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"How do you know when a saddle fits well?" While Debbie has a very good 7-point fit tutorial and can explain to you about physiology and asymmetrical muscle development, the best way I could answer my barn mate's question was to say, "You have to ride in a saddle that was fit by Debbie!" Like a school master who can give you the correct feeling of throughness or the right response to a half halt, when you ride in a saddle that was fit by Debbie, you can truly "feel" how saddles are supposed to fit, not just understand intellectually. As Debbie evaluated my horses in cross ties and reflocked the saddles, we went through a meticulous process of observation and feedback under saddle. She watched how the movement of the horse influenced the position of the saddle and myself and made small adjustments which made big differences; for example, the stickiness to the right rein which I had considered "part of the warm up" for one horse instantly went away! The biggest "aha" moment came when we found the fit for my gelding who had found the adjustment to California and a new rider and riding style very challenging. He also came with a slew of physical issues. Debbie made keen observations about his physical state and provided me with solutions which I can try as his back continues to develop differently. I told Debbie the story about my Ikebana teacher when I lived in Japan. To teach us the correct placement of a flower, she would hold the stem of a flower between her thumb and index finger and just rub it gently a few times to shift its orientation ever so slightly. The flower would look instantly alive and as it was meant to be there. This is exactly what it felt like when Debbie adjusted the saddle for my gelding. Instead of a "creeky" back with holes that gradually had to "fill up" through the warm up, the saddle felt like it made the horse "complete." The back was alive and the saddle was meant to be there! I also have to give a lot of credit to Peggy McGaw, the rep in the area who hanged out with us from 9am to 5pm and treated the day as a "learning session" and did not charge me a cent! Peggy will now be able to pick up where Debbie left us as my horses continue to develop. This is an example of how Trilogy and its representatives truly stand behind their product and take much pride in their work. Thank you Debbie for your great saddles, hard work and dedication. You are a life-time horsewoman with a keen understanding of the horse from multiple angles. Your experiences make you a uniquely qualified person to provide that bridge between horse and rider.
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Hucks Toi, my first dressage horse, deserves the credit for leading me to Trilogy Saddles and Debbie Witty. He suffered a broken rib as a youngster and can be quite sensitive in his back. I needed a saddle first and foremost for his comfort, and one that would allow him to move freely to develop his muscles for dressage. As an adult amateur (and somewhat new to dressage four years ago), it was important for me to find a saddle that helped stabilize my position. Enter Trilogy and the local saddle fitter, Terry Zambrana. Terry spent a lot of time with Hucks Toi and me to find the right Trilogy. We tried them all. His comfort and ease of movement was paramount. Each saddle had its own advantages but the amazing thing I found with the Trilogy is that the comfort and confidence level actually increased once I was riding in it. It is one thing to sit in a saddle on a block, but another all together to feel it move underneath you on your horse. As the rider must look elegant AND be effective-the same can be said for a saddle. Terry would quiz me during and after the ride to get my feedback on how Hucks Toi felt and responded. She would note her observations on my position which I also confirmed…the Verago Elite improved my position. For me, that first Trilogy saddle became the cornerstone of my riding. It gave me the foundation of correct position and allowed Hucks Toi to advance in the work. A few years later, a young Oldenburg presented his glorious and still growing self to me. I needed a saddle that would adapt to this young talent, Royal Opponent. There was no doubt for me that I wanted another Trilogy, but would it suit my new horse? Again, Terry patiently spent time working on getting the right fit for Royal as he was going through all kinds of growth spurts and muscle development. She was always available to make the necessary saddle adjustments. It was with Royal that I truly felt the security of how a quality saddle aids the rider’s seat. As his gaits developed in suspension and cadence, my seat had to become stronger in order to follow his movement. My Trilogy Verago grew not only with my developing horse but gave me the confidence to advance with him. In August 2011, we became the CDS Southern RAAC 1st Level Elite Champions and with our winning score of 74%, we captured the overall Elite RAAC High Point. We have even scored a couple of 10s! Along the way, I was introduced to Debbie Witty of Performance Saddlery. Anyone who has spent some time with Debbie knows she sets the tone of her company for she is genuinely interested in the fit and performance of her product. What impresses me more is her enthusiasm and encouragement for Trilogy riders to succeed in both their personal riding and show ring goals. And it isn’t just the sponsored riders, but the regular amateur riders who are the backbone of our sport. She is quite the lady and an ardent supporter of dressage in the United States. Every time I go up center line be it in the show ring or in the arena at home, I ride with pride knowing |
