Humans and horses have been joined for thousands of years, and for much of that time, one thing has served as the primary point of physical contact between them: the saddle. However, for many horses and many riders, the saddle has been no less than a refined means of torture. Horses have long suffered from tree points impeding the movement of their shoulder blades; too narrow gullet channels damaging the muscles and nerves along the vertebrae; and too long panels putting harmful pressure on the reflex point in the loin area. Male riders saddle up despite riding-related pain and the potential for serious side effects, such as impotence, while female riders endure backache, slipped discs, and bladder infections, to name just a few common issues. We must ask ourselves: How much better could we ride and how much better could our horses perform if our saddles fit optimally? It they accommodated the horse's unique conformation and natural asymmetry? If they were built for the differing anatomy of men and women?
Notes
"Originally published in the German language as 'The Silent Killer' by Wu Wei Verlag, 86938 Schondorf, Germany, 2012." -- T.p. verso.
Bibliographic references
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents
Introduction : For the good of the horse
In the saddle : "This is the way we've always done it!" - past vs. present
Balance and rider position
Women riding in saddles made by men, for men
Exactly where is the saddle-support area?
Training the horse to be ridden
A short history of horses
When the shoe doesn't fit
Saddle-fitting expertise
Saddle fitting - it's not rocket science (or is it?) : What happens in a saddle-fit evaluation?
Saddle fitting 101 : The basics in detail.
ISBN
9781570766534
1570766533
LCCN
2013947846
OCLC
840465272
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