Here's my take on this issue.
I have a Bruno DelGrange Pro jumping saddle. It is absolutely the best saddle I have ever owned. It keeps my leg and position perfect and secure over any jumps and fits my horse like a glove. However, I have no indoor where I board and I like to trail ride and hunter pace. The Delgrange was bought at a time in my life when I had the money for such luxuries. Now, the thought of using that saddle in the rain or on trail where it could get wet, scratched or otherwise damaged makes me nervous, since I can not replace it. So I took the plunge and bought a dark brown Wintec 2000 for the rain and the rougher rides.
It was a strange feeling in the beginning to ride with it but I quickly got comfortable with it and now the DelGrange only comes out for lessons and the occasional show. I live in the Wintec 2000. It seems to fit my horse well, it's very comfortable for long trail rides and lots of galloping on hunter paces. If I am going to be in the saddle for a long time, I will use a sheepskin saddle pad to give my horses' back extra cushioning and the sheepskin "breathes" well. The equisuede seat is grippy without compromising freedom. I especially recommend it paired with suede full chaps or Kerritts' "Sit Tight" breeches on those blustery winter days when horsey hasn't seen a saddle or rider in a month due to lousy weather!
The Wintec does almost the same as the Delgrange for me, but the deeper seat of the Wintec 2000 is actually more comfortable for longer rides. I do have the Cair and the gullet system. I never used the gullet system because the medium width gullet that came with the saddle seems to suit my horse perfectly.
So, I have actually surprised myself with how much I enjoy the Wintec. I was always a "leather snob" but as my time has become more valuable with so many more responsibilities, I have to give the Wintec a thumbs up!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Not My Horse...
On the LIEquine.com message board the question came up whether horses would prefer to live free or with humans. Thought I'd add my reply here as well:
"My horse is too chicken to live free.
He much prefers to have his rent paid each month, new shoes every 6-8 weeks, meals brought to
his room and to be massaged and ridden as often as possible by a very attentive woman.
That's why my husband calls him my gigolo..."
"My horse is too chicken to live free.
He much prefers to have his rent paid each month, new shoes every 6-8 weeks, meals brought to
his room and to be massaged and ridden as often as possible by a very attentive woman.
That's why my husband calls him my gigolo..."
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The New Farrier ROCKS!
Just to close the farrier story, I think the new shoer is wonderful! Monty just had his second shoeing with this farrier. I heard no complaints about my horse's behavior. It has been cold and we have not been doing much riding, so I was pleasently surprised to find that the man simply reset my horses' shoes since they hardly showed any signs of wear. Happy me, happy horse!
My Happy Horse!
Monty was the lucky winner of a huge gift basket of assorted horse treats! The West Hills Saddlery, a new tack shop that just opened in my area had a grand opening day. There were horse and carriage rides, raffles, lunch and just a fun time meeting other local horse lovers. I was the winner of a huge treat basket! Monty has always loved his goodies and now my usually happy beastie is VERY happy!
Many thanks to Diane and the West Hills Saddlery! We wish you all the best of luck with the new shop! If any of the readers of my blog are in the West Hills area of Long Island, look up the shop and stop by!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Farriers, the next chapter...
Okay, here's the update on the "Farrier Chronicles". Seems the guy I have been using for about 4 years now, the one who I have a devil of a time getting to schedule me in to shoe my horse has spoiled my riding time for the last time. After my horse was stuck in his old shoes for 12 weeks, with his hooves looking like he was wearing duck feet I asked another boarder who she has for a farrier. I then called him and he came to shoe my horse on the same day he was working on her horse. His only concern - that my horse be well mannered while being shod as he will not take on any problem horses. My horse kept his end of the deal and was a gentleman. I was very pleased with this shoer's work and he will gladly take care of my horse.
