Kibbles & Bits & Bits and Really Good Bits

If you go on DogFoodAnalysis.com, you’ll find out that Kibbles & Bits is a really inadequate choice for your canine bestie’s diet.  It’s a colorful, highly recognizable dog food with tons of commercial air time and great advertising.  It’s full of colorful kibbles but, if you know what’s good for the health of your furry little buddy, you wouldn’t feed him that at all.   

Metal burrs under a microscope

Although horses aren’t eating bits per se,  we ARE putting them in their mouths and they’re a vital part of their well-being when ridden.  Granted, we aren’t talking about a horse foundering from one, but, we are talking about a horse “faltering” through over-bitting, poor bit selecting, bad training, and in some cases, constant pain while being ridden due to substandard design and materials.  Just like a dog’s health would suffer from the long term effects of the artificial colors and flavors of Kibbles & Bits over time, a horse’s well being would suffer from the use of a bad bit as well. Yea, we know the adage, “a bit is only as harsh as the hands that use them”. No argument on that front; however, there is so much more to bitting and horses that must be taken into account when discussing bits that one blanket statement doesn’t quite cover it.  While we don’t possibly have time to cover all the intricacies in this blog post, we can hit on some obvious points that can and do make a difference in your horse’s response and well being when choosing a new bit. 

Most bits you see advertised in droves today are made in either Pakistan, Taiwan, China or other country outside of the USA & Canada .  These bits typically sell in the $20 to $100 range.  Showman, Partrade and Metalab are immediate names that come to mind. They’re worth much less than half of that wholesale.  Most of the price you pay comes from a few main areas:  marketing, advertising and shipping. Even some well branded and respected bit companies like Myler have a handmade division and a division in which they mass produce bits outside the US under the name Production Series Myler.  That’s not to say all factory made bits are bad or Myler bits are a bad choice, but we do think that every good horseman and horsewoman should consider a few things before buying a new bit for their horse and we hope they do.

Today’s most common styles of Western style bits originated from the Vaquero tradition of the old West and many of these bits have remained relatively unchanged.  In fact, when speaking of bit history, there are European bits that are a thousand years old or more that are still considered well designed and could be used today if you were lucky enough to own one of these historic pieces.

The fact is many of today’s bits are mere shadows of their former selves.  While bit mouthpieces haven’t changed significantly over the years in design and function, the alloys and processes used to mass produce them have.  There are only so many areas of pressure that can be affected on a horse such as:  corners of the mouth, palate or roof of the mouth, tongue, bars, and chin & lower jaw (with use of a curb strap), and bridge of the nose in the case of some combo bits.  Where the ball gets dropped most of the time in mass produced bits is in the materials and craftsmanship itself.  Handmade Bit Makers ensure balance and symmetry down to a few thousandth of an inch when making bits by hand.  Factory machined bits can be off by significantly more than that and the differences can go unnoticed by everyone but the horse.  Using substandard materials are far less expensive but, by doing so, these companies can trade quality for larger profits. 

In cheap factory made bits, typically the parts of the bits are cast (in whatever the metal of choice is) and then the parts are assembled (sometimes by hand) like you would see in a piece work plant during the industrial age. In handmade bits, each piece of the bit is made from scratch, heated, polished, refined, and constantly checked for weight, balance, symmetry, etc. Then each individual piece is welded together to ensure a balanced bit that is built specifically for the horse, rider, discipline, etc.  Something to keep in mind is a bit that is only a fraction off a inch off affects how the horse works, feels and responds. 
Factory reproduced bits can lack balance, density, vary in thickness, and the alloys used in production are generally not the top of the line. Sometimes factory machined versions of today’s bits have metal burrs that we can barely feel with our hands. At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a big deal but, try rubbing that same bit for an hour or two over the sensitive gums in your own mouth and they’d stick out like sore thumbs over time. When we think about the lack of quality and craftsmanship, we wonder why cheap reproduction bits are sold to any discerning horse owner at all.  We reckon it’s like most things, it’s the advertising, endorsements, and colorful marketing that sells products and not the actual product itself that’s worthy of the price tag and promotion. Let’s just say, we’d rather have one or two great bits than a tack trunk filled with cheaper or useless gimmicky bits that may hurt our horses over the long haul. 

PRICE VS. VALUE

Independent bit and spur makers don’t have an issue with burrs because they’re made 100% by hand rather than by a machining process with lots of moving parts that cause the burrs in the first place.  Here’s a great video by Tom Balding demonstrating just a few of the many steps he takes in making a bit by hand.  Take just a moment and see this craftsman in action. 
To compete in the successful and lucrative production marketplace, overseas bit (and tack) companies have to manufacture and sell thousands of bits every year to stay in business.  And because the costs to manufacture are significantly less than what real bit and spur makers spend, they have more to spend on marketing.  Outside of celebrity endorsements and great advertisements, they go so far as to highlight the potentially negative aspects of some bits as a good reason to buy them.  They do things like tout “lightweight”  as a benefit, even though most horsemen and women will tell you that a good bit should be substantial and well, be sort of on the heavier side.  The bit is a communication device, meant to telegraph signal--in the case of some equine sports--the slightest of signals.  This simply cannot be done with a flimsy piece of metal that bounces around from just the weight of the reins at a trot. They’ll also claim that their particular bit is made from the “finest materials”.  At the end of the day, the finest of a cheap metal alloy is still a cheap metal alloy.  Sadly, they don’t have to qualify these statements unless you ask. Even then, they’ll tap dance around the issue and claim their bits are just great.  We learned alot about this song and dance routine when we started shopping for bits to carry in our store.  One of the things we were adamant about was the quality of the bits we were carrying.  Sales reps acted shocked each and every time we asked these simple questions.  Where was the bit made?  What is the bit made out of? What guarantees do you carry on your products? Most company reps had to put us on hold to find out, and what that tells us, is that alot of tack stores aren’t even asking these questions.

