Local Western Saddler - Gold Coast QLD

Local Western Saddler on the Gold Coast in QLD

Recently I was on the hunt for a new western saddle.  There are so many different types out there the exercise to find a good one became daunting.  I have some very dear friends who allowed me to try out their saddles just to make sure I was going to be happy with the feel of the seat and of course the fenders!  

After searching the internet and visiting local horse supplies shops and having a few different types of saddles fitted to my horses I decided that the only way to get the perfect fit was to have one custom made.  I don’t agree with making a saddle fit by using thicker pads, props etc.  Imagine having to wear a pair of shoes for hours on end that didn’t fit because they rubbed, were too tight, slipped when you walked, make your legs ache etc.  I certainly didn’t want to put my horses through this and have them misbehaving due to trying to let me know of some sort of discomfort.   As they say “equine welfare” is not just about saving starving horses; it is also about preventing pain and discomfort.  It is our duty as owners to make sure we do everything we can.

After hunting around for the perfect saddle I came across a local saddler, John Allington who has been making beautiful saddles since 1962.  He lives on the Gold Coast and I was lucky enough to have him personally come and fit my horses. Both of my horses have shorter backs, are extremely round and have virtually no wither.  John suggested a wade tree as it is the best type of tree for my horses and fits in well with the type of riding I do.

My beautiful Arab Amber has always been reluctant to go forward, her nickname “Ambling Amber”. Now when using my beautiful western saddle she certainly has more go than whoa!  I feel she is very free in the shoulders and there are no discomfort spots along her back anymore and the closeness of my saddle lets her feel my body which makes her response more accurate.

Here is the saddle which has been custom made to fit my horse.  If anyone is interested in having a saddle made by John you  are welcome to come and have a look at  mine.

Speedi Beet

What is Speedi Beet?           

A truly amazing feed which is available in around 24 countries world wide.   If your horse suffers from laminitis then Speedi Beet may be your answer in helping control this terribly painful condition.  It is an ideal fibre source for horses prone to laminitis.  Speedi Beet is low in sugar (unmolassed and 95% sugar free) and high in fibre. It is a Laminitis Trust approved feed.

Speedi Beet is extremely palatable and is a slow release energy feed.  It helps with rapid re-hydration and is non heating. Its unique processing allows slow release of nutrients prior to hind gut fermentation making for an extremely healthy horse.

The dried beet flakes (as pictured above) are soaked to 1 part beet 5 parts water for a minimum of 10 minutes before feeding.  This allows the beet flakes to completely soak and absorb all water before feeding.  Speedy beet can then be fed alone or mixed with chaff to make for a more interesting feed.  I mix ours with oat and chaff as it makes a wonderful natural unprocessed meal. 

It is best not to leave soaked Speedi Beet for a length of time in the hotter months to prevent fermentation.  During cooler times of the year Speedi Beet can be mixed in the mornings and fed later in the afternoons.  I have yet not come across a horse that does not like this amazing food.

Liberty float loading with Thor

My young Fjord horse was 18months old when he arrived out our place.  He had never been floated and arrived here after being herded into a truck.  For a very long time he wouldn't even feel comfortable about looking at our float. 

After a few months of ground work and gentle float loading techniques he loaded at liberty.  This video is a clip of his 4th ever floating experience.

Enjoy :)

Meet Thor, beautiful Fjord horse

The next member of my horsey heard I would like to introduce to you is Thor.  He is a 5 year old Fjord horse gelding and stands just over 14hands.  I bought him when he was only 18months old and he has spent time with our other horses growing and just being a horse.

Last year in March 2010 he was started naturally by Shane Ransley from Quantum Savvy and returned home to have 6 months rest before doing too much.  Since then I have been doing mainly ground work with him and a little riding.  I hope to get out and about more with him later this year.

He is a great horse to work with, lets me know when my  "ask" is not polite and really tries to please.  He is amazing at reading body language as in "life up and down" and responds well.

I plan to do mainly trail riding with him and lots of liberty work in the future.  He's a heavy horse so my work with so my timing with him has to be slow and steady with absolute instant release.  He is teaching me a lot about patience and understanding.  Thor is the sort of horse that would really stick by his rider through any situation.  He is extremely honest and reliable with no hidden secrets! 

Here is a pic of my very special friend.

Liberty float loading with Amber

Amber is my stunning part bred Arabian mare 96.87% Arab.....not much of anything else!

Amber came into my life in mid 2007. She was surely highly spirited and lived a rather sheltered life. She had a bit of trouble coping with our paddocks at first because the grass was different lengths, dogs and children were on the other side of the fences and everything around her seemed to be a monster!  I knew I had a bit of work to do on her and of course myself.

I started my L1 QS with her about a month after she arrived, took me that long to get the courage to ride her.  We both had a lot to learn.  We  had so many life experiences to go through together.  I had to learn to trust her and her me. Of course our first ride was with a halter and one rein, it was a passenger lesson and oh boy, Amber was off......fast and braced!  I was to just sit there and enjoy the ride (supposed to anyway)...

