun ride. Miles 3.16
March 5th: The weatherman was forecasting very high/cold winds to hit around noon. So I decided to head over to Brownville and do a loop with Amelia before the weather hit. I had Haily saddled up going down the access road by 8 we did walk trot transitions all the way down. Then we went up on the Tanner ground on top of the Bluff. This was not as “neat” as I thought it would be up there so I will not go again. Then I went over to Amelia’s. And we headed north on the trace if the wind started up we would turnaround and have it at our backs. The cold and wind did not hit until I had Haily in the Trailer heading home. 17.55 Miles
March 9th: Wild ride in the Haily Hills so will go where ever I ask her! 3.62 Miles
March 16th – March 18th: Haily got this weekend off as I went with Cole’s to Arkansas and did an Endurance LD on one of their horses. This was the WOW ride and the trails and the area are AWESOME!!! This ride is on my schedule for next year it is so worth the long trip down there!
March 24th: I was expecting my Skito pad to come today so I put off riding so I could try it out. Finally gave up and it shows up just as I got her saddled up so I resaddled! Decided to go out and ride east of the house, had no problems with her until we got to the momma cows on both sides of the road. Guess she just does not like cows. I got a snort and a spin but we both lived thought it and made it to the other side. We rode in the meadow that follows Rainbow Drive. She did not love the Skito if we went down a hill she had the rear action going telling me she was not happy. Coming back we met up with the gray QH and his rider that shares a fence line with Haily. 5.10 Miles
March 25th: Rode with Janet and Bev at Poosey after Janet trimmed Haily. This is the first time riding here man what a nice place the trails took me back in time. Lots of rocky water crossing complete with zigging and zagging through the trees. We are going back when we can camp a night and try to find all 17 miles of trails 11.89 Miles
March 28th: Did a short ride in the yard and back on the gravel road using the LJ bareback pad with the skito. I just do not have the balance at this point to ride in this pad for very far and or fast! 1.48 Miles
March 31st & April 1st: My first camping trip with Haily for the year we went to the Caves did 2 loops on the 31st with Patti mainly mushroom hunting. Then a quick loop alone on the 1st while I was out Bev showed up and went out without me. She called me and we met at the Charlie shortcut then did an awesome long loop. 29.27 miles
April 5th & 6th: On the 5th went with Amelia to Waubonsie, she rode Star we had a wonderful ride with some trotting and a little loping 5.26 Miles. On the 6th I went over to the Caves and did a quick alone ride as Amelia was held up. Then did a second loop with Mark Holmes and Amelia on Cowgirl (her moms mule), then a 3rd loop with Amelia on Power and Judy on Cowgirl. Haily was great the whole way and did all that was asked of her! 12.2 Miles
April 11th: Awesome at home ride back on the Haily Hills. I need to go back and work on them there are lots of trees down. She went through/over/up/down everything I asked her too. Not sure what I did right to get such an Awesome horse! 4.01 miles