~Hanz The Thoroughbred: Episode 3~

“When you are on a great horse, you have the best seat you will ever have”

~ Winston Churchill~

In another exciting episode of “Hanz The Thoroughbred,” Hanz had one of his biggest riding weeks yet. We had an excellent saddle fitting session, and he showed me just how much he enjoys trail riding and hacking out for fun. This week reminded me of how much I missed being in the saddle and riding.

Sunday morning began with my alarm clock waking me to a clear blue sky streaming through my bedroom window. Today was the day. After weeks of waiting and patience, I quickly jumped out of bed and put on my riding clothes. My calendar showed a very important event: our saddle fitting session with the saddle fitter was scheduled for that morning. I grabbed a cup of coffee, my smoothie from the fridge that I had prepared the day before, and headed out early to the barn.

The drive to the barn was uneventful, with only a mild chance of disastrous traffic. Luckily, that’s typical for a Sunday on US 1 from Raleigh, NC. However, during the week, it’s a different story—you can almost bet your life’s savings that the traffic will slow you down below a trot (yes, I compared my car to a horse’s gait; I must be horse-crazy!). The drive takes about 40 minutes, which can seem far, but it’s always worth it. I find the time spent driving gives me ample opportunity to think about what I’ll do with Hanz that day. All that window time has to be put to good use, right?

When I arrived at the barn, Hanz was out in his pasture, happily grazing on grass that seemed to stretch for miles. I think his favorite thing about his new home is the endless grass—he just wants to eat, eat, and eat! That’s perfectly fine with me because I know he’s doing what he needs to be happy. As I brought him in from the field, I decided to do something a bit different that day. My saddle fitter was meeting me by the large outdoor arena, which was empty and ready for us. I led Hanz directly to the arena, deciding to tack him up and get him ready right there. Fortunately, Hanz was almost spotless—he hadn’t rolled much or gotten too dirty. His grooming session in the arena was extremely relaxed, and I rewarded him with plenty of snacks and grass while I brushed him with a soft brush. Hanz was glued to that grass!

When the saddle fitter arrived, she brought a large selection of saddles in her truck, each carefully chosen to be a potential fit. She was absolutely lovely and incredibly knowledgeable about horse biomechanics and body language. She explained that she had brought several jumping and monoflap saddles with wool flocking, in various seat sizes and brands within my budget. As she worked with Hanz, who politely continued to graze, she assessed each saddle and its impact on his biomechanics. She told me that Hanz was in great shape, with very little tension in his back or body. While his hind end was slightly stiff near his pelvis, she said she wished all her clients’ horses felt as good as he did. Hearing that made me so happy, and we got right to the saddle fitting.

Hanz was a fantastic horse to fit—he has a relatively stable and flat conformation but is lacking in topline, which is one of my main goals for him. The first saddle we tried was a monoflap jump saddle, but it didn’t feel quite right. The pommel felt too low and forward. As soon as I mentioned this, my saddle fitter said, “Nope! On to the next saddle!” It took us about 30 seconds to decide that one wasn’t a match. We continued testing different saddles at the walk, trot, and canter. Finally, after several tries, I found the one. She pulled out a beautiful, black Black Country Monoflap Jump saddle with a 17″ seat and short billets. My saddle fitter explained that it fit him well but had a bit of room to accommodate his growing topline, which is something horses often prefer over time. By the time we saddled him up, the scorching sun was approaching noon, and we were both sweating profusely. But as soon as I sat in the saddle, I had a flash of insight, similar to when I first rode Hanz during our trial ride. We worked at the walk, trot, and canter, and Hanz really excelled in his transitions with this saddle. We even finished the session by popping over a large cross rail. Hanz sailed over it so smoothly that I lost one of my stirrups because of how big he jumped! I was thrilled with the saddle and even more thrilled that I didn’t completely wipe out.

We tried several more saddles, but that Black Country Monoflap stuck with me. After a thorough session of saddle fitting and experimentation, I went with my gut and chose the Black Country Monoflap saddle.

Finally, after weeks of waiting and staying focused on finding the right fit, we landed on a saddle in no time! I’m so happy and relieved that we found one that works so well for Hanz. He really seems to enjoy it and doesn’t complain at all when being tacked up. One of my favorite things about him is how he behaves when we’re about to mount. Hanz will actually stretch towards the mounting block, almost as if he’s inviting me to hop on. It’s such a unique and endearing personality trait, and I’m determined to preserve it. I feel incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful horse.

After discussing payment and a few other matters related to the saddle with the fitter, she left, and Hanz and I took a nice hand walk back to the barn. Once there, I washed him off and let him relax before turning him out to his pasture, where he could unwind and reflect on his riding experience. I quickly hopped in my car to drive around the farm and collect all my gear from the arena before heading back to the barn. When I arrived, I realized that my saddle fitter had left about 30 to 45 minutes earlier—and that I had completely forgotten to measure Hanz for a girth. Oops! I’m so A.D.D. I forgot to mention a girth! I scrambled through the barn, found some twine from leftover hay bales, tied it to one side of my new saddle, and drove back out to see Hanz in his pasture. As I approached him with the saddle, he curiously looked at me as if to say, “Oh! You’re back! Hello!” Hanz was so calm and composed, never showing any sign of nervousness. I gently placed the saddle on his back, swung the twine underneath him, and got a general estimate for a girth length. I measured a 54-inch girth and immediately knew that it was on the larger side. “That’s okay!” I thought. “I might just have to special order one online.”