We know it sounds complicated but the honest to goodness bit makers will look at their designs and see where the bit seeks gravity and if it’s consistent with what type of signal the rider is hoping to achieve.  This is where the disbursement of weight, over the particular pressure point, is vital to construction.  In replicas, this is not even a small consideration.  It can look like the original and not be anywhere near the original in terms of construction and performance. Think about how that would affect your horse and if you would know why your horse wasn’t responding in the manner you had hoped for.  Form & function.  

Price vs. value.

These companies copy the styles made popular by famous bits and spur makers like E. Garcia, Al Tietjen, Greg Darnell, Ernie Marsh, Fleming, Field Family Bits and Spurs, just to name a few. And to further confuse the buyer, they name them after the original maker with just a few minor modifications.  Knock-offs are rampant in the tack industry. Hint:  If it has a famous maker’s name on the tag, look at where it’s made.  If it’s not made in that maker’s hometown, we’d be suspect of the quality.Another sales ‘tactic” is the prominent use of flashy low content silver on the shanks as a distraction, claiming “real silver” as an another benefit and selling point.  Real bit and spur makers wouldn’t be caught dead using these materials but, since there aren’t a lot of feet being put to the fire on this by horse tack aficionados, they get away with using machine etched, rough-to-the-touch silver-ish stuff that’s got silver in it somewhere.   Hint:  Real silver bits cost hundreds of dollars.  You cannot buy new real silver bits for $89.99.  

Finally, marketing has mislead an entire population of horse owners into thinking that a good bit is a substitute for good training.  Perhaps our biggest pet peeve against many of today’s bit manufacturers.  Good finished bridle horses that can spin on a dime, supple and collect like a slinky, and respond with the most delicate touch didn’t get that way from just a good bit.  And we don’t care what equine sport you’re involved in, every horse deserves at least a chance of being trained properly with patience and skill so, they can enjoy competing without getting their gums ripped out.  In fact, we cringe every time we see ads by paid celebrities advocating this bit or that bit without stressing the importance of lots and lots of training first--training that has been incremental over the years and without holes. Just for example, if you don’t know how to make your horse counter bend and arc on a circle and perform simple lateral movements or if you don’t know where the pressure is being applied by the bit you have now, you really and truly have no business using a shanked bit at all.  Escalating up in bit severity without the horse understanding what is being asked of it first (or the rider knowing how to use it) can be quite cruel so, we can’t stress the importance of seeking out good trainers before you decide that you need to put a harsher bit in your horse’s mouth. 

Price vs. Value

Handmade bits are pricey.  Make no mistake about that.  Someone’s time is just as valuable as yours and no one is going to spend time fashioning a functional piece of equipment with expensive materials for less than what they have into it.  Handmade bits can go into the thousands of dollars depending on who made it.  In these cases, you’re paying for a piece of history and in most cases a work of art as well.  Even good using bits with age appreciate over time unlike the mass produced bits which aren’t worth a fraction of their cost after you leave the tack store so, like handcrafted saddles, they truly are an excellent value and investment. 

That’s not to say you can’t buy a nice handmade bit for under a few hundred dollars.  You can.  There are also some bit companies who sell production bits that are a step up from the junk ones. We’re not knocking all mass produced bits here.  However, we want you to know they really aren’t in the ball park, in terms of quality, when compared to handmade bits. We carry a few handmade lines and absolutely would not trade them for a bigger profit margin. These quality bits are popular with working cowboys and performance riders alike because they’re well made and yet still affordable for most. You can get decent production bits in the $80 to $150 range--just a mere $20 -$50 more than the mass produced ones from Taiwan and Pakistan. Granted they’re quite plain for that price, but, again, what’s important to you as a horseman or horsewoman? 

Knowing they’re out there and finding either good bits and good information is quite another thing. Good information comes from tack connoisseurs who are willing to advocate on all fronts--horse, rider, and for the livelihoods of the craftspeople who adapt and guide the tradition of horsemanship. These you can find yourself online, in blogs and chatrooms as long as you vet the information you are offered.  We advocate for doing your own research and buying from reputable companies that can assist you in your specific needs.  

Herein lies another problem in that not all tack stores carry all bits, nor are they all educated in either horsemanship, craftsmanship or both.  Many make their retail selections based on brand recognition, marketing or profitability. And that’s ok, too, we just advocate you know the difference.  

We feel comfortable selling fewer brands of bits for these reasons.  This way, we can be sure they are crafted to a standard and the makers will stand behind their product.  We know this will make a difference in how your horse responds to the bit.  We also know that the entire horse-rider experience will be enhanced because if a horse is used to the perturbation of a poorly constructed bit, the design and balance of a hand-crafted one will be evident almost immediately.  We know that the value of these bits will only increase over time and if you needed to sell it, you’ll be able to recoup your money and then some depending on how long you’ve had it and how well you’ve kept it. And if our customers are able to see this for themselves, they’ll be back time and time again.

Another consideration is tack stores that deal directly with the makers, can help you select the mouthpiece, shank and alloy that works best for the type of riding you do. You’ll find that some tack stores will provide this service without batting an eye unlike most big box stores with imported run-of-the mill bits.  And if you want a one-of-a-kind heirloom piece, you won’t have to worry about knock-offs.