We finished our L1 and moved onto L2 which presented a lot more challenges.  I had to ride bareback at the canter for 1 minute in both directions with one rein.  The thought of this whilst doing L1 knowing what was coming was torture.  Now we canter bareback and one rein alot, this is probably my favourite part of our riding program. I much prefer bareback now than in a saddle. 

Our journey has certainly progressed.  Amber is a horse that really does try hard to please.  She gets cranky and lets me know when I am not polite with my phases and has taught me so much about body language, horse behaviour, release, rewarding and knowing when to stop.  She has basically been my guinea pig.  Teaching me to ride again and gain my balance and confidence.  She's really a super litte horse with a very big kind heart........that has cranky moments!!  We have just about finished L2 and working on L3.

 We do a lot of liberty together and love it.  I had trouble floating Amber not long after she arrived and had to work on getting her to  trust me and then go into a float.  I can remember working at this for a very long time bit by bit.  No rush, just building rapport slowly and we certainly have a lot of that now!

Please enjoy this video of our liberty float loading - done with lots of fun :)

Sam

This is my beautiful Sam. A purebred Arabain with impeccable breeding - Cherox Samaam 19/9/1995 - 25/7/2010.........our beautiful boy, sadly missed.

Sam was the first horse I started to ride after my 15 year break.  I was so nervous just sitting on him. Sam was spirited, tended to be nervous about certain things however kind gentle and caring. Not long after starting to ride him I found QS and realised that we both had a lot to work on before I was able to take him out of an arena.  Sam was a very sensitive horse and responded very well to my journey into NH. 

Unfortunately as we progressed Sam started to show signs of intermittent lameness which I eventually had x-rayed.  I was told that he would not be suited to where I was heading and needed some time to rest.  After 6 months of rest he would be ok to be ridden however not the sort of stuff I was heading towards. 

I was so lucky to find a fantastic free lease home for him where he  was lovingly looked after and treated with NH.  He had found a dream  home however on the 25th July this year our beautiful boy (bring tears to my eyes whenever I think about him) passed away due to a terrible fight with colic. RIP my beautiful Sam, you will always be remembered by lots of people who loved you dearly.

Sam

How my horse journey started

When I was just 14yrs old I managed to get a job strapping trotters!! It was long hours with no pay: However the experience I gained working with these horses was worth its weight in gold.  I had to handle some very bold stallions which really tested  my confidence. After six months I was offered a horse, he was to be my first horse. His name was Silky Son and he was a chestnut gelding, 17h ex pacer. He was nasty and would kick and bite at every opportunity. Silky and I spent many hours riding around suburban streets and out on the trails. I would call into home whilst out on a ride and leave him loose in our front yard to graze. I lived in a suburban area. We had no fencing and he would never leave or even venture next door.


A year later I was finally getting paid!!!! I put this money toward buying another horse more suited. In the next few years I had bought and sold quite a number of horses trying to find the right one. I know now with natural horsemanship any of these horses would have been suitable, I just didn't have the "natural" experience or understood horse behavior.

I eventually stopped at Spike a first cross QH gelding which I took to my first show on the Gold Coast in 1985. We placed in all of our classes and had lots of fun. I also owned another first cross QH, his name was Jake - the best horse I have ever owned!!! Sure wish I had him now. Jake and I spent hours and hours riding the pine forests of the Gold Coast, along Burleigh Beach and swimming across Tallebudera Creek. We would average around 20-30 hours riding per week. I had to do  a stock horse work out back then to have him officially registered as an Australian stock horse, he got the "stamp" on his butt. He was an unbelievable horse and I have never met any like him yet. Jake taught me confidence, balance and trust. We worked as one, he just seemed to go where my focus was. We didn't come across anything we couldn't do - we even rode along the main highway from Mudgeeraba to Burleigh racing the cars.........not a good thing, but fun back then.

From these fantastic years (as a youngster) I went into breeding Arabs and miniatures for a few years. Then came our 5 children so I had a 15yr break from riding............lost ALL MY CONFIDENCE......and stopped riding. I still bred miniatures and did a lot of showing with them. Broke some to harness and did lots of long reining, loved it! We went over jumps, over bridges, through gates, around obstacle courses etc, so much fun.

Now after my long break I managed to find QS NH through a good friend and I have started my journey again and am loving it!! When I started QS in August 2006 I wasn't even game to sit on a horse or handle anything bigger than a mini !!! Now with the program I am back in the saddle and passing my assignments and levels!!

Below are some VERY VERY OLD PICS of my early riding days, please excuse the quality .

1. My first horse Silky (1978)

 

2. Riding down the roads on our way to the beach, no helmets, no saddles, no shoes etc..and NO FEAR :) ( 1980)

3. Spike my QH at our first show - The Gold Coast Show 1985

4. Riding Spike in the Show 1985

5. Spike my best mate 1986

6.JAKE MY QH - BEST HORSE I HAVE EVER OWNED