Chloe Greenham Saddle Fitting

Outstanding invoices 🐴

Unfortunately, I am having to have a bit of a moan due to chasing invoices on a weekly basis .
There are enough struggles with being self-employed as it is without having to chase invoices from clients. I do appreciate money is tight for everyone at the moment but this also includes myself and if you are unable to pay for your invoice it may be worth considering giving your horse some time off and bringing them back into work and therefore having a saddle checked once you’re in a better financial position.
I understand there are circumstances when invoices do get genuinely forgotten however I am contacting clients and being assured I will be paid and still not being paid which is very frustrating.

Going forward there will be a 10% charge added on for payments that aren’t paid within 7 days.

I really appreciate the majority of clients who pay promptly and it really does make all the difference ☺️

𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗨𝗥 𝗕𝗜𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗦

𝗜𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗛𝗘𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧?

When it comes to mounting horses, most of us understand the importance of using a mounting block to reduce strain on our horse’s back. But have you ever considered whether your mounting block is the right height? It's a detail that’s often overlooked but could make a big difference to your horse's comfort and overall wellbeing.

Russell MacKechnie-Guire highlights the significance of choosing the right mounting block height. “Mounting from the ground is a skill that riders should have but not necessarily reinforce regularly,” he says. “It’s important to be able to get on from the ground in case of an emergency, but you don’t need to practice it daily. In those situations where you fall off or need to dismount to open a gate, it’s better to walk your horse to a log or another safe object to help you get back on.”

Using a mounting block should be the norm, and the height of the block matters more than you might think. “The higher the block, the better,” explains Russell. “The ideal height means you can step onto the horse with minimal effort, which reduces the pressure on the saddle and avoids unnecessary strain on the horse’s back.” When mouting pressures are highest on the right side of the wither, and along the soft tissue close to the right side of the spinal processes.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿?
Studies show that mounting from the ground places more pressure on the right side of the horse’s back as the rider mounts. The saddle is often pulled against the horse’s wither on the opposite side, increasing strain. When you use a higher mounting block, the time spent with your left foot in the stirrup is reduced significantly, which lowers the pressures on the saddle and allows for a smoother transition onto the horse, “The longer you take to mount, the more pressure you’re putting on the horse.”

To ensure your mounting block is doing its job, Russell suggests testing how long your stirrup is under load during mounting. “If you can reduce the time you’re applying pressure to the saddle by using a higher block, that’s ideal,” he explains.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
Interestingly, your own fitness level can impact the amount of strain placed on the saddle and the horse during mounting. "Riders who are fit and athletic tend to have the ability to bounce, and propel themselves up onto the horse, whereas less fit riders may rely on pulling the horse towards them to get on," says Russell. This difference can lead to varied saddle pressures, depending on the rider's physical ability.

Even though mounting might only happen once a day, the pressure on the saddle is substantial. “The pressure is greater than that experienced by a horse landing over a 1.30m jump,” Russell points out. This repeated pressure could contribute (appreciateing there are multiple factors) to why some horses are unsettled or step forward when being mounted.

𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸
While a lower block might be easier to move and store, it’s essential to consider whether it’s the right size for your horse. “Efficiency is important, but so is ensuring that your mounting block is the correct height to reduce strain,” Russell advises.

Historically, older estates had large mounting blocks built to help people in dresses mount with ease, especially ladies riding side-saddle, and this larger size wasn’t just for style — it was designed to make mounting easier and more comfortable for the horse.

𝗟𝗲𝗴-𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Another alternative to using a mounting block is receiving a leg-up. However, Russell cautions that the method of leg-ups is important. “If you propel someone too much, they might come down too quickly and end up landing heavily on the horse’s back,” he says. “Make sure the person is able to gently lower themselves into the saddle to avoid adding extra pressure.”

In some cases, mounting from the opposite side can also be beneficial to the horse’s balance and comfort, as it helps avoid repeating the same loading on one side.

By paying attention to these details, riders can reduce the risk of causing unnecessary strain on their horse’s back and make the mounting process safer for both horse and rider.

ʜᴏʀꜱᴇ ᴏᴡɴᴇʀꜱ - ᴡᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇʟᴘ!