We think it’s a good idea to seek out tack stores that will act as an advocate for you and your horse.  Ask questions of your tack store owner regarding where they purchase their bits, what kinds of warranties they carry and if they meet the same standards you’ve come to know is important for your horse’s health.  Heck, these are questions the bit company themselves should be able to easily answer, too. If they can’t, you may want to reconsider them as a choice.

There are lots of businesses that still stand behind what they sell and only want to sell the best the market has to offer.  It’s true, sometimes they are a little pricier choice but, price vs. value should always be your number 1 concern when making sound investments.  And if you find yourself drawn into the cute Kibbles & Bits commercials, enjoy the great advertising, but remember it’s just advertising and there’s always a “bit” of cost associated with that.  

Price vs. Value and the Marketing Monster in the Room

Price vs. value.

Most of us aren’t just addicted to spending time with our friends of the equine variety, we’re also addicted to outfitting them (and us) with the latest, greatest in leather goods. From headstalls to saddles, we're always wanting that buttery soft yet durable, and beautiful piece of tack.  Trouble is, all tack isn’t created equal, and well, our pocketbooks often don’t match our taste.  So we rush out and buy things that most closely match what our urges are telling us we need.  We’re junkies, really.  

My first saddle was a black, stamped Made in Mexico (with black ink under the fender) trail saddle.  The epitome of poorly made.  It was fairly plain with just a little basket weave stamping on the skirt and fenders and it was all stapled together with cheap, thin staples. 

The leather, and I use that term “loosely”, was stiff and cardboard-y. I paid $200 for it at a yard sale.  That was the ‘cost’ to me. At the time I was thrilled.  I was also very, very uneducated about saddles.  Looking back, I can’t believe I bought it and, to add insult to injury, I overpaid.  That was the overall ‘value’ I paid my hard to come-by monies for.

I rode in it about three times when the fender fell off.  The entire fender. Because they were nailed on, I couldn’t put the fender back on where it had originally been since the tree was plastic and the holes would no longer accommodate the same size nails.  So I rode like Jerry Lewis until my next fiasco. Which, incidentally, didn’t take long.

Just a couple weeks later, I lost a stirrup while I was riding. This added insult to injury exacerbating my already suffering form in the saddle.  Now I looked like a New England salsa salesman with one leg longer than the other.  Suffice it to say, I wasn’t happy and my mare liked it even less than I did.  I knew better and I bought it anyway because I wanted to ride and $200 was all I had. 

Price vs. value.

The fact that I ignored everything I had learned from a lot from people who truly knew the difference between good saddles and bad--working cattlemen and women, aka “hands” bugged me the most. They had “using” saddles.  A term that meant you could use it daily and it would hold up to the abuse of living in it for 8 hours a day 365 days a year.  

Price vs. value.

They scoffed at saddle manufacturers and admired makers.  A true maker’s mark means something to cowpunchers. It means someone stands behind (is proud of) what they’ve made. Every commercial brand I would run by them, was followed by a either an eruption of laughter or a stern talking to.  But, how in tarnation (another term I learned from the likes of those punchy folks) was I going to find a GOOD hand-crafted saddle that would work for me and my horse that I could afford?

The answer was the same from all of them, “Save your money till you can afford one that’s worth buying...” 

Price vs. value.

So how was I to know if a saddle was worth buying? I listened, I asked a lot of questions and what I learned was the basics of Saddle Making 101.  Something I direly needed.  And this is what I learned. 

 The Tree.

The saddle tree is the foundation on which the saddle is built and a cornerstone of the value of my new saddle for which I intend to spend my said hard-earned cash.  Period. 

“Using" saddles are built with either hand-carved “trees”, or a higher end tree from a reputable saddle tree company as the core.  The craftsman of the tree goes to painstaking detail to ensure that it’s balanced, weighted and carved in such a manner than both the horse and the rider can go all day without worry it would make either sore from use. They can be customized down to the degree of angle on the bars, the twist, or the rock.  And, they’re [using saddle trees] rugged, carved out of southern yellow pine wrapped in either rawhide or fiberglass and coated with shellac to strengthen it further. 

Here’s a great link of a saddle tree being made:

http://www.freckerssaddlery.com/saddle_tree.php

This is an awesome commentary by Ed Steele of Steele Trees (one of my personal favorites) where he discusses the general decline of saddle tree quality over the years and how his family’s philosophy has made them one of the premiere tree companies today.  An excellent read for those of you who want to hear about where a saddle’s value comes from, straight from the horses mouth, so to speak. http://www.steelesaddletreellc.com/AES.html

The cost of saddles trees vary considerably; however, the information about them is readily available should you choose to seek it out. 

This information is essential when deciding the value of a saddle.  And like anything, the single most important variable to empower a buyer to make a choice that they’ll be happy with is information that informs their understanding of that ever important distinction between what something costs to buy, and it’s actual value.

Price vs. value.

The Costs.

Here are some links so you can see the various kinds and price ranges.

The base price of a hand carved saddle tree is in the $500-$800 range and up. 

http://www.mcgowansaddlery.com/Hand-made_Saddle_Trees.html

Machine made wooden trees and composite (not wood) trees are considerably lower.  $20-$300

http://www.ralide.com/store/home.php?cat=2

http://www.precisionsaddletree.com/pdf/PST-PriceList.pdf

http://www.saddletree.com/Pricelist_1.html

The Leather.

The part many lay people focus on, the leather.  Oh boy, the leather...  The leather in a great saddle is cut only from the “prime” areas, like the shoulders, to ensure the same consistency, thickness, and strength throughout.  Specifically, the prime areas are much more costly to use and, therefore, are one measure of cost cutting for the manufacturer.  The lesson here is not all leather is created equally.  Not all leather used is either good quality or the right leather for the job with the end result being poor quality, uneven wear or worse still, downright failure after little use.

