Demoing the Ghost Firenze.

I am just finishing up my saddle demo for the treeless Ghost saddle. It wasn’t the best week the demo a saddle because of the epic storm that has been thrashing the Pacific Northwest since Tuesday. And my “epic” storm I mean downed trees, SIGNIFICANT flooding, closed freeways, mudslides…

And for those who don’t live here and think its weird someone living in Portland would comment about the rain: this isn’t normal.

I still got a couple good test rides in on the Firenze, though no long trail rides unfortunately. I am fairly new to treeless saddles but I’ve tried a Startrekk and a Freeform on Deli before. She disliked both and there is little more to say. I have personally ridden in an older Ansur, but not on Deli. Ansurs are WAY out of my price point, anyway.

The Ghost Firenze with Ghost pad - size 18" seat.

The rigging , the pad, and the stirrup attachments.

The best “trail” trial I had for this was riding 3 miles up the road and back in the freezing rain today (luckily, I have a waterproof saddle cover that fit). Deli was kind of pissy (wanting to go home), but it was hard to tell whether it was the weather, all the cars, or the saddle. We did some more trot work in the arena upon returning and she was nice and forward still, which is usually a good sign.

My general impressions:

• Well-constructed, fairly minimalist with a more ridged but flexible base, a stiffer pommel arch which gave it the most structure, and areas for both the leather seat and panels to be Velcro on (seats are interchangeable). This would allow the panels to be adjusted. I messed with that very little.
• The Ghost pad also seemed well-constructed - the foam is different than what I'm used to seeing in Skito, though.
• I like the panels system that gives the spine lots of clearance (*note, when I tried the Freeform it did NOT have the sympanova panels, just a bulky treeless pad).
• Sit’s “higher up” on the horse due to the extra padding – typical for a treeless.
• Initially it was tipped way to far forward due to Deli’s sway back and the fact the saddle does squish when you sit in it. The saddle dealer included some felt seat inserts which I placed under the seat as a bolster. That really helped. I might want an even bigger bolster if I get this saddle.
• Deli was initially wiggly, and then really moved out nicely for some easy arena work. She seemed more comfortable than our old dressage saddle and than just the bareback pad just based on her willingness to trot on and relax her head down with little urging.
• Comfort for me was decent after I figured out where to have the stirrup leathers (there are two spaces to put them) – except for the bucking rolls. I hate those things. I have a VERY long upper leg and big thighs. Bucking rolls just do NOT work for me. Luckily this saddle comes with the option to have them removed so I tried to ignore them and focus on other aspects of the saddle.
• I absolutely LOVE the rigging system (see pictures). It worked great for my forward-heart-girth & laid-back-shoulder gal. The saddle did slide forward and back a little when we did some hills.
• You have to cinch it up much tighter than a treed saddle. Saddles always roll on Deli because she is a barrel, so I had to be mindful of that.

Visual of how it all layers together:

Me on Deli (but before I put the bolster in the saddle pommel:

After I put the bolster in the pommel:

More shots of the "inner workings" of the saddle:

Showing the foam in the pad.

The panels can be peeled off the flexible frame.

Potential issues to be addressed or actual problems:

• I am heavier than the “maximum weight” of 175. Not much heavier – and given the diet I am now on (for specific health reasons other than losing weight) I’ll probably be 175 or less by the time the weather is nice enough for longer rides. Still. I will never be a lightweight and I have a mental block about the treeless + fat person issue.
• Her lower back was somewhat tender after our last ride (in the area she gets fatigued easily).
• MY lower back and crotch were also a bit sore after riding up the road. Again, it’s hard to say why. I still felt like I was being tipped forward sometimes so If I get this saddle – maybe a bigger bolster? Shim the front of the pad? Not sure. I don’t get any soreness when riding with the bareback pad, and I’ve done around 5 miles pretty regularly (before it started raining every day) with that. Related to this: I feel like I could sit more comfortably without the bucking rolls hitting me uncomfortably.
• The saddle did slide forward and slide back when we hit some minor hills. Not enough to make her fuss, but it was noticeable.

