I rode Daisy!! **saddle fitting pics*** - Donkeys & Mules - Donkey & Mules - Horse Community, Horse Pictures, Horse Forum and Information

Posted : 6/24/2009 11:51:17 PM

I finally went out & got on her! It was so exciting. I recently expanded her pen - so now it's twice as big, so we just stayed in there. I just snapped some reins to her halter & got on her ( with the help of my BF lol). oh man i haven't ridden an equine bareback in so long!~! yes she is short, but I felt like I was wayyyy up there!! LOL.

she didn't seem to have any problem carrying me. I kept wanting her to stop & just stand and she kept wanting to walk around. I got a good whoa outta her about 3 times. I'm making her a bridle right now outta paracord so we can use a bit. It has a snap on the poll strap so i dont have to smash her beautiful ears into a horse bridle.

I stayed on her for about 3 minutes & then got off. then it was kisses & carrying on about what a great donk she is.

She's getting trimmed this weekend, I'm very excited. The lady coming out has donkeys too, so I know she'll be really patient with her if Daisy acts up. I also cleaned her back feet out for the first time last week!!

My neighbor gave me her english saddle to use, I just got a girth off of ebay ( got a REALLY awesome deal!!), so soon i'll be posting pics of Daisy wearing her saddle.

Fancymules

Posted : 6/25/2009 2:53:38 PM

It sounds like you and Daisy are getting along great ! So happy to read your post. Daisy will make you a fine little mount, you'll be surprised how much she will want to please you. [ ':D'

]

akyramoto

Posted : 6/25/2009 5:02:47 PM

thanks, I think she'll do great.
Here's some pics of her wearing her saddle last night.
please add any comments about how it looks & if you think it fits her. MIght get my friend on her tonight with the saddle ( waiting on my crupper though). I want to see how the saddle sits with some weight in it. In these pics I had the girth pretty loose, didn't want to overwhelm her with cinching her up tight the first time.

on this saddle the gullet is 6" & the bars are 17" long.

THANKS!!

danastark

Posted : 6/29/2009 10:03:57 PM

She's a doll!! Looks like your saddle might be a Stubben? Love those saddles!

akyramoto

Posted : 6/29/2009 10:18:19 PM

thanks
Its a Caruso Y Rossi Saddle that's over 20 years old. It was my neighbor's first saddle, she bought it in the Phillipines. I think its in excellent condition. The billets look barely used!!

Fancymules

Posted : 6/30/2009 2:26:46 PM

I know nothing about the fit of English saddles but she's a doll in her new saddle ! [ ':D'

]

akyramoto

Posted : 6/30/2009 5:27:27 PM

I'm wondering how the saddle is going to fit once she works some of her fat pads off. I knew that she was a little tubby when I got her - obvious neck roll. But when my trimmer came out ( she has donks too), she said that she had some serious pads going on. You can really feel the weird lumpiness of the pads on her back. So i'm curious if the saddle is maybe going to fit better once she looses those.

She's on a pretty strict diet - I actually weigh out her hay rations, she gets no grain or oats, just plenty of fresh clean water & a mineral block. Along with the occasional clump of grass she steals while on walks. My trimmer told me lots of walking is probably the best way to get her in shape.

so we went out last night, she was pretty good. She did have a few donkey moments. LOL. but overall she was good & managable.

Fancymules

Posted : 6/30/2009 7:00:24 PM

Your girl does look a little heavy but not overly so to me. I doubt if you ever get the neck roll down to where it doesn't have at least some extra fat. Usually that's one of the last places they loose weight. You could almost starve one and have it have a neck roll if it was there to start. I'm going to post some pictures of Chocolate which would be comparable in size and let you see how she looks and some of my other girls, so you can compare. If you don't like them in your thread let me know and I'll remove them. [ ';)'

] I consider the girls to be in good weight. Hubbie is 6'4" so he makes Chocolate look even smaller. She's 52" and which is a large standard , 2 more inches and she would be considered a mammoth. The other two are Mammoths.

Skeeter

Emma

akyramoto

Posted : 6/30/2009 7:07:49 PM

I love chocolate!! LOL she's a nice Jennet.

Daisy's neck roll is pretty big, but she has some good sized fat pads on her rear, and if you run your hand down her back you can feel lumpiness from the pads. They dont really show right now because she hasn't shedded out yet.

I still plan on keeping her on a weighed diet. I like knowing how much she's actually eating & then keeping an eye on her weight & condition. Her exercise right now pretty much consists of walking. Slowly building up everything since she's been almost immobile ( in my opinion) for two years.

I really love that Daisy is so refined for a donkey, especially her face ':)'

thanks for posting pics though!! I love getting to see other donks.