Price vs. value.

How supple leather is achieved is by lots of hand rubbing, elbow grease, etc.  Some saddle manufacturers will use any part of the hide hoping the buyer believes leather is leather.  This is NOT good news for a buyer.  If the manufacturers uses, let’s say the belly leathers, you will soon find out that belly leather tends to stretch out of shape more quickly allowing for distortion in the shape or design.  

Not desirable.  

I’ll spare you the thought put into leather quality by the maker  concerning the different types of tanning processes.  But will share with you one example of how the makers choices make a difference in the finished product. 

Leather, like other natural materials, has a natural grain pattern to it.  When selecting patterns out of the hide, the cutter can either use the grain and thickness to bolster the balance, quality and feel of the particular saddle in mind or, the cutter can try to get the most pieces out of the hide. When manufacturers do this they minimize the use of materials keeping expenses down while increasing profitability by lowering the selling price. 

Saddle Maker Dale Harwood

In a good saddle, stitching is recessed so that the wear caused from the horse and rider won’t rub the stitching and cause it to fray or fall out.  The life expectancy of the saddle will be drastically reduced if the stitching fails. 

The rigging is handcrafted of good quality metals, tempered, guaranteed-tensile-strength-tested and fashioned to the saddle with high density rivets.  

The seat, padded with a quality foam or other material, is attached down a perfect center line so the rider’s position and the horse’s comfort is never compromised. The stitching is even, tight, and well done to the point that it stays secure for the life of the saddle.  No movement of leather over the material underneath is the goal.

The tooling is hand done so that it’s deep and remains visible with wear and tear.  On a lower priced saddle the tooling is used, in part, to cover up the imperfections in the leather that you get from low grade hides. 

The underside is covered with sheepskin (that won’t break down) or other materials of similar quality and durability.  And the application is such where you can’t see glue oozing out the edges or uneven thicknesses in the fleece.

"These details matter. Especially when it comes time to resell your saddle."

In a good saddle, the silver is real.  In a bad saddle, the silver is plated or even just colored.  You may think that’s just a decorative thing, but the metal work isn’t just ‘metal work’ and the International Guild of Bit and Spur Makers would be happy to take that up with anyone who disagrees.  Matter of fact, there is sooo much to this topic and the craft of metal work, that we’ve decided it deserves only the mention here. Due to the depth and complexity of the work involved in bit and spur making, as well as conchos and dressing, that it’s a topic we’ll have to come back to in order to fully give credit to these craftsmen/ artisans.

But for the purpose of this article, suffice it to say all of these things lend to the overall value of your saddle. Think about what type of saddle you’d like yours to be 5 years from now and consider the more substantial aspects like how the leather is attached to the tree?  What types of glues are being used?  What types of hardware are being used, etc? There are so many, many ways for manufacturers (and makers) to cut corners.

Ok.  I think we have established that quality over quantity is the way to go for a myriad of reasons.  What we haven’t discussed yet, is how all of this affects you.  

Saddles are investments.  Think of them like cars.  They depreciate and appreciate quickly.  Most lose their value the very second they get put on the horse’s back--just like most cars when they’re driven off the lot unless, the car is a classic in the making, or something just downright special.  In which case, they're financial investments as well.

Just like old saddles, there are some old cars that just aren’t worth keeping, let alone restoring for antiquity's sake.  Face it, a Yugo is no GTO and Detroit would be happy to explain the difference in design and construction involved. 

Price vs. value. 

Now, for example, you decide you want to take the sport of Western Pleasure for a whirl.  If you want to compete, you have to have a saddle specific to the discipline.  So you buy a new but inexpensive factory show saddle for $600.  After about two years, you can expect that the going market price of that saddle is going to be roughly $300-$350 even if you keep it in pristine condition.  If it shows considerable wear and tear, the price is further reduced. After 5 or 6 years, the saddle will have to be replaced because the silver has flaked off, the leather has cracked, the rivets and glue have weakened or have started to come undone, etc. and it’s worth about $100 -$150, if you’re lucky.

Conversely, you could buy an older (but in great condition), used saddle for about $1000.  And after a couple of years, and again if you take care of it, you can expect that the cost at resale of that saddle is going to be roughly $900.  Pretty much what you paid for it, and a considerably cheap “rental” for your foray into Western Pleasure.  After several more years, and if you continue to keep it in "like new to you" condition, you can expect that same saddle to be worth a little more than you paid for it initially. 

Even if a more expensive/hand made saddle shows some wear and tear, it’ll still depreciate at a much slower rate than the inexpensive one. And the reason is, the quality of materials and construction is much better to begin with.  What’s more, the life of the saddle, with proper care, will be generational.  They become family heirlooms. Shocking when the initial investment was roughly $400 more than the lower priced saddle with some footwork.  All things considered, if I had this same information at the time I was succumbing to the impulse of buying my first saddle, I would still have a saddle today that I could ride in and would be happy with.  

Bottom line is some good saddles actually appreciate over time! Anyone who spends any time perusing used saddles and new saddle prices will see which makers and manufacturers saddles maintain their value and which do not.  Sometimes it’s down to quality, sometimes rarity, and other times it's simply demand for a particular style or design. A fad.  But keep in mind, when it comes to salability, fads do fade and camo or worn zebra may not be desirable 10, or even 5 years from now.

The above is just a sample value comparison on the “cost” of the saddle itself.  Don’t rush to judgement and think I’m trying to push selling super expensive saddles or just used saddles. That is simply not the case.  What we advocate is the old adage that you get what you pay for and sometimes a good quality used saddle is better than a new one that isn’t worth a hill of beans when you’re on a limited budget.  Another course of action, that makes perfect sense, is to wait till you can afford the “right" new saddle. Which brings me to the next buyer beware tidbit--hidden costs. 