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Last year I acquired a new horse Millennium, a horse that was known to be a ‘problem child’ for saddle fitters. Millennium, or Mickey, has kissing spines, a very painful condition in which the spinous processes of the vertebrae rub together during motion. When he was undiagnosed, this condition resulted in explosive behavior, his reaction to pain. After he was diagnosed and treated, correct saddle fit was of the utmost importance to ensure the muscles of his back could be allowed to work freely and evenly. As with all horses, the more comfortable we could make him, the better his work! I was having trouble finding a saddle that fit him well AND that I could stomach riding in every day. Some saddles that were passable for him were absolute torture for me! I was very interested in finding something that would work the best for Mickey, but I also wanted to be able to walk afterwards. At the time this seemed like an impossible goal. Two friends of mine, Jennifer Roth of Gypsy Woods Farm and Bridget Hay, highly recommended I contact Trilogy saddles about Mickey. The Trilogy fitter was more than happy to come to my farm in New Jersey and work with Mickey to see what we could come up with. I ended up with a Verago that not only allows me to not grimace through the entire trot tour, but that Mickey likes as well! On the whole he has been much looser and more relaxed through his back. His warmup time has been reduced as he becomes more supple and through much earlier in the ride than before. I couldn’t be happier with the saddle and the service! I also have a Debbie McDonald saddle for my almost-Grand Prix pony, whose owner is quite petite, and I love it too! A huge thank you to Trilogy for helping me and my horses find comfort!
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Our Journey |
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The first time I met Debbie was nearly 10 years ago when she was a (the) representative for Albion saddles. She came to my mother’s farm, Freedom Hill, to help reflock several saddles for myself and clients. At the time, I had one particular young Holsteiner that was a very athletic, insecure, sensitive mare. In her younger years asking her to do anything required me to submit ‘written requests’ that would be returned to me frequently for editing. She taught me the finer points of training a hot mare and just how far ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ goes with our four legged divas. We had some very exciting experiences with various saddles that she did not like……she made her dislike of a particular saddle and fit known to all by doing incredible acrobats without a single leg even near the ground for what seemed like an eternity. My all time favorite experience was trying a new saddle that I later realized was pinching her….I made this discovery when she would buck every time I would try to get off. Every time I shifted my weight to swing my leg over her back the saddle would pinch her and away we could go. This particular adventure lasted nearly an hour before I could ‘safely’ make a flying dismount……...then…….. I called Debbie. As Debbie was developing the new line of Trilogy saddles we spoke often about the style and fit. I could not wait to get my Verago. When I rode in it the first time it was everything I had hoped it would be. It is a saddle that puts the rider in one position-the correct position. More important, my sensitive, big moving horses are fitted with ease due to the wider, thicker panels which gives you more stability. I love my Verago so much that when I lived in Germany working for the Holsteiner Verband as an auction rider I shipped my saddle over with me. It was $500 one way and it was worth every penny! I am alive and well today in part because of that saddle. I was not about to ride and train those athletic three and four year olds in an old, hard, slick extra saddle that the Verband had laying around that would have probably been too big for me anyway (let alone present my horses in the auction without my ‘seatbelt’ saddle)! Debbie continues to help me today with all my horses. She has trained an excellent fitter that I have come to know so well, Terry Zambrana. Between Debbie and Terry my sensitive mare Solei, is developing correctly. We examine her back muscles and the muscles over her gaskins every time she visits to see if they are devolving symmetrically and each time, she is more even than the last…..progress; that’s all I can hope for. My only wish is that I had met Debbie before I started working my first Grand Prix horse, Caviar. He had a high wither and a bit of deep back, on top of that, he was a very sensitive horse that worried about everything. Our journey together from a four year old that no one else would ride because of his ‘athletic antics’ to a mature eighteen year old makes me wonder….he would have been a happier horse because of her. As riders and trainers, I believe we all take a strong vested interested in keeping our horses sound and healthy. We pay close attention to the daily impact we have on our partners. However, we mustn’t overlook that a proper fitting saddle is a crucial piece of the intricate puzzle of achieving their happiness and our success by giving them the chance to be the best they can possibly be.
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