Team Wickander

Czarlie and I got a 65% at Grand Prix, our highest score yet, at Otter Creek last weekend! What a fun adventure it has been to train this horse, a million thanks to his owner, Terry Purcell, for making this dream a reality!

Help the Hackercats!
Tax deductible donations can be made to 501c3 “Lakeville Robotics-Hackercats” and sent to POBox 606, Lakeville, MN 55044. We will mail you a receipt. Thank you!

This time of year, we often hear from concerned riders whose horses are showing small rubs under their saddles. While it’s important to notify your fitter of any saddle fit concerns and schedule your regular semiannual fit checks, this phenomenon is common in late-winter and late-summer, aka shedding season.

Seasonal hair growth is mainly controlled by photoperiod (length of daylight hours). The hair life cycle has three phases: anagen (growth phase), catagen (hair has reached maximum growth), and telogen (resting phase). During the telogen phase, existing hairs stop growing and become brittle as new hairs begin to push them out.

The horse’s back is polymorphous - it swings and undulates as they move. Your saddle also moves a certain amount when you ride, regardless of how well it fits. This natural movement can cause old hairs to rub loose, creating temporary bare spots. It sometimes takes several weeks for new hairs to fully replace the old hairs. This can look alarming, and we understand why many people worry that they are saddle sores.

But if your horse is shedding those winter fuzzies or you are enjoying more riding time thanks to warmer weather, your saddle may just be speeding up the shedding process in a couple spots.

Now, we aren’t saying that you should ignore these "springtime rubs" - in fact, this is a perfect time to schedule a fit check! We are always happy to assess and adjust your saddle's flocking to minimize movement and maintain proper balance. But if rubs are asymmetrical or exceptionally large, or if your horse shows any swelling, sores, or signs of pain, contact your vet ASAP before scheduling your saddle fitting.

Please comment or contact us with any questions! You can also request an appointment online at www.safesoundsaddle.com/book

Clinic schedule for this weekend.

I’m proud of you Adam Steffens-Smienk, you make Minnesota proud!

Anna Buffini Completes Debut on Fiontini Fraction Behind Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper who Won Del Mar CDI3* Grand Prix Special - Dressage-News Anna Buffini completed her debut on Fiontini Saturday coming within one-third of a percentage point of Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper who won the Del Mar CDI3* Grand Prix Special.