Hidden Costs.

Outside of quick depreciation, what other costs would you have to worry about? Like my $200 Mexican Made lesson, I lost more than the initial two Benjamins.  I lost riding time, I didn’t have anything left to sell when it was all said and done, and the biggest drawback was that I could have hurt my horse or worse yet, me in the process. I’ll let you chew on that last one for a while. 

Chances are good that an inexpensive factory saddle is made on a tree that sores the horse over time.  Equine chiropractors make a living correcting alignment issues caused by ill-fitting saddles.  What’s a good equine chiropractor run these days? That’s not to say that a more expensive saddle can’t also cause saddle fit issues; however, it’s much more prevalent in cases where the rider has purchased a lesser quality saddle without doing due diligence. In fact, many corporate retailers purchase factory “seconds” and offer them at too-good-to-be-true prices to the end user.  Major online retailers rely on these sorts of “specials” when people are price comparison shopping. These seconds may appear sound on the outside, but on the inside that “foundation” is twisted or off a few degrees on one side.  Unfortunately, there isn’t an agency out there monitoring this deceptive practice and the industry suffers as a whole.  

Even smaller tack stores can fall prey to profit margins. Reputable tack stores will ask lots of questions of the consumer, help point them in the direction of sound investments and will often try to dissuade customers from purchasing lower quality saddles and tack. The best profits come from the cheapest tack, it can be a very difficult choice for some. With higher end saddles especially, more of your hard earned money goes towards the actual product, where with a more commercial lower end product, profits gets eaten up with middlemen. (More on this in the next blog.)

Finally, good trainers will be quick to say that poor saddle fit is one of the primary reasons for behavioral issues under saddle. The uninformed horse owner struggles with spending countless time , energy and monies trying to correct what they just can’t put their finger on. Remember time is money as well, especially to a horse trainer that charges by the hour. If you find training for less than $500 a month.  Run. (Again, another blog!)

On the extreme end, some frustrated owners resort to buying a new horse because they truly believe it’s the horse and not the saddle causing their headaches.  How much does a new horse cost? 

Price vs. value. 

Saddlenomics.

If you’re reading this and are feeling a little guilty for not doing more research before your last saddle purchase, don’t fret. It’s not entirely your fault.  You’ve been bombarded with compelling advertising, flashy tooling, awesome “specials” and ringing endorsements by paid big name trainers and celebrity horsemen. 

Furthermore, manufactures have co opted the styles, appearance and even the language of the Makers in describing their craft and the pride they take in their decades (and in some cases centuries) of craftsmanship, but without any of that pesky quality construction that cuts deep into corporate profits and sales. 

They’ve bought out the makers’ names, brand, and style yet, don’t always have a deep pride in the product they produce.  That’s why, as a tack store owner, we often hear of people swearing by certain brands as they come saddle shopping.  These good intentioned shoppers aren’t realizing that over time, those brands are nothing more than a name’s sake.  The industry changes quickly and what was once an awesome saddle can now be merely a shadow of it’s former self.  

More surprising still, is that if you scour the saddle maker world, you will even come across certain Mom & Pop saddle makers capitalizing on the “handmade” mantra and, like the big corporations that have cut costs, have gone on to using cheaper trees, cheaper hides, etc. in order to increase their profit margin.  Just when you though buying a saddle couldn’t get any riskier... There you have it!  Although it is less likely here.

In our next installment, we’ll expound more on Price vs. value by further discussing saddle making costs vs. marketing costs and hopefully help you navigate the complex world of saddle sales before you buy that next saddle.  After all there’s a big difference between a $200 Made in Mexico saddle and a Vintage 20th-Century Mexican Charro saddle, or even YOUR next saddle.  :)  

20th-Century Mexican Charro Saddle

APPRAISED VALUE: $6,000 to $8,000

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200601A50.html

To Be Continued. 

Ta da!
 Feel free to share with your friends, too. 
Don’t say we never did anything for you. ;) 
Happy New Year’s and while we’re at it.... Never slap a man who’s chewing tobacco, don’t drink upstream from the herd, don’t drive black cattle in the dark, and don’t squat with your spurs on.
You get the picture.  
Visit our online store www.NorthernTack.com to learn more about Saddles and to check out our custom HAND MADE bear trap barrel saddles. 

Happy New Year’s!  Now off to hit the Kansas Sheep Dip. : )

Alien Crop Circles, Tie Downs, and Other Urban Legends

I love a good mystery.  Not an episode of Murder She Wrote type of mystery but, more of the Alien Crop Circles, Lochness Monster, missing sock in the laundry types of mysteries.  Not because I believe the theories proposed would make some of them even remotely believable, but because I enjoy the pure speculation that there may be something out there that is still yet undiscovered (like my tube socks with the toes in them)...still just a itty bit scary.  Heck, lots of people really believe these phenomenon exist.  While I am emphatic that most of the people who believe in these things just need to made aware of the current science, I can appreciate their fervor for what they don't know. Everyone loves a good scary movie for the same reason.   The adrenaline rush.

Perhaps that's what draws some of us to equestrian sports.  Let's face it, there's a small element of danger involved.  (And if you've read my previous blog entries, you know how I feel about minimizing risk as much as possible.)  Horseback riding remains on the top of the most dangerous activities you can do list and I'll leave it at that..for today.

