Thanks everyone for all of the feedback & the welcome!

Lucky for me I have been trail riding for years so I have most of the gear I
need. I do appreciate that y'all are a practical bunch and want to save me some
money!

I used to do short rides in my dressage saddle years ago and I don't ever
remember it slipping. However, my western saddle did slip on very steep hills
when I used a wool pad, but I have a non-slip pad now that we both like better.
But I started using a breast collar with my western saddle so I am not sure if
it slips anymore or not.

But the dressage saddle is more comfortable for me and from all the reading I've
done, it sounds like you need what is most comfortable for both you and your
horse. I got the western saddle a few years ago when I started to do more trail
riding because I thought it would be more comfortable for my horse (more surface
area) and would give me more stabilily for those spooks.

But my horse rarely spooks on the trail and if he does he pretty much spooks in
place. And so I am trying out my dressage saddle. And my last ride in my
dressage saddle was 12 miles and his back did not seem sore at all. So I am just
going to monitor how he does. But I didn't have a breast collar for my dressage
saddle and just figured it was a safety thing as many of you mentioned. I have a
borrowed one from a friend right now. But maybe I will try a few rides without
it and see how it goes.

As to the heart rate monitor. I've tried taking pulse with my fingers and with a
stethescope and I have not had much luck with either. With the stethescope I
would just start to think I heard his heart beat when fly would land on him and
he would shake and all I would hear is hair rubbing against it. Also, they
really hurt my ears. I have small ears and I even have problems with earbuds
that you use for listening to iPods or cell phones. When I asked one of the
riders who volunteered to help me learn more about endurance, she suggested a
heart rate monitor. Another was going to try to help me with finding his heart
beat with a stethescope, but we never got to it.

My horse has a history of heaves (long story there, but no heaving for over 4
years now that I know how to manage it) and so I want to be extra careful with
his conditioning to be sure I don't push him too hard too fast without knowing
it. Since I am new to the sport and I have never done anything so challenging
with my horse, I am afraid I won't know what is too much. I'd rather take it too
slow than push too hard. Seems like a heart rate monitor could save me some
expensive vet bills in the long run. I am hoping it will help me learn to read
my horse better. I do see the importance of getting to know your horse because
technology is not always reliable!

Thanks again for all the great feedback! I am really looking forward to learning
more about the sport. I have 2 15 mile CTRs planned to start - 1 in August and 1
in September and hope to be ready for a LD ride in September. If all goes well,
we'll try another in October.

Wish me luck!

Lida

--- In AERCMembersForum@yahoogroups.com, Diane Trefethen <tref@...> wrote:
>
> As for heart monitors, I use just a stethoscope and prefer them. They don't
> need batteries, are always right, and are inexpensive. I know only two
reasons
> to use a heart monitor. 1) If you are hard of hearing and 2) To keep track of
> your horse's heart rate coming into a vet check so you know how far out to
drop
> to a walk.