Jochen Schleese - Horsetalk.co.nz

Chestnuts have the most sensitive skin in the horse world, says Jochen Schleese.

On the nose: Which bridle is best for your horse?

May 27, 2019June 11, 2019 Jochen Schleese 2839 Views 2 Comments

The horse’s biology does not change from discipline to discipline in riding, even though the ‘head-restraining devices’ do – all of which are designed to control and communicate to the horse what the rider wants.

News Training

Muscle atrophy and muscle definition: The saddle fit balancing act

February 25, 2019March 3, 2019 Jochen Schleese 9099 Views 1 Comment

Muscle atrophy can occur when an unbalanced saddle puts too much pressure on a particular muscle, and the horse tries to remove or avoid this pressure.

News Training

Only skin deep? That old chestnut of saddle fitting – and chestnut horses

October 23, 2018October 25, 2018 Jochen Schleese 4359 Views 0 Comments

Horses that suffer from chronic poor saddle fit usually have skin changes that lead to chronic skin dryness and nerve tissue atrophy with the resulting lack of response.

In a treeless saddle – as well as a saddle with a tree – made for a man, a woman does not have the necessary support behind her pelvic area to sit correctly in balance and in position. This female pelvis on the horse’s back is shown in the approximate position it would be in a treeless saddle. The photo shows that she is lacking the necessary support a treed saddle would give her from behind in order to change her position to the plumb line (shown in green) and that she is tilted backward from the vertical (along the axis shown by the red lines).

News Training

Treeless v. treed: A saddle fitter’s perspective

June 28, 2018July 1, 2018 Jochen Schleese 12307 Views 1 Comment

The reason treed saddles have been around for so long is because they serve a distinct purpose – to protect, support, and provide comfort to both horse and rider.

Training

The long and short of it: How leg length affects your riding position

March 31, 2018April 13, 2018 Jochen Schleese 18148 Views 0 Comments

When you are sitting in your saddle you should never feel uncomfortable or out of balance because you are fighting the position the saddle puts you in.

Extra short and extra tall riders often face saddle fitting issues.

Training

Vertical challenges: Saddle fitting for shorter riders

March 6, 2018March 13, 2018 Jochen Schleese 6824 Views 1 Comment

There are considerations for all body types, male or female, which unfortunately too many saddle manufacturers do not look at in their saddle designs. Too many saddles are still very much ‘cookie-cutter’ models.

The Saddle Support Area (ideal weight distribution by percentages).

Training

The evolution of the saddle tree: Is yours doing the right job?

February 27, 2018March 5, 2018 Jochen Schleese 5510 Views 0 Comments

Saddle-making history shows us that saddle trees looked almost the same for 4300 years.

Training

Spotting muscle atrophy in horses, and how to avoid it

January 9, 2018January 16, 2018 Jochen Schleese 8847 Views 0 Comments

Atrophy will occur under severe instances of constant pressure which will first damage the hair follicles (resulting in hair loss and/or white hair).

Friesian dressage stallion Thys with trainer Liz Austin. Image for illustration purposes only. © Betsy Nye

Training

“Dressage” vs. classical training: An uphill battle for horses

January 3, 2018January 8, 2018 Jochen Schleese 10821 Views 1 Comment Comment

The ability to connect through the back and engage the hindquarters is a fundamental requirement for any horse in any discipline.

Training

Checklist: The nine points of saddle fit to keep your horse (and you) happy

November 27, 2017December 1, 2017 Jochen Schleese 10962 Views 0 Comments

Jochen Schleese outlines his nine points for ensuring a correct saddle fit.

Blisters, bumps, and white hairs show up after the damage has already been done.

News Training

A weight on equine shoulders: Saddle fit and cartilage damage at the scapula

October 28, 2017November 3, 2017 Jochen Schleese 13198 Views 1 Comment

There is no published research but much anecdotal evidence that cartilage damage results from poor saddle fit at the shoulder area.

Training

Bridle fit is as important to horses as saddle fitting: Here’s why

September 28, 2017October 3, 2017 Jochen Schleese 25823 Views 0 Comments

No other part of the anatomy has as many sensitive areas as the head. There are many nerves in the horse’s head. Some of them originate at exactly those areas where the noseband or flash lie.

Features

The Knabstrupper breed in profile: Spot the difference

July 9, 2017July 12, 2017 Jochen Schleese 11041 Views 0 Comments

The Knabstrupper breed is relatively new – having been established in only 1812 in Denmark.

Training

Most horses are asymmetrical, so why don’t saddlers take this into account?

April 24, 2017April 27, 2017 Jochen Schleese 19570 Views 1 Comment

It is surprising to us that there are still saddle companies and fitters out there who claim that they can fix asymmetry in a horse in a matter of minutes.