Sadlers Diary by Geoffrey Dean

We are running about like headless chickens, as customers always leave it to the last minute to have something made or altered. The show season has arrived, so it is a busy time. New bridles are in demand, and horse heads come in many shapes, so we usually have to shorten cheeks, or change the browband etc.

Nothing worse than seeing a horse/pony at a show with a bridle, not properly fitted. One of my pet hates is the throat that is swinging down to the noseband, and everything buckled up to the top hole.

We still see many horses with sore backs. The causes are numerous:

*Wrong fit of saddle for that horse

*Lumpy flocking, not been seen by a saddler for years.

*Saddle too big for horse, or too small

*Hefty rider on saddle too small for their bottom

* A saddle's panel that is akin to southwater bricks used for several years without any attention.

I was called out recently to check a pony saddle. The tack came with the pony, and the new owners suspected something was not right, as the pony was being difficult, bucking off the teenager.

Fot full diary see West Sussex Gazette April 12