"1200 pounds of raw muscle, power, grace, and sweat between your legs - it's something you just can't get from a pet hamster.." ~Unknown

Which brings me to this next point.  Training/education is the single most important element in minimizing risk.  We've briefly discussed helmets and the importance of buying a steed for your level of riding.  But, if you're like me, once you've reached a certain mastery of your existing skills and are at a point when you want to do more, you might find yourself purchasing a horse that you think is appropriate for your next adventure.  Unless you've gotten yourself a "finished" horse, you'll certainly discover where irregularities have occurred in their training, let's call them mysteries, in which it takes tremendous thought, trial and error, and some shrewdness on your part to figure out.

Today, we'll be discussing one short fall in learning and development that when left unattended can be detrimental to both their and your safety--control--and one of the most common so called fixes--the tie-down.

Without getting into the plethora of questions that need to be asked prior to purchase, or trying out your prospective steed, we'll focus on the more common complaints of lack of whoa and bad headset.  These are the two single issues that when discussing training on a intermediate rider level, can become a chronic source of trouble.   Usually, the first "urban legend" to come to mind for these riders is the addition of mechanical training aids, specifically the tie-down.   The tie-down is a very misunderstood piece of equipment.  At first glance, it would "seem" that the tie down would serve the rider well.  Restricting the head from being thrown.  It would also offer the rider more leverage in which to pull back on the reins to get the horse to stop.  In both instances, this is simply not the case.

PHOTO BY CYNTHIA ESPARZA, CYNTHIA ESPARZA/STANDARD-TIMES

I've heard arguments in favor of using tie-downs.  One camp suggests that horses can "brace for balance" with their usage.  Ever see a horse galloping at full speed in a pasture and then quickly roll back, change directions, and run some more without one?  Of course you have.  Balance is simply something that the horse does not lack.  Nature provided them with all the balance necessary to turn on a dime. In fact, put a tie-down on a horse that rears and you will see exactly the opposite effect.  You'll see a horse that looses her or her balance almost immediately.  In this case, not only is a tie-down ill recommended, but it's down right dangerous. Poor riding skills can also be attributed to lack of balance but, when it comes to agility, a horse is born with sufficient balance to turn a barrel, stop a steer, etc., etc.

Another camp suggests that they are necessary because a horse may throw his or her head when ridden.  The question would be does the same horse throw his or her head when there isn't a harsh bit or uncertain hands behind it?  Not usually.  Not unless there is a pain issue unrelated to riding going on.  There are a wealth of explanations for these behaviors that don't include the use of a tie down. What about a poor fitting saddle?  Chiropractic pain issues? Conformational issues?  Etc.  If a horse is high headed, generally speaking, there is something else going on and the use of a tie-down will simply compound the problem and not solve it.  Imagine a poorly conformed horse that has high head carriage naturally being forced to run in a tie-down.  Worse yet, imagine an ill fitting saddle causing excruciating pain, the horse lifts it's head and neck to compensate and then we "tie-down" their head?  Again, down right dangerous.

What about a poorly trained horse that is high headed due to fear?  Think a tie-down will help? Probably not, would be my guess. What about a horse that has had countless harsh bits placed in his mouth with heavy handed riders at the helm?  Certainly that learned behavior of head tossing would be warranted.  Undoing it would require a mild bit or bosal, very quiet  hands, time and more time, and not something to make him or her feel more restricted.  Horses that are not properly desensitized will feel trapped as well and the fear is doubled, tripled, etc. And then you've got behaviors that are problematic.

So, when can a tie-down be used in my opinion?  Rarely, if at all.  I do find them marginally effective when used intermittently as a "check" for the horse, even if its purpose is so the owner can continue to focus on other aspects of his or her training.  But, only for VERY short periods of time.  Personally, when used in this manner there are other pieces of equipment that are way better suited for the same effect, for example, the running martingale.

A horse that has run for years in a tie-down may also need to use them for some extra time as you are retraining them simply because they have developed their way of going with them.  They have learned to rely on the tie-down for comfort.  Their muscles are over developed in some areas and underdeveloped in others. Weaning them off will take some time.  People have been riding with tie-downs for years.  However, I do feel there is a better way most of the time.  Proper training and retraining.  Teaching the horse to whoa first from the ground, then from the seat.  Desensitizing the horse to overhead movement.  Flinging ropes, bags, etc. Switching to a bosal or snaffle and working on circles, figure 8s, transitions.  Teaching the horse to drive from it's hind end rather than carry all the weight on the forehand.  Achieving collection, etc, ground work, ad nauseum.

Ropers and barrel racers are going to disagree with me on this one.  Tie-downs are extremely prevalent in these disciplines. In their case, and this particular horse task performance they appear to have benefit. However, with that said, I don't tend to agree with the majority on this all the time.  I also am not sold on a something simply because "everybody's doing it"or because a good number of people believe in it.  Like the alien crop circles, I'm leery when it comes to accepting the quickest answers or jumping on too many bandwagons.  I prefer to do my own research.  I solve my own mysteries.

P.S.

You should see the socks in my lint filter!

Honey, Does This Saddle Make My Butt Look Big?

Don't you hate those three sided mirrors in Department store dressing rooms that have harsh, bright white lighting?  You know the ones.  You walk in with a new outfit (that just happens to be your color AND on sale) and you're feeling good.  You walk out questioning body image and needing a good therapist.  Good market research is priceless.  Hence, why some department stores have cleverly put in slimming mirrors, soft warm lighting, and sized their clothing lines so that a true size 10 is marked size 8 on the rack.  KA-CHING!  If it makes you feel good, you're more likely to buy it.  That's the bottom line.  

