New horse

[Ryan Johnson]

I think your doing a great job and 10-20 minutes work would be ample time at the moment. Hills are great for building muscle. She looks really healthy in the coat and she is continuing to put on weight.

Keep updating us, Im loving seeing how she is coming along for you

 

[Margo_C-T]

Just now saw this thread. Clearly the mare is looking noticably better, good for you! I would suggest being pretty cautious about how long she has access to the kind of rich green grass I saw in the photo of her 'grazing in the yard',I think it was? Rich green spring grass can be a real risk factor for laminitis/founder for about ANY horse; be sure to limit her time on it, AND only very gradually increase that time. in the photo of her wearing the saddle, it appears the saddle may be 'too wide' in the gullet for her,at least for now....looks a lot like the underside of the swells is about 'resting on' her withers ,even w/ no one in the saddle. Once she gains more, filling in more over her back, it 'might' be better...or maybe with a thicker saddle pad(though increasing the thickness of a pad is not a 'fix-all' for saddle fit, either.) Anyway, you have been doing an admirable job with her,and I hope you can look forward to many years of enjoyment of her!

 

[NewToMini's]

She's only in the yard for a few hours per day, the rest of the time she is in the pasture.

Her withers are kind of hollow at the moment, so she probably will take a wider gullet when she fills out. I may buy a 'new' saddle anyway, this one was used when I got it 10 years ago, and it's just a cheap Abetta, so it's probably outlived it's natural life XD

The saddle pad is an inch thick, so I don't think a thicker one would be too good of an idea, lol. There was 1 finger width of space between the saddle and her wither when I sat it on her back without cinching it up or using a pad, so it's definitely too wide for her now.

She is filling out a bit more, her ribs are starting to smooth out, though they're still visible, her rump is starting to get some muscle, and her back is starting to fill in

 

[NewToMini's]

I rode her today. Just for 2-3 minutes because of her weight.

I recently learned about carrot stretches. Do they help build muscle?

 

[NewToMini's]

I should mention that I rode her bareback yesterday.

Today I bought a cinch and off billets. Tried it on her, and the cinch fits perfect, and I think the saddle fits better, too. Without the pad (or cinch) there is 2-finger width of clearance between her withers and the horn. With the pad, it sits up nicely off her withers.

She was so patient while I tried to figure out how to use the cinch (it was a 'smart cinch') XD

 

[NewToMini's]

Is this the proper way to use a cinch with the buckle?

Also, a picture from our walk today. There are so many of these flowers and they're so pretty (and they smell good!)

 

[Ryan Johnson]

I ride in an english saddle, so not sure if its the same seeing that you are riding in a western / stock saddle.

When I do the girth up on mine it comes thru the silver buckle and continues down in the direction in which the straps head. It doesnt come thru the buckle and head back up towards the saddle.

You should actually see the cinch touching the middle bar in the buckle , not the girth.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I'm always really lazy and just tie my cinch anyway, letting the buckle do what it wants. I'd rather it be the right tightness than 'in a hole.'

 

[amysue]

I have always seen buckle cinches not tied, but buckled, then the excess strap fed through the loop in the leather tab attached under the swell. I prefer to tie my cinches, I do not ride western much, but I always tie mine. I agree with Ryan, I believe that you have fed the tie strap through the wrong rung of the buckle. Nice photos, hope you had a good ride.

 

[NewToMini's]

It's the right rung on the buckle (it's actually supposed to go through the top rung the first loop, and then the bottom rung for the second loop and to buckle it - I looked it up after asking here) , it won't tighten correctly and can't be buckled if I put it through the top one.

It just looks so awkward, being pulled back up after being buckled. It doesn't look like it will hold (though I guess it will, 'cause apparently that's how you buckle a western saddle). I think I will stick with tying it, I don't trust the buckle XD

I'm used to riding English, but I don't have a useable English saddle right now.

 

[Mona]

That looks like a "Smart Cinch" type of buckle, and it's made so you run the strap through the top one first, then loop and run it through the bottom one. I never have any trouble with tightening one of these, BUT, I never use the buckle, I always use the tie off method.

 

[NewToMini's]

I rode her again today, this time with the saddle. She kinda acted exactly as I expected, lol. Didn't want to move when I wanted her to (I was told to invest in spurs when I got her, but I don't think I'm experienced enough to use spurs) and when I finally got her to move she didn't want to go where I wanted. I did get her to go a few good steps in the direction I wanted and decided to stop there. I figure she'll listen better the more I ride her.

The Arab mix wouldn't leave us alone either (she's for sale if anyone lives in Ohio...), so it made focusing on Star a little difficult.

 

[NewToMini's]

She's gaining weight very nicely. Her ribs are still slightly visible when she moves, but her back is filling out, everything is starting to round and blend, and she's getting some muscles on her shoulder and rump. Her joints don't pop every time she moves now, either.

 

[NewToMini's]

She looks so good now ❤

I think she's mostly done gaining weight. You can still feel her ribs without trying, but they're smoothing out. They're not really visible anymore. Her topline needs muscle, though.

I've been riding her 2-3 times per week, and she's listening better every time I ride her. Last time I rode her I took her for a 'trail' ride around the crop field next to my house. She shied at some weeds but wasn't even startled when we scared a deer off. She is very forward and it's hard to keep her at a walk when I ride her. She's also barn sour and it's hard to get her moving away from the barn XD She is getting better, though, lol

 

[Debby - LB]

She is beautiful! so shiny and healthy looking now. It sounds like you are continually making progress with her, keep up the good work!

 

[Ryan Johnson]

She really does look wonderful and healthy, so glad that you have shared her story with us and the journey you have started her on to get her back in good health