The best part of the story is that during the nearly 2 weeks of time that I kept calling the previous farrier, asking when he planned on taking care of my horse and then why he hadn't shown up when he said he would, he always picked up the phone and then proceeded to give me excuses. Have to give it to him - he could have banished me to voicemail purgatory. When I finally was finished with chasing him, and I knew the other farrier was coming to shoe my horse, I left a message for the guy I was not going to use anymore, telling him that this is just not working out for me and while I appreciate his good business in the past, I cannot lose anymore riding time due to his scheduling issues. Then when I stop by the barn the next day, it seems Mr. I-can't-find-time-to-shoe-the-horse showed up and did his other customer's horses in our barn, on the coldest day of this winter so far (10 desgrees out, with windchills of 5 below 0). And the best part about THAT is - last year as I was going through this with him and my horse going 11 weeks without shoes, he had the excuse that he, "never does shoeing work when the temperature is below 20 degrees outside, that it is not comfortable for him or the horses". What a piece of work...
The best part of the story is that during the nearly 2 weeks of time that I kept calling the previous farrier, asking when he planned on taking care of my horse and then why he hadn't shown up when he said he would, he always picked up the phone and then proceeded to give me excuses. Have to give it to him - he could have banished me to voicemail purgatory. When I finally was finished with chasing him, and I knew the other farrier was coming to shoe my horse, I left a message for the guy I was not going to use anymore, telling him that this is just not working out for me and while I appreciate his good business in the past, I cannot lose anymore riding time due to his scheduling issues. Then when I stop by the barn the next day, it seems Mr. I-can't-find-time-to-shoe-the-horse showed up and did his other customer's horses in our barn, on the coldest day of this winter so far (10 desgrees out, with windchills of 5 below 0). And the best part about THAT is - last year as I was going through this with him and my horse going 11 weeks without shoes, he had the excuse that he, "never does shoeing work when the temperature is below 20 degrees outside, that it is not comfortable for him or the horses". What a piece of work...
Thursday, November 29, 2007
A Pacing We Did Go!
We made it to the Hunter Pace on November 11th! Yes, my partner (who was going, then not going, then undecided, then finally going for it) and I had a great ride. The weather was crisp and sunny, perfect for the event and the footing was excellent. The horses, though not as fit as they were last year, were so enjoying the adrenaline of the ride that we were more competitive than we thought we'd be able to be and we managed to bring home a 3rd placing! Monty proved once again what a super sport horse he is. He hasn't seen an exciting or colorful jump in over a year and yet he never hesitated over any of the fences and even was tugging on the bit to get to them. There's nothing like a good horse.
Friday, November 16, 2007
A Tremendous Loss to my Horse Community
I have ridden horses here on Long Island for over 35 years. I have competed in local shows, ridden on organized trail rides and hunter paces and had the good fortune to ride as a guest with our local hunt, the Smithtown Hunt. I have the greatest respect for all those who give so much of their time and talent to present us with the opportunity to participate in such events.
Though my relationship to Ed and his wife is only through friendly association at equine events, my sympathies to their family are most sincere. So it is with such respect that I feel the loss of one of our own who has given so much to our sport.
Edward Wrigley, fox hunt enthusiast, dies at 62
BY SID CASSESE.sid.cassese@newsday.com
November 15, 2007
Edward Wrigley, a major figure in the sport of fox hunting in Suffolk County, died Sunday of a heart attack doing what he loved - riding his horse on the hunt at Sears Bellows Park in Riverhead. He was 62 and lived in Melville.
"The only consolation in this tragedy is that he died doing what he loved, which was riding his horse, with his friends, behind hounds in the woods," said his friend and hunt buddy Cathleen A. Springer, of Aquebogue.
"He was so dedicated that when he suffered his heart attack, and hit the ground, his hunt horn was still firmly clasped in his hand," said his wife of 15 years, Marge, whom he met on the hunt.
Wrigley, who for a long time ran his auto repair business in Miller Place, had for the past 10 years worked with his wife in their Syosset business, the Riding Shop.
Wrigley began his commitment to the sport in the mid-1970s, joining the Smithtown Hunt, where his first official post was as an honorary whipper-in, a sort of assistant to the huntsman, another honorary position he moved into. He kept moving up in the hunt and four years ago was named to the top post of master of foxhounds.