Dover didn’t have the exact girth I wanted—a nice anatomical jumping girth that would mold to Hanz’s body. To tide me over, I purchased an inexpensive girth from Dover and ordered a higher-quality anatomical girth online that I knew would be a better fit. In my opinion, it’s often more cost-effective in the long run to invest in high-quality gear that will last and keep the horse happy. That’s always been my belief: seek out quality without overpaying for fancy brands, and your horse will thank you. After my “brief” shopping trip to Dover, I decided it was time to head home. The entire way back, I couldn’t stop thinking about my horse, my new saddle, and how excited I was to start riding again.

Over the next several days, Hanz and I rode every single day, back to back! All I can think about these days is riding and my horse. Even as I write this blog, I’m thinking that at some point today, I need to go check on him and give him a good grooming session, at the very least! We started our week with our new saddle and gear, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled. Hanz was pleasant and forward on our hack out to the arena, though he was adamant about stopping for treats and snacks along the way. I made sure to keep him moving, rewarding him with treats after a good stretch of walking. I want Hanz to see that riding and going out is fun and enjoyable, not a chore. The last thing I want is for him to wake up one day and decide to chose violence (just a saying—I don’t think Hanz would ever act out!).

I focused our ride on working long and low, starting with as much stretching as possible. I wanted him to understand that this was a positive experience for his back and that warming up should feel comfortable. One of my favorite warm-up videos is of Michael Jung on YouTube—something I can only dream of emulating one day—and I try to capture that energy in my flatwork every ride. As I picked up the trot, I focused on creating an inside bend and encouraging Hanz to stretch into the trot. “Inside leg to outside rein, inside leg to… Oh! There it is, good boy Hanz,” I thought as I worked with what he was giving me in that moment. Hanz was doing a fantastic job of responding to my cues, and the ride was coming together beautifully. I couldn’t be happier with how he was performing.

After about 30 minutes of our first ride in the new saddle, we returned to the barn for a good wash in the wash stall and then called it a night. I was so happy with what we accomplished that day. I just love riding so much! The next day, we did a small jump schooling session. I was only disappointed because I didn’t get any video of it, but Hanz was forward, and I could tell he really enjoys jumping! My focus was on understanding what he needed from me to take a confident approach to the jump and finding a consistent pace that worked for both of us. As I rode, I made sure to sink into my heels, keep my eyes up, and manage his pace as we made long, wide turns toward the jump. My goal was to keep him straight and forward, avoiding any hesitation, and to visualize the takeoff point before the jump so I could time his stride. Hanz sailed over the jumps with a fluid grace that gave me chills, reminding me why jumping and cross-country are my absolute favorites.

For the remainder of our riding week, I stayed true to my promised routine with him. I was eager for Hanz to adjust to his new home and life at the barn. We hacked out and rode around the property near the fields and pastures, just for fun. I let Hanz out on a loose rein and allowed him to decide where he wanted to explore. I know this approach might be controversial to some trainers and riders, who believe that maintaining control is essential and that letting the horse take the lead might teach them to ignore my cues. But I believe the opposite is true. I want my horse to trust me, I think I also need to show him that I trust him and respect his ability to listen. I believe that when I ask with feel, Hanz will learn what to do. He hacked out confidently and with good impulsion on the “trails,” and we worked together to stay loose and relaxed.

In that moment, I had a ride-changing epiphany. It occurred to me that for the longest time, I had been riding my horses in what I thought was a “forward” manner, but in reality, I was driving them from the forehand. This realization about “riding from the hind end” hit me, and I began to think of Hanz’s hind end as his engine. As I focused on engaging his hindquarters, Hanz started to move forward with even more impulsion. It was a true lightbulb moment for me! I realized that channeling the energy from Hanz’s hind end into my hands was the key to finding forward impulsion and energy in our rides. I couldn’t believe it. That simple hack, at a relaxed walk, had given me a profound learning experience—more so than any lesson I’ve had in the ring before.

Getting back in the saddle and keeping my promise to be there for Hanz every day has been an absolute blast—an experience that’s hard to put into words. I made sure to give Hanz two days off this week so he could reset and rest from our adventures. Hanz is a fantastic horse, and I feel like we’re starting to develop a special bond. I’m proud to call Hanz a dear friend already. I’m learning so much about riding and horse care now that I’m working with them almost every day. When I first started riding seriously, I was only at the barn about once a week. Now, I visit my horse daily, and I’m discovering something new each time. I feel humbled to have this consistency in my life, and I can’t wait to see how Hanz and I grow as a team!

August 25th, 2024