There's another bottom line that I think is more important but, often completely overlooked.  What happens when the shopper brings home that new outfit only to find out it doesn't quite look as good it did in the dressing room?  Does she return it?  Does she complain about the quality?  Bad mouth the store?  Worse yet, does she become depressed and blame herself for eating that extra piece of cheesecake for dessert? The aftermath is usually not pretty. 

I think the same holds true for saddle fitting.  Over the last several years we read more and more about proper saddle fit for the horse.  What a relief! Countless horses lived their lives out with white saddle marks, saddle sores, and a variety of physical ailments prior to this and it was just a shame that so few considered their comfort.  Due to the concerted effort by proponents of natural horsemanship to correctly size the saddle to the horse, new designs in saddle trees, and the advent of flexible ones, our horses are now more comfortable than ever.  A quick google search will show that there are resources everywhere about correct saddle fit.  A rider can purchase wither pads, inserts, and high tech pads that can help alleviate saddle sores and pressure points further adding to comfort and leaving a little more room for saddles that don’t fit exactly perfect. It's a huge step in the right direction.  Conversely, there is very little written about proper rider fit.  Until recently, saddle size has only been about personal preference.  Which would be fine if everyone rode properly in the saddle and all horses rode comfortably (and well) under saddle.  This is rarely the case.  

I’ve spoken before, in these blogs and elsewhere, to many people that express problems they’re having with their horse and or riding.  As a giant proponent of groundwork, I almost always ask how their horse is on the ground and if they are able to do everything with ease in the round pen or on the ground first before I mention more training, chiropractors, and other issues that may impede performance.  But, another thing occurred to me recently, as I remembered the difference in my own riding and control when I moved to a larger seat size.  I had owned a cute Billy Cook barrel saddle that I thought was pretty nice...until I warmed up a horse for George McGuire.  (George is a quiet old cowboy that is well known in Southeast Oklahoma as an incredible horseman, former bull and bronc rider, and tell it like it is horse trainer.)  He had an old Billy Cook roping saddle that had a 16” seat.  My first thought was how well this horse was coming along.  My second thought was how comfortable I was in his saddle and how I didn’t look all squeezed into it.  It took only moments to realize that my saddle was hampering my riding and consequently, it was also hampering my horse’s performance.  

His horse wasn’t trained any differently than mine.  In fact, his horse that day was very green.  We had done all the groundwork/breaking together. This particular gelding had even less saddle time than mine and my filly only had about 6 or 7 rides up to that point. The horse was comfortable, relaxed, ready to build brains.  I was comfortable and in the proper riding position to give effective cues.  I quickly swapped saddles out on my horse and lo and behold, my filly moved like a horse that was comfortable and ready to learn.  It couldn’t be that easy, so I thought?  

Being an information junkie, I had to do some research and find out about proper saddle fit for the rider.  One of the best articles comes from the Utah State University Extension Office.  You can read the entire article here. http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/AG_Equine_2008-06pr.pdf

I’ve highlighted a few diagrams that I think speaks volumes about how a rider is supposed to fit in a saddle. 

~Photo Courtesy of Utah State University Extension Office

Now, for the sake of time and space, I am going to oversimplify the process of fitting the rider to the seat.  Different disciplines require different saddle cantle heights,  higher or lower swells, deeper or lower seat pockets, and more, but, these things aside I still believe that many riders are riding in saddles that don’t fit well.  This doesn’t even include the important elements of stirrup length, leg position, or correct posture as essential components in considering fit. 

Take a good look at your position in your saddle next time you mount up.  And ask yourself at least these questions. Better yet, have someone take a picture of you in your saddle on your horse and look closely at your position then answer these questions. 

Are your legs hanging naturally so that your shoulder, point of hip, and heels are all aligned? 

If not, can this be remedied (comfortably) by an adjustment in the stirrup length? 

If yes, great. 

If not, check to see if there only three or four finger widths between the swell and your body.  

If there’s not, your saddle may be too small.  

If there’s more than four finger widths, your saddle may be too large. 

Are there about four finger widths behind your butt and the cantle? 

If not, your saddle may be too small.

If there’s more than that, your saddle may be too big.  

“A seat that is too big will put the rider’s seat behind the stirrup position causing the rider to ride behind the horse’s motion. If the seat is too small, the rider will be uncomfortable as there will not be enough room for the seat or legs.” ~Utah State University Extension Office

Finally, imagine your saddle is that stunning outfit.  It looks great in the tack store.  It’s the perfect color.  You love the leather.  It’s a size 14.5”. You’ve convinced yourself that it fits you and your horse but, once you get it home you feel like you are constantly falling forward despite the fact that it is the exact gullet and tree your horse was fitted for.  At that point, do you complain about the saddle company? Vow to never shop at that tack store who sold it to you again? Do you go through several trainers, an equine chiropractor, or worse yet, do you sell your horse because he or she just isn’t measuring up to your expectations under saddle? 

Training, schooling, and riding horses is difficult enough without poor saddle fit as a factor? We think you can eliminate this as a possibility quite easily with just a little time and patience.  Why not, instead, try a different saddle?  One that fits both you and your horse?  See if that makes a difference.  Sit in a few saddles at your local tack store.  Talk to professional saddle fitters. Try out your friends’ saddles and different makes and models.  Measure the distances between you and the swell and you and the cantle.  Look at your position.  Listen to your horse.  And in no time, you’ll be riding around in a saddle with the perfect seat size.  And as for me.., a larger saddle did make my butt look smaller. :) 

Botulism, E-Coli, and Bucking

We all know what happens when we leave food out on the counter uncovered and without proper refrigeration today. Our ancestors learned through trial and error, and well, the hard way.  They got sick. Many people lost their lives due to the powerful toxins that were, until microscopes were invented, invisible to us.  Discovery is inherently difficult by nature and can be quite volatile. And, unfortunately, we don't always connect the dots quickly.  Often our attitudes and beliefs prevent us from anticipating an outcome that we would rather not have happened. We procrastinate, make assumptions, arrive at the wrong conclusions, or just flat out make excuses for grave occurrences.  With regards to toxins, like Botulism, E-Coli, etc.,  we discovered that you can't eat spoiled food and subsequently, we developed ways to store it, cook it, preserve it.   Invention is born out of necessity.  Seems simple.  Shit goes wrong. We come up with ways to fix it.  And we now focus on prevention/education.  We teach children to put food away, clean utensils and work surfaces, use antibacterial cleaning agents, etc. This learning curve took an exhorbanent amount of time, sacrifice and seemingly, a blatant disregard of high risk choices that have hindered change in a meaningful direction. 

