Sending more hugs and kisses to Skuld. Saddle who needs a saddle? I use a saddle occasionally on long trails. On short rides a simple pad with stirrups that winched securely under the belly . Now be advised the horse must be well trained and trusted. Besides there are some cheap saddles sittin around here you can borrow any time.
I'm looking for a pad that will distribute weight to start with. I already have access to a lightweight rider, lol. We will need a saddle eventually. I used a lovely sheepskin pad on my Truls for treks and short rides, but always trained with a saddle. The pads are OK on a well-muscled back and for light riders. I've grown old and fat, so a well-fitted saddle will be good for Skuld during build-up training, and for longer treks. I'm not bringing in a saddle fitter for Skuld now. That will be a huge waste of money. Instead I'm going to pick the brains of every horse person I know, especially the Icelandic people who compete with their Icelandic horses. They're experienced so I'm hoping to get saddle recommendations from them. We need one that can be changed in width as Skuld develops muscles again.
Droopy. How ya doin? How’s Skuld doing with his new home and friends. I know you mus be really busy. just wanted to pop by see how you’re doin. A saddle for Skuld - asking those who are familiar with the breed for saddle a good idea. Maybe someone will have a used saddle for a reasonable price in good shape. I have a really nice fancy used saddle very nice , leather western tool work and silver-really brass saddle corner plates as well as saddle Horne silver cover with blue jewels and name plate. It is a small size saddle that fit my Arab of course a small horse at 14 hands with a huge personality and really smart. Wanted to show you a pic. He is all dressed up for the 4th of July parade.
Ah, he's a beauty! I love to look at Arabs and how they move, like they're sort of liquid if you know what I mean. Smooth and fluent. Smart horses are fun, but a lot of work to keep their mind occupied. My Truls needed something new to work on all the time or he'd be up to some sort of mischief. Fortunately he loved treats and would work for food so we had lots of fun together. Skuld is beginning to settle down. His eyes are calmer, he's got more energy, and he's putting on some fat reserves. The vet will be in tomorrow to check his hind quarters and draw a blood sample. We need to see if he's getting the nutrients he needs. I'm sending some hay in for analysis and will upload the results in a fodder calculation program called PC-Horse. I'm not going by the results 100% since all horses are different but it helps a lot. A combination of experience, that program, and knowing the horse's basic needs usually gets us where we want to be. He's shedding so he looks a bit scruffy, but not as scruffy as when he arrived. His coat is more shiny and he's showing some nice rosettes on his rump already, which means we're doing something right fodder-wise. We go for walks almost every day. He starts out fine but runs out of energy quickly, so still a long way to go. We have time. My house is over-run by dust rabbits, but we can live with those for a bit as long as they're not growing fangs!
Rabbits with no fangs that’s a huge relief.. I would agree that rabbits and other small ground critters take up more time to contain or control than anything else. Mainly why I have no spare time. Pic of Tenn Walker.
Awww, he looks good! They're just dust bunnies, not real rabbits (I forgot the proper English term so translated directly from Norwegian), but they do take up time to control anyway, lol.
Sending hugs,kisses , carrots, beets and apples to Skuld. Sometimes they can be huge mud balls. They like to roll in mud. This time of year they will roll in the snow. Much cleaner horse no grooming needed.
We've only got sand for them to roll in right now. Lots of grooming needed, lol! I once had a white pony. She was brown, grey, green, and yellow in summer and a pain to keep white even in winter. Messy little thing she was. Haha, Melody Mc., thanks for the dustbunny laugh! I like that photo too. I'm so busy enjoying time with Skuld that I keep forgetting to photograph him.
My old S. Forrester has been clean(-ish) for the last two years. Not anymore. This is bedding for Skuld, eight big bags of sawdust and shavings. It's free on a first-come-first-serve basis, so we're lucky if we get some now and then. Of course it gets everywhere so once we get home our clothes go straight into the laundry and us into the shower. I invested in a very big, very strong industrial vacuum cleaner some years ago when we were remodelling the house. I will use it a lot from now on. The car's not fit for anybody but horse people right now. First dry day we get I need to dust and hoover. The house will have to wait. Again.
Gosh, it's been almost a month since my last update. Time sure flies when we're having fun! Skuld's still scrawny, and his fur is still scruffy, but he is getting better-looking. He has put on some weight. His back muscles are slowly starting to show. His rump is still sort of sunken in, but less so than just a month ago. I've come to realize that Skuld won't look very nice until autumn. The grazing season usually start mid-May. We let them into the forest then and fence off the grass fields. All the walking up and down hills usually does wonders for backs and rumps, and the variety of food they find out there usually makes them put on weight. The real weight gain will start when we open the grass fields for them. We still haven't put a saddle and lightweight rider on him. I think it's time very soon. We have to see how he moves under a rider, and check if he looks like there's pain anywhere. On the bright side: Skuld is a cuddler! He loves to be scrathed and stroked, he wants us to cuddle his muzzle (it's very soft), he likes to put his forehead on mine and just breathe, and he feels safe enough now to come ask for attention. This is a photo from today after we had cuddled for ten-fifteen minutes:
Who wouldn't love that face! So glad to hear things are looking up for Skuld, and that more time and a LOT more cuddling will let him hit his potential.
What a gorgous photo Droopy. That could go on your wall. It is so lovely to hear that he feels safe and loves you. Cuddlers are the best. Sounds like your heart is completely won over along with his.
