Pad Science, Part II

[glenatron]

Today by way of control for my previous experiment, I tried the playdough pad under my regular saddle.


Will a towel be enough to protect Zorro from the leaking oil from the saddlepad's playdough? This shows the pad in place. If one wanted to do this better I think having a panel on each side of the back with a join over the back that allowed space for the wither would be smarter.


The saddle is on: "Hey, Zorro, she's got a camera, lets both look retarded!"


Are these photographs representative of how sleepsy_mouse sees me? As some kind of bizarre capering idiot?


A bit of rampage to see how the pad reacts to the horse in motion. It's weird because under the treeless you can actually feel the dough squodging about as you go along.


I managed to leave the pad in situ when I lifted the saddle off this time around- much easier to do when the saddle weighs less than a tonne.

What I notice here is that you can clearly see where my leg goes and much less of the rest of the saddle. The gullet was keeping it well clear of Zorro's spine but as I rather expected, that big tree on the western saddle does a much better job of dispersing my weight. I don't know how important that is for the distances we do, I suspect not that important if we're only going out for an hour or two from time to time, but it's useful to know. I think I shall definitely get hold of the pad and stirrups that will make the western saddle a viable alternative, but I'll keep the treefree for the time being because we can use that for dressaging and there is no harm in having a spare saddle that fits most horses...

Comments

[dancing-crow.livejournal.com]

I would guess, having just had a series of appalling shots of people appear on my camera, that the delay in the digital camera had more to do with the "bizarre capering" part than any malice on her part....

[wldhrsjen3.livejournal.com]

::nods:: weight distribution can def be a problem with a treeless. I've got a special pad under mine with a bit more foam structure than you'd normally find in a pad, but I'm thinking if the mustangs and I get serious about endurance I'll likely be looking for something with a bit more stability and structure.

But hey - your playdough pad looks great. :D I love that idea!

[penella22.livejournal.com]

I had a friend who had to sell her Bob Marshall when she stepped up to 25 mile rides, but is still verry happy with her freeform.

[wldhrsjen3.livejournal.com]

I've put up to 35 miles on my BFC at a time and never seen soreness, but I don't think it will hold up to 50s and 100s. There were a couple riders who finished Tevis in Freeforms, but Ranger has such a prominent backbone I don't think treeless will work for him.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

My friend who rides endurance uses a Specialized saddle and I can see myself going in that direction in the longer term- they look very neat indeed.

[wldhrsjen3.livejournal.com]

Ah! I've wanted to try a Specialized but haven't had a chance yet. They do look nice, and I've seen really great reviews.

[penella22.livejournal.com]

yay for unflattering pictures!! (hey, thanks for making me laugh.)

I have my own unflattering pictures to post from today myself. None involve a pad made out of play-dough though.

So I take it that after running this experiment you feel a bit less comfortable with treeless saddles??

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Not really - the spine clearance is good and I think that after five years of regular use this saddle is maybe starting to lose a bit of its structure. I think for most usage ( including what I do ) it's probably absolutely fine.

Also treeless saddles are so varied that one needs to take them on a saddle by saddle basis- a lot comes down to the design.

[life-of-tom.livejournal.com]

The expression on Zorro's face in that second picture was amazing. And then the capering.

My god.

The capering.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

He likes to make himself look intellectual by scratching his head vigorously on his haynet so he gets bits of hay in his forelock. It's a pretty good look.

[stu-the-elder.livejournal.com]

If there were a caption to that second picture it might be,

"I like cheese!"

"Fourty-two!"

You may choose who is saying what.

[oifonly.livejournal.com]

*sniggers* Nice one, sleepsy_mouse....!