We want to know how ʏᴏᴜ manage tack for your horse…
Despite this being an important area related to equine welfare and performance, little is known about choices horse owners make regarding tack and the reasons for these choices.

This survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous.

ʟɪɴᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴜʀᴠᴇʏ ʜᴇʀᴇ: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/uchartpury/understanding-how-horse-owners-manage-tack

ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ꜱʜᴀʀᴇ - Thank you!

By participating you are contributing to an essential piece of research helping to improve our understanding of horse owner behaviours in relation to saddlery and to improving standards of saddlery fit for horse and rider.

It’s all about physics… Your saddle (or saddle fitter) is not a miracle worker. If your horse is a barrel, and there is a bit of wonkiness somewhere (you or the horse) and your saddle slips to the side… your saddle isn’t necessarily to blame. Instead, get it checked and if it’s ok, work on making the horse less of a barrel shape… and straightening them (and yourself!) up so there is less unevenness.

If your horse has big wide ribs and an itty bitty shoulder… or a girth groove that’s inches in front of the girth line… maybe your saddle slips forward. That’s physics. Your girth will always pull into the narrowest place. Sometimes changing your girth or the girthing on the saddle can help.

If your horse has massive shoulders, and hoiks them up into the air when they jump… those massive shoulders can push the saddle back. That’s physics. Again sometimes girths and girthing can help. But saddles can’t defy the laws of physics.

If you or your horse is uneven then yes we can pad/flock/shim saddles to help. But… working on evening them up is much more beneficial.

Sometimes, in an attempt to hold a saddle still, to fight against the laws of physics (and often to keep the rider happy), we can end up clamping a saddle too much. Personally I would rather see a saddle shunt forward/to the side/backwards a little bit if the alternative is to clamp it too much the other way.

What do you think?

Don't miss the first part of our Prevention is Better than Cure Online Lecture Series with independent consultant and lameness specialist, Dr Sue Dyson. It starts on Wednesday (9 October) at 6.30pm (BST).

The first episode looks at conformation - what to look for, what to avoid and so much more. You don't want to miss it....

www.horsesinsideout.com/webinars

We have redone my logo and I just wanted to let clients know that any messages may not be replied to until the 7th of October due to being away on holiday but I will get back to you on return ☀️

**𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗩𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗟**

𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘁

MacKechnie-Guire, R*, Williams, J.M., Nixon, J., Fisher, M., Fisher, D., Walker, V., Murray, R., Clayton, H.M

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 (read without a subscription):
https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.14420

For the past four years, we have investigated the pressures beneath different nosebands when adjusted from 2.0 to 0.0 finger tightness (0.0 finger adjustment so that the noseband was touching but not compressing the skin).

Poor noseband adjustment could create high pressures that may risk pain or tissue damage. This study is a step forward in providing quantitative data relating to pressures associated with noseband type and fit when adjusted to various tightness’s.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀:

🐴No significant difference between noseband pressures when the noseband was adjusted from 2.0 to 1.5 finger tightness.

🐴Noseband pressures were highest on the mandible vs. the lateral aspect of the nasal bones.

🐴No differences were found in noseband pressures between the cavesson, flash or Swedish (crank) noseband types at 2.0 to 0.5 finger tightness.

🐴The Drop noseband had the lowest absolute nasal pressures (mandible pressures not measured) and significantly lower values than the other nosebands. We need to be mindful of the position of the traditional drop. More work needed.

🐴Noseband pressures were lower when ridden in trot, compared with when chewing a treat.

🐴Noseband pressures were cyclical (rise and fall) and not continuous – changing during the stride and the chewing cycle of the horse.

As always, this is a team effort. Thank you to our research assistants, riders, owners and horses.. Thank you to our funders, World Horse Welfare, British Equestrian, Canadian Sport Horse Association, The Worshipful Company of Saddlers and Hartpury University.

NB image taken from pilot testing and was not included in the main study. All noseband types are described in detail in the manuscript.

❣️❣️❣️ IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT‼️‼️‼️

🤩so so happy to finally say!

🥳I am now at my busiest and Im making a final exciting decision to do this full time🙌

🌟Be sure to get in quick as diary will fill fast! 🌟

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