“How to know if your saddle fits your horse”

With a good quality saddle and a variety of saddle pads, you should be able to ride many horses of the same physical type with a single saddle.

Such a saddle should comfortably clear a horse’s withers, allow for free movement of the shoulders, be the proper length and shape for its back, and be well balanced to provide good weight distribution.  Always check to see if  the tree is straight. You can tell when it is sitting on the rack…it will want tip sideways if  the tree is crooked.

If you ride horses of different breeds or significantly different sizes, then you’ll need to invest in multiple saddles.

Wondering whether your saddle fits your horse?

Below are 7 potential signs of a poorly fitting saddle. If you’re seeing any of these signs with your horse, you should take another look at how your saddle fits.

1. White hairs. White hairs showing up in the saddle area can be a sign of poor fit. Over time pressure points can cause the hairs to loose pigment.

2. Dry spots. When you take off your saddle and pad after a long ride, what you want to see is an even wet pattern across the horse’s back. Dry spots can be a sign of pressure points.

3. Sores or galls. In the saddle area, sores and galls can be a sign of several problems: a poorly fitting saddle, a poorly adjusted saddle, or poor quality cinches.

4. Rolling or rocking from side to side. A saddle that rolls to the side or rocks from side to side can be either a sign of poor fit or a sign of a rider who isn’t balanced in the saddle.

5. Tipping up in back. Tipping is generally a pretty straight forward sign of a poorly fitting saddle and is usually cause by saddle tree bars with the wrong rocker and twist (angles) to fit the back of the horse.

6. Hindered movement by the horse. Restricted horse movement is a more difficult sign to detect and usually takes a more advanced rider to notice the difference in the way a horse moves under different saddles. A saddle that restricts a horse’s shoulders will often impact how freely it moves out.

7. General crankiness under saddle. Many saddle problems are commonly misdiagnosed as behavior or attitude problems. Put yourself in your horse’s place. How happy are you when you’re wearing shoes that are one size too small?

Saddle fit isn’t an exact science. It takes some savvy to determine whether or not you have a good fit. These 7 Signs of a Poor Fit are a good first step in building your saddle fit savvy.

I know it can be a challenge to get a good fit for your horse. But I have found that each horse is slightly different in their back, and they really should have their own saddle. For a great selection of new and used saddles Click Here

Well, I have been practicing on those blankets I picked up from my first New Blanket Repair Business Customers!

If you remember, I told you about the Barn Manager that gave me those 15 blankets to take home and work on. Well those are the ones I have been practicing on.

So while I am working on those…I figured it would be a good idea to go out and line up new blanket repair customers so I would have a back fill of customers when these blankets are done.

So I filled out those forms that Karen included in her book “How To Make Money Repairing Horse Blankets” and went around to some of the bigger barns today.  A couple were really interested but they needed to check with the owners before they gave me the blankets.

And then Karen suggests going to feed stores and seeing if they are interested in putting a sign up about Horse Blanket Repair so that I could target new blanket repair customers.

So I stopped at the three local feed stores and let them know I am in business, and gave them my cards and a flier.  And one store sounds really interested in the idea as an added service for their customers.

See the thing that Karen Krueger explains in her book, is that feed stores see the value of a customer coming in two times and having twice the chance of them buying on impulse.

So it’s a win win for both of us.  I have a chance of gaining new Blanket Repair Business Customers, and the feed store has a chance of increasing their sales.

Hot TIP:  Never let the feed store put your checks through receivables because then you will have to wait to get your check, and then it will look as if you are a contract employee for the feed store.  The cleanest way to stay in business is to be your own business.  They can collect a check for you to pick up, but it must be kept in a seperate container.

Now I’m to make more New Blanket Repair Business Customers and take a look at Karen’s Book Here.

Until next time…Horsey Gal is sewing blankets! Yay!!  I will update you on my financial progress!

Take Care!

“Should you buy a Gooseneck vs. Bumper-Pull horse trailer?”

Gooseneck Horse Trailer

If you have ever been in the market for a horse trailer, you probably have asked yourself which type of trailer would be better to buy, a gooseneck or a bumper-pull horse trailer.

Bumper Pull Horse Trailer

Each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Sorting out these pros and cons may help you make the right decision when buying In the end you’ll end up with the best horse trailer that suits your needs.

Advantages of owning a bumper-pull horse trailer.

o Typically less expensive.
o Can tow with multiple types of vehicles, not just trucks.
o Easier to turn corners as the trailer follows the path of the vehicle.
o Because they are usually smaller they take up less space when storing.
o Overall easier to handle allowing breathing room for novices.

Disadvantages for bumper-pull horse trailers.

o Depending on the load the vehicle is pulling there can be considerable weight distribution issues.
o Not as much space for living quarters.
o Potential to hitch the trailer to a vehicle not best suited for towing.

