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Solution of the Month

Crackenthorpe Jamboree

A case study by Alex Jakob Whitworth (Technical Advisor)

Crackenthorpe Jamboree (Tom) is a 15.3 homebred Warmblood gelding Owned by Susan and Clare Chappelhow from Crackenthorpe Stud.

But the Chappelhows were determined to give Tom every chance of recovery and embarked on a long rehabilitation programme. With his special, bubbly and kind personality, he just deserved the best.
As an Equine Massage Therapist, I began to treat Tom as part of this plan, along with Lucy Crow, Equine Osteopath, who also visited regularly.
We both noticed that, although he was recovering well, he was beginning to use himself unevenly; there would be tightness in his off-hind to compensate for the extra work that the near shoulder was doing in supporting the injured shoulder.

Gradually his shoulder muscles began to atrophy and his shape became increasingly asymmetrical.
Tom was ridden in a Solution treeless saddle which was able to constantly flex and mould to his movement, allowing him freedom to change his shape and redevelop his musculature.
For Clare and Susan The Solution saddle was the only option for him. No other saddle would do the job that he needed. A treed saddle would only have created more atrophy and the last thing they wanted to do was to impede his action.

Gradually, Tom started to go well enough to begin competing again.

He was level and sound.
People who saw him could not believe that he had recovered at all, let alone was working so well.
Within five months of his injury, he had won a Medium affiliated dressage competition, been placed at the British Dressage Championships and qualified for The Horse of the Year Show.

In 2008, Tom started to event at Advanced level again, regaining his qualifications and aiming for a CCI***.
Susan is convinced that The Solution saddle has been a major part of his success. “He won’t have anything else on his back – no other saddle can do the job.”