The 117-year-old Smithtown Hunt stopped using real foxes at the turn of the century, and for the past seven years has had the hounds chase a fox's artificial scent "dragged" over meadows and woods, according to Dr. Edmunde Stewart, of Setauket, a more than 30-year friend of Wrigley's.
"Ed was always a gentleman and well respected horseman and performed very well as a huntsman," who is in charge of the hounds, Stewart said.
Marge Wrigley said her husband was always working for the hunt in one capacity or another. "He chaired committees for events, worked tirelessly on the trails and jumps to make the riding both exciting and safe and attended countless meetings to promote the organization's mission of environmental conservation, open space preservation and historical education on the hunt."
Wrigley was also a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 19 years and mentored hundreds of people struggling with the disease. He also spoke at chapters around Long Island, said his wife.
Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, Edward Clayton, of Lackawanna, Pa., and Kenneth Wrigley, of Wading River; two daughters, Lisa Guercia, of Montgomery, N.Y., and Melissa Wrigley, of Ridge; two stepsons, Kevin Bonnie, of the Principality of Monaco, and Jim Bonnie, of Stamford, Conn.; a stepdaughter, Mary Grace Conti, of Melville; and eight grandchildren.
Viewing will be at M.A. Connell in Huntington Station from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today. The body will be cremated and a special memorial will be held at a date to be announced. His ashes will be scattered at a special hunt in his memory.
Copyright © 2007, Newsday Inc.
Though my relationship to Ed and his wife is only through friendly association at equine events, my sympathies to their family are most sincere. So it is with such respect that I feel the loss of one of our own who has given so much to our sport.
Edward Wrigley, fox hunt enthusiast, dies at 62
BY SID CASSESE.sid.cassese@newsday.com
November 15, 2007
Edward Wrigley, a major figure in the sport of fox hunting in Suffolk County, died Sunday of a heart attack doing what he loved - riding his horse on the hunt at Sears Bellows Park in Riverhead. He was 62 and lived in Melville.
"The only consolation in this tragedy is that he died doing what he loved, which was riding his horse, with his friends, behind hounds in the woods," said his friend and hunt buddy Cathleen A. Springer, of Aquebogue.
"He was so dedicated that when he suffered his heart attack, and hit the ground, his hunt horn was still firmly clasped in his hand," said his wife of 15 years, Marge, whom he met on the hunt.
Wrigley, who for a long time ran his auto repair business in Miller Place, had for the past 10 years worked with his wife in their Syosset business, the Riding Shop.
Wrigley began his commitment to the sport in the mid-1970s, joining the Smithtown Hunt, where his first official post was as an honorary whipper-in, a sort of assistant to the huntsman, another honorary position he moved into. He kept moving up in the hunt and four years ago was named to the top post of master of foxhounds.
The 117-year-old Smithtown Hunt stopped using real foxes at the turn of the century, and for the past seven years has had the hounds chase a fox's artificial scent "dragged" over meadows and woods, according to Dr. Edmunde Stewart, of Setauket, a more than 30-year friend of Wrigley's.
"Ed was always a gentleman and well respected horseman and performed very well as a huntsman," who is in charge of the hounds, Stewart said.
Marge Wrigley said her husband was always working for the hunt in one capacity or another. "He chaired committees for events, worked tirelessly on the trails and jumps to make the riding both exciting and safe and attended countless meetings to promote the organization's mission of environmental conservation, open space preservation and historical education on the hunt."
Wrigley was also a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 19 years and mentored hundreds of people struggling with the disease. He also spoke at chapters around Long Island, said his wife.
Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, Edward Clayton, of Lackawanna, Pa., and Kenneth Wrigley, of Wading River; two daughters, Lisa Guercia, of Montgomery, N.Y., and Melissa Wrigley, of Ridge; two stepsons, Kevin Bonnie, of the Principality of Monaco, and Jim Bonnie, of Stamford, Conn.; a stepdaughter, Mary Grace Conti, of Melville; and eight grandchildren.
Viewing will be at M.A. Connell in Huntington Station from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today. The body will be cremated and a special memorial will be held at a date to be announced. His ashes will be scattered at a special hunt in his memory.
Copyright © 2007, Newsday Inc.
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