Advantages of owning a gooseneck horse trailer.

o Gooseneck horse trailers center the weight of the load more evenly allowing for greater stability.
o Goosenecks pivot closer to the center of the vehicle allowing for a tighter turning radius. This becomes useful when maneuvering in tighter places.
o More space for living quarters.
o Overall better stability when hauling more than two animals.

Disadvantages for goosenecks horse trailers.

o With the tighter turning radius it easy to cut corners too sharply, this can result in the hitting of curbs, mailboxes, etc. You must practice maneuvering a gooseneck before loaded with animals.
o Goosenecks require that you climb in and out of your truck while hitching up.

o More expensive.

o The combined weight of the trailer and vehicle can result in weighing more than 10,001 lbs, if this is the case the trailer must be licensed as a commercial trailer.

As you can see there are many different options when choosing a trailer that best fits your needs. Picking a trailer that requires a vehicle upgrade can be cost prohibited and ultimately make the choice for you. If the current vehicle can haul and accommodate a gooseneck horse trailer the advantages are great. With the purchase of a gooseneck there are possible trailer and vehicle licensing issues that can arise so be sure to contact you local DMV to determine the requirements. Don’t forget to practice towing a gooseneck trailer to make sure all the ins and outs are worked out before hitting the trail.

Have fun Trailer Shopping!

Click Here – Used Horse Trailers – Gooseneck Horse Trailers – Bumper Pull Horse Trailers

“6 Steps To Setting Up Your Home Horse Blanket Repair Business”

Okay, well I have been busy checking out what I need to do to setup a home horse blanket repair business.

Hopefully this information will save you a lot of confusion and money so you will know what you need to do in order to start up your business.  I have been searching the internet for answers and I will share with you what I have found.

1. Are you required have a business license for your city or state? Many states require that businesses get a license before they are allowed to open. This includes home businesses in many locations. Check with your local government agencies to see what you will need to have in place to start your own home business.

2. Do you need a zoning permit? If you have a home business opportunity that requires doing actual business with the public, you are going to need to make sure that you will not be in violation of any zoning laws. Most cities have very strict residential zoning requirements and it is not hard to violate them. Make sure that you won’t be required to have a zoning permit.  If you don’t have customers coming to your house, then you probably won’t have a problem.

3. How much equipment will you need to buy? You’ll need to know exactly how much money you’re going to have to spend to get your business operational. While some home business opportunities require just a computer, others may need a special printer, extra software, additional gadgets or even heavy equipment. This can add up in a short period of time. Make sure that you are aware of all the expenses that you will incur before you start up.

4. Do you have enough space in your home to devote to your business? For me, the only space I will need is a place to put the sewing machine, and I have an extra bedroom for that.  And then I will use the closet for storing the extra fabrics and supplies.  I have already purchased a heavy duty metal shelve unit that will hold the hardware.

5. In Karen’s book, she recommends using something to hang the blankets on to dry.  I have a block wall between our houses, and I’m going to use that or figure out how to hang them from the lattice patio cover.  She recommends hang drying the blankets rather than using the dryer.

6. Will you need to purchase any insurance? If you are doing business with the public at your home, you will need to get liability insurance. This will help protect you if anyone falls on your property or injures themselves in anyway. If you will be storing products, you will need to have them insured in case there is a flood or they get damaged in any way.   I checked with our homeowners insurance company, and they said as long as I don’t have customers coming in and out of the house, I wouldn’t need additional coverage.

I hope this helps you with getting organized if you are considering starting any type of home business or horse blanket repair business.

Well, I got my new sewing machine today and I am ready to start my repairing horse blankets business…Yeah!

It worked out really well getting the machine.  The gal that was selling it, let me use it quite awhile to get a feel for it.

I am really kind of excited about the prospect of starting my own horse blanket repair business.  I had thought about this a long time ago, but didn’t have any idea what kind of sewing machine I needed or the kind of fabric that’s used for repairing horse blankets.

It’s all listed in Karen’s book.

Now I’m a little worried about where I’m going to find my business.  I know I have those 15 blankets to get started with…so I guess I will get going on those…and then figure out where I go after that.  I will ask the barn manager if she has anyone that she can refer me to.

After talking with my other family, they are thinking its going to be too much work, or too expensive to get started.

The good news is, I don’t have to rent a place for my repairing horse blanket business.  I can do it from home.  So for the $1,000.00 I have put into it so far, I know I can get it paid off in no time.

How times have you found these companies that promise the moon if you send them x amount of dollars to train you? And you don’t even have the equipment…and after they charge you $3,000 for training, and give you all the tools (ha ha) you are no farther ahead, in fact you are deeper in debt.

This business I can see is an investment in myself.  You buy the equipment, and it’s yours to keep.  You didn’t just flush the money down the toilet.  So I think making that investment in yourself for a business or even experience that you will always be able to draw on, is valuable in and of itself.

Just Horsey Gal’s two cents worth!

I’m thinking this is onward and upwards.  I am already visualizing everyone I talk to as being excited that there is a new blanket repair lady in town!

Tommorrow I am going to talk about getting organized!

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