Fergie Before & After

The hunt is afoot for a new saddle for Sara and Fergie.  Fergie is INCREDIBLY particular about saddle fit, and unfortunately the one that fits her best out of my collection doesn't fit Sara particularly well.  They have made due for a while now, but things are going well enough that it's time to invest in something that works really well for both of them.  Sara did a test ride in a saddle today to see how it worked, and while it was a reasonable fit for Fergie, it put Sara in an awkward position and made it hard for her to balance.  However, Fergie rode so well today that I took some photos and video to document it.

I remember when they first arrived  at Bit of Honey about two years ago, and I had the usual intake evaluation conversation with Sara.  I asked her what her goals were with her horse, and she said she wanted to be able to ride in the arena at the walk and trot.  I asked what their longer term goals were, did she want to compete or trail ride?  She repeated the same goal of walking and trotting in the arena.  Sara then explained to me that she and Fergie had a long history together.

She and Fergie had been together for about thirteen years, and in that time Fergie had been very difficult to get trained.  She bolted, wouldn't turn left, was always hollow, tense and panicky.  Some sleuthing on my part with the help of my veterinarians revealed that Fergie had some old injuries which had created significant scar tissue in her neck and back.  We put her in a physical therapy/training program with me, and over time we were able to not only get her relaxed in tack that fit, but now Sara has competed with Fergie both in Estes Park and at local shows here in Wellington.  She occasionally canters her in the arena, and has no trouble hacking out in the pastures when we all go riding together.  Fergie is one of my happy success stories, demonstrating how careful correct training emphasizing relaxation and rhythm can produce a beautiful mount, despite prior injuries and training difficulties.