re: Saddle for standard
donkey
Sandy wrote: any experience riding a donkey with either a
treeless saddle or the Cashel soft saddle...I seem to be going
around in circles in finding something suitable for the donkey
and me and it is expensive to buy and try a saddle and then have
to return it when it does not fit. Meanwhile, I am riding the
donkeys bareback...but, ultimately I would like something
lightweight with a little more stability for me.
Information below: Copyright Vicki Knotts Abbott:
Sandy,
Your comment about a saddle providing a little more stability
for you is alarming to me. When someone expects a saddle, any
saddle, it doesn’t matter what kind it is, to make them more
stable it is likely they will end up getting hurt. No saddle of
any kind makes a rider more stable. It is only the rider’s
balance that what makes them stable.
The one and only purpose of a saddle is to distribute a
rider’s weight to protect the equine’s back from pressure
points. A treeless saddle, and it doesn’t matter which treeless
saddle it is or how much it costs, is like putting a brick under
your mattress and expecting your mattress to prevent the brick
from digging into your back. There has to be at least 1001
manufacturers of horse products preying on the wallets of the
equine owners with great “new products” and great “deals”
appealing to the owner’s comfort. Just because you see
something advertised does not mean it was designed or made with
the equine’s comfort in mind.
And speaking of the donkey’s comfort, please don’t ride your
donkeys bareback. A rider’s weight pressing on such a small
area of their back is very uncomfortable for them. It doesn’t
matter if it is 30 pounds or 100 pounds, when the weight is all
in one place and not distributed over their back it is like
having that brick under your mattress.
The size of the donkey determines the load weight it can
carry without causing it harm and the load weight is the
combined weight of the rider and tack (saddle, pad, etc). At no
time, for any reason should weight be placed on the back of an
immature donkey. Mature means the donkey has all of its adult
teeth. For a miniature donkey maturity can be 4 ½ to 5 years
old, for standards 5 to 5 ½ years old, and for large standards
and mammoths it can be at late as 7 to 7 ½ years old. You can
not gauge the maturity of a donkey by its size. You must lift
the lip and look at its teeth. I am including a table that
has the recommended loadweight capacity for donkeys based on
their average height and weight.
|
Loadweight Capacity Recommendations for Donkeys |
|
|
|
|
|
Height |
*Maturity Age |
Weight (lbs) |
***Loadweight Capacity |
Back Length |
|
32 |
5 |
236 |
59
lbs |
12.5" |
|
34 |
5 |
263 |
65.75 lbs |
13.5" |
|
36 |
5 |
294 |
73.5
lbs |
14.5" |
|
38 |
5.5 |
326 |
81.5
lbs |
15" |
|
40 |
5.5 |
368 |
92
lbs |
16" |
|
42 |
5.5 |
407 |
101
lbs |
17" |
|
44 |
5.5 |
453 |
113.25 lbs |
17.5" |
|
46 |
5.5 |
504 |
126
lbs |
18" |
|
48 |
5.5 |
558 |
139.5 lbs |
19" |
|
50 |
6 |
618 |
154.5 lbs |
20" |
|
52 |
6 |
683 |
170.75 lbs |
21" |
|
54 |
6 |
753 |
188.25 lbs |
21.5" |
|
56 |
7 |
828 |
207
lbs |
22.5" |
|
58 |
7 |
879 |
219.75 lbs |
23" |
|
60 |
7 |
996 |
249
lbs |
24" |
|
**Mature means they have a full mouth of adult teeth. |
|
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|
|
**Maturity age and weight are averages |
|
|
|
|
|
***Loadweight
capacity is the combined weight of rider and tack |
|
|
|
|
|
Loadweight capacity recommendation is based on level
terrain |
|
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|
|
|
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Choosing a saddle for a donkey is
based on the shape and length of the donkey’s back, not on what
size the rider will be. The saddle must not be placed on the
donkey’s shoulder blades, nor be too long that it interferes
with his hip. If a saddle that fits his back length is too
small for the rider than it is an indication the rider is too
large for the donkey anyway.
For donkeys 48” and larger I
recommend the American Saddlery cordura endurance saddle on the
professional endurance tree. Not all “endurance” saddles are the
same. Most, such as Abetta and others are build on a Ralide
tree, and Ralide trees do not fit donkeys. The American
Saddlery cordura endurance saddle is reasonable priced at
Chick’s Saddlery, has round skirts and is lightweight weighing
14 lbs. It will not properly fit a donkey smaller than 48”
because of the tree length. For donkeys 40” to 48” I recommend
a 12” seat pony saddle. If the 12” pony saddle is too small for
you, than you are too large for the donkey. There is an old
tale that donkeys are stronger than horses. They aren’t. They
have the same physical structure as a pony or horse and a 10
hand 40” donkey is not more able to carry 100 pounds of
loadweight than a 40” pony would be. Just because they will
carry it, doesn’t mean they should. Overburdening puts them at
great risk of permanent injury. If someone has the story of
Diesel in their files please repost it to the list so the
tragedy of his death can remind us how fragile they really are.
Vicki/ladywife
Husbandry is what is good for the
animal. Convenience is what is easiest for us. No where in the
definition of husbandry (conserve, preserve, protect, prevent)
is the word convenience. Copyright: Vicki Knotts Abbott
Reprint permission granted by Vicki
Knotts Abbott.
Source: DonkeyMuleInfo
forum
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/DonkeyMuleInfo/message/34722
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