I’m concerned about the slight back tenderness today. Hard to tell if it was saddle related or because she was so tense and “up” for the whole of riding up the road. I also haven’t asked much of her dressage-wise for several months since we have not had a saddle. Still, we only went 4 miles. Can her back remain good for 25 if she’s iffy after 4? Her back didn’t feel tender like that riding 5 miles in the bareback pad, but she was tenser today (due to the weather/timing) and I asked her for more in the arena.

I would like to be able to use Thinline somehow since Deli does really well with that. I think Skito COULD make a treeless pad for this saddle, or I could add Thinline shims into the pad itself (or the panels!). There are lots of ways to adjust and self-modify this setup, which is a plus.

I tried putting our Thinline pad UNDER the Ghost pad, but Deli wasn’t a fan of the layered pads. I wonder how much a treeless pad is needed with the panels and a barrel-shaped horse? I should have tired just the Thinline in the arena but it didn’t occur to me till just now.

Otherwise I am seriously considering getting this model. There were lots of things to like and in general Deli seemed comfortable. She did her lovely power walk reliably without being nudged a lot, which is usually a sign she feels good. She certainly moved more freely than in our old dressage saddle! The pricing on these saddles is also very good – I could get one NOW. The other saddles I was considering (Trailwise, Alleghany, maaaayyybe Stonewall) would all be double the price of this saddle or more. And there is no guarantee they would work long-term either. Finding a treed saddle to fit her particular conformation has been difficult if not impossible so far.

One VERY note-able observation: when I first rode her in the arena when it was dry she picked up the canter easily. With the dressage saddle it was always a struggle in the arena. I thought it was just her but not I'm not so sure... I couldn't canter again after that because parts of the arena were semi-flooded and it was too slippery to canter at all.

It bears musing. I wonder if it's a good idea to get this so I at least have a saddle to RIDE in. If it does not work for Deli and I longer-term we can always sell it (like we would any saddle that did not work). I certainly recommend this saddle based on what I've seen so far. 

The integrity of equestrian competition and training.

“A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful – and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.”

-          Xenophon

I’ve been pretty introspective lately when it comes to thinking about my personal involvement in equestrian sports. This post has been simmering in my mind for a while. In the wake of the recent running of the Kentucky Derby (which I didn't watch and wanted no part of), I feel the need to write these things down (even if they come out in stream-of-consciousness). Call it a record of my ever-evolving relationship with horses.

In a general sense, I’ve been thinking about how various equestrian sports have changed over time. Some things have gotten better when it comes to a horse’s place in this human-driven world. We understand horse behavior and nutrition better, for example, and in theory that allows us to better care for our ponies. I also see that most equine sports are making changes to make them safer and more humane for horses and their human partners.

However, I also see a lot of harm being done to horses in the name of the "sport". I don’t think any of our individual disciplines are immune to the kind of mistreatment I'm talking about. But prevalence alone doesn’t mean it is okay. And that doesn't mean those of us who care can just turn a blind eye. These harms needs to stop. They need to stop not just to protect  animals from abuse but to uphold the good character and reputation of equestrians everywhere. Times are changing, and equestrians need to change with the times.

I think the horse-human bond is a wonderful thing. I think the horse-rider bond can also be incredible. I’ve written about this before: that feeling that comes when there is absolute connection between me and a horse. Horseback riding is fun without those moments where the line blurs between horse and riding. It’s good exercise. But in my case, at least, I’m always seeking that deep connection of trust, communication, and empathy. My thoughts to theirs – our bodies blurring together. I think that most good riders who care about their horses as individuals are seeking that connection to some degree.

Unfortunately, organized sports (much like organized religion) seem to bring out the bad side of the equestrian community. This is especially true when competition is the name of the game. I really really wish this bad side did not exist – but that’s humanity for you. It’s the side that puts money, winning, appearances, and a lust for power above the welfare of their animals. And ultimately, over the horse-human bond.

"Big lick" (and I could have chosen a much more gruesome photo, I promise).

No, I’m not talking about a "bad side" expressed by someone correcting their horse when it bites or kicks. I wholeheartedly cringe at folks who coddle and spoil their 1200 pound pets so they become a danger to humans, other animals, and even themselves. Many of Deli’s serious injuries can be traced directly to another horse that was poorly socialized to the point they no longer know their own specie’s language. They become dangerous and isolated, unable to communicate with anyone properly. Deli, who grew up semi-feral in a herd, seems baffled (and frightened) by horses who don't tell her what's what before trying to rip her face off.

