Saddle fitting can be difficult, but it's worth taking the time to make sure you've found the best fitting saddle for you and your horse. Even though my saddle fit Trillium well, the padding inside had shifted, forming hard lumps. After the saddle had been adjusted, little problems like being unwilling to travel in frame for anything but a short time, or refusing to do a rein back were almost instantly solved. Now because her muscles have changed again, I need to have the saddle adjusted to fit her  new shape. But I've learned that it is money well spent.

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I have to admit, January 1^st never feels like the New Year to me.

Different cultures celebrate the new year at different times and I rather like the idea of celebrating in mid-April as Buddhists do. That's about the time when the snow is gone, the weather starts feeling warmer and the horse shows and trail rides start. But when it comes to setting goals and making plans, any day is a good day.

And it's a great time to look back at the year that was. This past summer, I ended up doing rather more than I expected. Trillium brought home several ribbons for me in dressage and hunter shows. We also competed in some short distance rides. I was a volunteer for the Ontario Provincial Distance Riding Championships. So my goals this year include showing dressage again, riding in a few more distance rides, perhaps do a ride 'n' tie and also try showing Trillium western. This also means I'll have to meet some financial goals too!

What were the highlights of 2009 for you? Do you have plans for the year ahead? Leave your comments below.

A controversial roundup of wild horses began Tuesday in Nevada.

Horses are being relocated to other areas because they are thought to be threatening forage and water on private lands. But protesters, including celebrities like Willie Nelson and Cheryl Crow, question whether or not the roundup is necessary and the practice of using helicopters is considered by many to be inhumane. Certainly, the fate of wild horse in Nevada and other states and provinces has been the center of controversy for many years. What do you think of such roundups? Is there an easy answer? Leave your comments below.

If you ride Western there are stirrups available to help prevent leg strain, hooded stirrups that prevent your foot from sliding through, rounded stirrups or extra wide stirrups. Trail riders might like a comfortable wide stirrup like the "Cloud Stirrup" that come with or without safety cages. English riders have a wide variety too. I really love my Mountain Horse SCS3 stirrups. These stirrups are slightly offset, which eases the uncomfortable stretch through my calf muscle that I've always experienced while riding, and they are a safety stirrup but don't look like one. They are also made for the adult riders, so don't bend like that traditional peacock stirrup tends to. What type of stirrup do you use? And why? Click comments below to leave your thoughts.