KEN'S COLUMN - the experiences and thoughts of a Saddle Fitter
This month: Watery Reflections
Cancelled shows. Waterlogged paddocks. Shivering horses. Cold, wet riders. Horses sprouting winter coats. All this and it was supposed to be summer! I’m hoping for an Indian summer that extends up to Christmas. Sadly, the scientists researching global warming predict increasingly unstable weather that will result in the seasons losing their traditional definition. Such changeable weather makes it very difficult for owners to plan horse management – especially if they’re at work all day. Should the horse be turned out? If yes, does he need a rug? Is it possible to get in an hour’s exercise or schooling before the heavens open again? What to do about the predictions that hay is going to be in short supply....and so on. I cannot say the changeable weather has been making my job any easier either. Fitting saddles in pouring rain is not the best possible option. Fortunately, those of us who spend quite a lot of our time outside are generally better at dealing with the elements than those who are usually sitting at a desk. We’ve built up an inbuilt resilience that stands us in good stead
Unusual weather results in unusual, sometimes amusing, situations. I arrived at one yard to find the horse I was supposed to be fitting with a new saddle was marooned. He was grazing peacefully on a piece of higher ground with water swirling round his island retreat. The owner then informed me that the horse hated water and had actually been eliminated at cross country water fences on more than one occasion. Then there was the lady who turned up to have her horses’ saddles checked. She was going straight on to what should have been a summer wedding. She arrived looking stunning complete with a hat that would challenge the best on Ladies’ Day at Ascot. She came in glorious sunshine. She left - damp, slightly grubby and just a bit fed up - in teaming rain. And I cannot forget the Pony Club members who battled on during an outdoor demonstration to give a remarkably polished display despite the heavy rain turning to really nasty sleet. The smallest pony in the display, a sweetly pretty Welsh section A, didn’t like the sleet blowing in her face and did most of the display perfectly – but on two tracks with her head very deliberately turned away from the prevailing wind.
The summer wasn’t all gloom and doom - but we certainly learnt to make the most of the far too rare bright and sunny days. But, of course, it wasn’t only weather that resulted in cancellation of so many events. Foot and mouth led to closures and cancellations all round the country. Some horses couldn’t be taken out at all because they were turned out in fields with sheep or cattle. I was rather shocked when one owner told me she considered this very unfair because horses don’t get FMD. That’s true – but they can transmit it from one area to another – and reflect on how difficult it has been for Defra to source what caused the latest outbreak. In the wider sense, horses are part of the land-based and rural sectors. It is essential for horse owners, and all of us in the equestrian industry, to act responsibly when an outbreak of a serious disease poses threats to the entire livestock industry.
For several years, a limited number of shows and competitions have been held throughout the winter months. I have little doubt that, with winters generally becoming less cold and snow becoming a relative rarity, we shall see far more venues putting on competitions. Cheering news for those who felt they missed out this summer.
There is another aspect to the gradual merging of the seasons. Grass continues to grow for much longer than when I owned horses. It may not be as nutritious as spring grass - but it certainly cuts down on the amount of forage owners need to buy – and this affects the feed merchants. Horse clothing is no longer as seasonal as it used to be – and this makes stocking more difficult for saddleries and other equestrian retailers.
Horses are great character builders, consequently most of us involved in the equestrian world remain superbly optimistic and always believe things will get better. Let us look forward to an extended autumn with masses of warm sunshine, a few light showers - and the promise of a kind winter.
KEN LYNDON-DYKES can be contacted on 01622 844440 (head office) or 07973 501873 (mobile). Ken is available to give lecture, talks and demonstrations for any type of equestrian group.
