The Astride is constructed from high quality leather, with generously flocked, wool panels and a wide reinforced gullet. Two vertical side pockets and a soft, zippered top pocket hold the weights. The entire underneath surface of the top pocket is supported by the wool flocked panels. The soft lead weight bags shift like sand and help simulate the weight and feel of a rider. And since dead or "static" weight can be more difficult to carry than live weight, the Astride totally weighted is sufficient for conditioning for the equivalent of average, full rider weight.
The Astride includes one double elastic girth available in four sizes (18",20",22",24"), allowing the surcingle to fit large ponies or yearlings, mature horses, and large warmbloods comfortably. Additional girths can be purchased separately if you plan on using the Astride on multiple horses.
Ideal for starting young horses, the Astride helps make the breaking process less stressful, offering your horse a chance to slowly adjust to the feel of rider weight during ground work while also improving his balance and strength.
Racehorse and competition horse trainers are finding the Astride useful for maintaining and improving condition when an exercise rider is unavailable. Easy to use while riding one and leading the other, lungeing or long-reining, multiple D rings allow for a variety of training rein placements.
The Astride can help aid your horse during his recovery from an injury or surgery, as weight can be slowly reintroduced in a controlled manner.
A growing number of trainers are using the Astride to condition young horses before starting strenuous training, and for improving condition for yearling sales and halter classes. The Astride stays stable during use and can be safely used to condition horses on treadmills and mechanical exercisers.
The concept of pre-conditioning young horses has become increasingly popular due to recent research on weight training and it's success in developing bone density and muscle mass on young horses:
Astride customers include:
Hall of Fame racehorse trainer, Richard Mandella, H. James Bond/Song Hill Thoroughbreds, Dan Hendricks, The Stables of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz and Sons, Old Frankfort Stud, B.C.3 Thoroughbreds, Hamilton Farm, D-Arrigo Racing Stables, Lope Texas, Robert O. Mayer Riding Academy, River Ridge Ranch, Rolling Oaks Farm, Selway Rehabilitation Centre, South 64 Rehabilitation Centre, Cornell University and the New Bolton Centre
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