Buena Vista, VA (July 14, 2011) – Professional trainers, amateur riders, Pony Club members, veterinarians, farriers, massage therapists and a variety of other equine enthusiasts recently had the chance to learn about leg protection and therapy practices, as well as the influence tack has on the biomechanics of the horse in sport, during seminars presented by World Equestrian Brands, LLC. The US distributor of Amerigo saddles and strap goods, Amerigo Vega saddles, Vespucci, E. A. Mattes and Equilibrium products, World Equestrian Brands is a strong believer in educating horse enthusiasts of all disciplines.
“Jen Wright, owner of Happy Horse Tack Shop, organized two great seminars, one held at CSU in Fort Collins and the other at Laura Backus’ Pendragon Stud Equestrian Center near Larkspur. The participants were able to listen to lectures and then go into the barn where we used ‘live models’ to demonstrate the basics of saddle fitting. We also had demo riders that were able to show that the right saddle does make a difference to both the horse and rider,” said Robin Moore, President of World Equestrian Brands. “None of the demo riders were pre-fit, so it was totally random and really proved the point. Also, we demoed the Equilibrium Massage Pad on the horses, and hands down, the equine response was a favorable horse smile!”
Alison Sherwood Bruce, Sales Director of Equilibrium Products, spoke about the latest technology in leg protection. “Equilibrium is serious about studying the effects of heat and weight on the horse, so there was in-depth discussion of having the right materials and the right boots for the different needs and levels of protection,” Moore said. “For example, you wouldn’t use a cross-country boot to school in dressage and vice versa. She also talked about the key points that should be met in boot design: light weight, flexibility, heat management, protection from penetration and concussion, and of course dealing with water on cross-country. It was a great presentation and Alison demonstrated the different materials and functions.”