So what is the correlation with bucking, you say? Aggressive horses, bucking horses, horses that bite and kick are all life threatening.  In fact, I'd take my chances eating a month old slice of pepperoni pizza long before I would ride a stud that is a known bucker with a penchant for breaking bones and leaving riders in the dirt.  I see many people on the verge of getting injured or worse yet, killed, because they haven't seen, experienced, or been made aware of the problems associated with riding poorly trained horses. They haven't made the correlation between the dangerous horse (uncooked pork) and getting injured (sick).  On the surface the uncooked pork looks fine.  It smells ok.  It doesn't look dangerous.  Like the horse, it's perfectly normal looking until.... 

The prevention and education in the horse analogy is horse training and rider awareness.  While today, I won't focus on rider awareness, per se. I will say that part of being a good horseman is understanding when not to mount up and when to go back to groundwork.  I'm advocating that riders need to understand that a horse is not trained simply because he or she hasn't injured anyone to date. It takes only one time for that to happen.  And, I don't want to hear that you're safe because you wear a helmet. The helmet campaign associated with horseback riding is just one factor in a whole litany of factors needed to ensure safety. It's like saying that you only have to cook the pork a little bit in order to ensure you won't get sick.  I also abhor the argument that people "trust" their horses.  I trust my horse will do exactly what a horse will do in any situation, and know that would take far to many lifetimes to predict than human fragility allows.  I'll take a well trained horse over a well trusted one every. single. time. They aren't synonymous. Riders shouldn't trust horses in every situation. As much as they mean to us, they are animals that react like animals at any given time. (Ask me my opinion on the use of the terms bombproof, broke, and kid-safe). 

If your horse won't flex on the ground in all directions with ease (vertically, horizontally),  won't whoa verbally (yes, verbally) on the ground, won't back verbally or with just a slight jiggle of the lead rope, won't lead through, won't allow ropes, sacks, etc. to be thrown all over him or her, won't transition through gaits with simple cues--verbal and on the lunge line; won't stand ground tied for some time, won't keep their eyes on you when you are working them, etc., etc., etc. then your horse is not ready to ride safely under most expectations. Like the uncooked pork, it's an unfortunate chain of events waiting to happen.  Sure, you might be able to get away with it several times.  In fact, you might never get sick from that pork chop but, then again there is that one time when you will be puking your guts out and it will dawn on you that maybe you should have invested in that thermometer or, at least, shouldn't have eaten it. 

Spoiling takes on another meaning as well when it comes to horses.  If your horse is pushy or, you can't control his or her feet or, they pin their ears at you, or they bite or kick or, they crowd your space without you inviting them in, you might be unintentionally allowing the horse to think he or she gets to make the decisions and it also means your horse is not ready to ride.  These are common behaviors and it happens more time than you think.  Most of the time, owners don't even recognize their horse is learning these types of behavior.  What is that verse about love covering a multitude of sins? Anyway, one thing you can do is educate yourself, take stalk of your attitudes towards horse compliance and your beliefs on whether any particular outcome can happen to you.  If you're amenable you can find a trainer who will show how to correct and prevent these habits from forming. They can show you the right amount of energy needed to take control again and at least set you on the path to discovery. They can also show you what types of exercises/evolutions would work best for you and your horse and how to ensure your horse is making progress.

AND, in case your wondering, gadgets won't help train your horse.  There aren't any quick fixes. Tie downs, harsher bits, and other new inventions may help a little in the interim but, without you actually taking the initiative to *discover* the problems yourself, understand the issues, be aware of the dangers and the roll you play in it, or you may find yourself no better off than those folk who use a public rest room then eat without washing their hands.  

So, we're back to finding information and/or getting a trainer.  Good information is not easy to find and not all trainers are worth the time and money, but don't stop looking for one who is.  Find someone who has a record for positive training results. Not a friend of a friend of a friend who started some colts.  Go to sites like the NRHA, AQHA, APHA, etc.; attend shows, clinics, etc. and ask around.  Read.  The hard work has been done for us already.  There is a plethora of information out there. And there is a better way then just hoping the problems won't rear their heads in unexpected circumstances, or that they will go away over time as the horse ages.  Carpe Diem! (Seize the day!)  You can learn to be the trainer.  Afterall, no one trainer knows everything, and with enough dedication, initiative and information you can educate yourself.  All of the greats learned from other greats and continue to learn. Don't get discouraged.  Discover and invent ways to get the results you need and when you feel you aren't ready to mount up, then solicit professional help.  Maybe you just need a few minor changes but, for the safety of yourself, your horse and others, really preview what can happen if your horse isn't ready to ride.

So, tonight when I eat my pork chop..it might take a while to cook, be a little tougher or be a little harder to swallow but, I probably won't get sick. 

Next week's blog we'll be discussing crop circles and transitions.  :)