I don’t blame the horse in question for those kind of behaviors: I blame the owners, the trainers, etc. Horses are physical creatures meant to exist in a herd hierarchy – most of them are happier when someone else is in charge because the person in charge is the protector. Anyone who studies horse behavior knows this. Particularly when that person is a leader they are rewarded for following. Horses that prefer to be at the top of said hirearchy also prefer not to use a lot of energy to enforce their dominance. That's why Deli usually gets along great with a truly dominant but well socialzed alpha: one flick of an ear and Deli gets out of the way because she understands her own language.

Treating a horse like a very very big human (and not letting them be a horse) is just another kind of harm, if a more subtle one. Do you think horses enjoy being poorly socialized and unable to mesh with a herd? Doubtful.

What I am talking about when I think of the "bad side"are the training and husbandry practices found throughout the equestrian world in some frequency. For example: riding or working a horse hard before they are physically mature (and no, your QH or thoroughbred does not mature faster than other breeds – their bones still close around the same time) as in track racing and western futurity. Tail nerving or cutting for the sake of appearance. Soring, peppering, tail setting, and the use of ridiculous padding and shoeing techniques – again, to get a “look” that wins. Keeping show horses in stalls 24/7 until they go crazy (there are serious mental health consequences, in addition to the increased risk for health issues, for stall confinement). Tying a horse's head up for hours on end so that they are so fatigued they can't lift it for the show. Over-breeding to get some good sales and dumping the rest so that they ultimately end up in trucks bound for slaughter – and breed organizations that support those breeding practices. Any kind of riding that requires a “look” that means the horse is harmed in some way. I could go on, and I’m sure many of you have your own additions to this list.

All of these practices disgust me and I will make no secret about it.

The Eight Belles breakdown.

 Dressage has bad training techniques that seem to pretty much guarantee wins at the upper level. Rollkur (training with hyperflexion) is, of course, the go-to for finger pointing. It seems to be more about appearance than horse welfare. I could do a whole post just on my thoughts about how dressage has changed in relation to its purpose and horse biomechanics. I’ve had many a conversation with the trainer, and friend, who helped me start and put wet saddle blankets on Deli, about how the sport of dressage had evolved (or devolved). It’s an interesting conversation. I may devote another post to this topic because it does relate to my relationship with Deli and horses in general in a very real way.

Edward Gal & Totilas at WEG 2010.

Endurance even has its bad eggs. The issues with races in the middle East (FEI Region 7) has been a long standing issue such that the rules have changed to help prevent the abuses and horse deaths occurring there. In general I am attracted to the American Endurance Ride Conference’s emphasis on the welfare of the horse. I think this is achieved by making the horse’s health part of the competition, because it capitalizes on humanity's desire to win in a welfare-centric way. The multiple vet checks throughout each race are a GOOD thing, and from my experience in the west coast regions the majority of people are concerned about their horse’s welfare.

I’m not the best rider in the world and I’d be the first to admit I no longer have any dreams of competing at top levels. I do, however, have a good eye for horse biomechanics. I do believe in the basic tenants of classical dressage – that teaching the horse through willing cooperation to be an athlete capable of carrying a rider is essential. How you get to that place of harmony, where rider and horse become a centaur of sorts.

Manolo Mendez on Clint Eastwood II in FEI Intermediate I.
Mendez is an upper level dressage trainer I really respect for
various reasons - including his emphasis on horse mental health.

The Greek general Xenophon wrote a treatise that shows he was ahead of his time – and sadly ahead of our time in many respects. He was concerned about their physical AND mental well-being. He also wrote about how without friendship and cooperation a horse’s aesthetic has little value.

Xenophon also said: “For what the horse does under compulsion… is done without understanding; and there is no beauty in it either, any more than if one should whip and spur a dancer. There would be a great deal more ungracefulness than beauty in either a horse or a man that was so treated. No, he should show off all his finest and most brilliant performances willingly and at a mere sign.”

If a fellow who existed in a time where horses were the premier mode of transportation and war, equestrians with horses in 2015 have no excuse.