IMUS saddle?

[Palogal]

I have a client with an Imus 4 beat whatever-the-heck gaited saddle for her TWH. A local saddle fitter came out and said it was too narrow for him and he's not a particularly narrow horse. Has anyone else had this experience with them running narrow or any expereince with Imus stuff? I'm not particularly impressed - the saddle looks beautiful but not like it's constructed as it should be for it's price.

[FrogInABlender]

I know one person who has one of those, but I've never really paid attention to how it fits her horse. I do know that they're pretty pricey. For that price I'd rather get a good used Ortho Flex or Timberline off eBay and not have to worry about that kind of problem. They're both flex panel system saddles and I've never had any problem with them fitting any horse I've ever ridden.

[luckydoublesranch]

I have a client with an Imus 4 beat whatever-the-heck gaited saddle for her TWH. A local saddle fitter came out and said it was too narrow for him and he's not a particularly narrow horse. Has anyone else had this experience with them running narrow or any expereince with Imus stuff? I'm not particularly impressed - the saddle looks beautiful but not like it's constructed as it should be for it's price.

I'm going to be very reserved in my answer for several reasons...LOL! Yes, I have heard a LOT of people having similar issues. Most of the saddles are also built on a standard Steele Equi-flex tree, which is a great tree but, not a magic gaited tree as they claim.

Also, for reference sake...there are several different Imus saddles all made by different places....first was made by Jonas Byler an Amish man from PA, then another Amish maker, then Circle Y, then a different Amish again....

[gaited07]

Most of the saddles are also built on a standard Steele Equi-flex tree, which is a great tree but, not a magic gaited tree as they claim.

Also, for reference sake...there are several different Imus saddles all made by different places....first was made by Jonas Byler an Amish man from PA, then another Amish maker, then Circle Y, then a different Amish again....


There is no special, magical saddle out there for the gaited horse regardless of advertisement or endorsements. Any saddle that is properly fitted to a horse that gaits will work.
A special saddle, bridle, and all the other gimmicks are marketing hypes that will drain your wallet and leave you with the same gaiting issues.

I knew of the Amish making her first saddles/equipment, then circle y but I did not know she had another Amish making her equipment today???
Maybe with all the complaints on her equipment, circle y is backing out of her saddles.

[luckydoublesranch]

Now after looking at the website, the saddles have changed hands again and are being made by Big Horn....which was just bought out by American Saddlery...

[Buckpoco]

My friend has one. I had a wide paint horse....tried it on him and it was way to narrow. Hers was a regular tree. It's super comfortable but I've heard mixed reviews on it.

[Palogal]

Brenda Imus seems kind of like the Parelli of the gaited world. Folks buy her stuff!
The amusing part of it is that my client's old no-name western saddle fits the horse better than the million dollar Imus one according to the saddle fitter.

[gaited07]

Brenda Imus seems kind of like the Parelli of the gaited world. Folks buy her stuff!
The amusing part of it is that my client's old no-name western saddle fits the horse better than the million dollar Imus one according to the saddle fitter.



Actually, Parelli stuff works, Imus' doesn't! People who know gaited horses pretty much laugh at her and her hoax of merchandise.
Don't get me wrong, Parelli is a marketing genius with his tapes, equipment and etc. that is OVER PRICED but some of his techniques work so I will give him credit where credit is due. Brenda just talks a lot of B???S???! (unless she's changed, she's pretty much full of marketing jumbo!)
What her game is that she targets these miracle gadgets to be the magic fixer-upper and the naive horse owner suckers in and buys them but finds out there is no change in their horses gaits. And later to find out that they (horse owner) needed the lessons/training in order to keep their horse in gait.

I use a western saddle that fits my horse. It's a circle Y Park and trail semi QH bars. Nothing more, nothing less and NOT a gaited saddle.
I also use a snaffle bit and my horse gaits just as well in a snaffle as a gaited shank bit. (just to add, I also ride with just a halter and he gaits just fine)

[luckydoublesranch]

Actually, Parelli stuff works, Imus' doesn't! People who know gaited horses pretty much laugh at her and her hoax of merchandise.
Don't get me wrong, Parelli is a marketing genius with his tapes, equipment and etc. that is OVER PRICED but some of his techniques work so I will give him credit where credit is due. Brenda just talks a lot of B???S???! (unless she's changed, she's pretty much full of marketing jumbo!)
What her game is that she targets these miracle gadgets to be the magic fixer-upper and the naive horse owner suckers in and buys them but finds out there is no change in their horses gaits. And later to find out that they (horse owner) needed the lessons/training in order to keep their horse in gait.

AHMEN!!! :):):) and, she hasn't changed...I'd LOVE to get into this more...can't, just can't...UGH!!

[Palogal]

Her message board is full of her followers. I mean really, they think she created the gaited horse. I have some expereince with the gaited ones...I am by no means an expert but some of the stuff that's on that board is strange. Not to mention every problem has a solution that sounds like "buy my video, read my article, you need my bit..." posted by Brenda.

[gaited07]

yes, I know. There are going to be followers just like the Parelli groups (& etc clinicians)

[gaited07]

Her message board is full of her followers. I mean really, they think she created the gaited horse. I have some expereince with the gaited ones...I am by no means an expert but some of the stuff that's on that board is strange. Not to mention every problem has a solution that sounds like "buy my video, read my article, you need my bit..." posted by Brenda.


And if you read her responses, there is no solution, JUST BUY MY STUFF, "IT WILL FIX IT!"

[Palogal]

Yes, exactly.

[offgridgirl]

I have a National Bridle saddle, made in Tenesse. It fits my Xtra wide gaited horse well. It is made well and has held up well over the past 5 years of use. I have read some of the posts on the Gaitsofgold website. Some is good info and some should be taken with a grain of salt. There is no one fix for every horse....

[HaveFaith]

Our horses gaits have nothing to do with their bits or saddles.

[cloedoll]

Our horses gaits have nothing to do with their bits or saddles.

See, that's what I always thought...this thread was quite informative. xD

[Palogal]

Any horse, gaited or otherwise just needs a properly fitting saddle to perform like they're suppsed to IMO. Some gaited folks look at me like I'm stupid for riding them in a snaffle. I ride everything in a snaffle. :)

[gaited07]

Here is what I ride my gaited horse in.

It has been told (myths) that you need a shank bit, special shoes, special saddle to make a gaited horse gait:huh:

Truth is, if the horse is gaited, the horse will gait with any properly fitted equipment, including a halter or in that case, NOTHING!

[cloedoll]

It has been told (myths) that you need a shank bit, special shoes, special saddle to make a gaited horse gait:huh:


I just don't get that! Lol, my brain refuses to listen to that. I mean, why? I know you disagree with that and obviously I do, too, but who would think that...

[gaited07]

I just don't get that! Lol, my brain refuses to listen to that. I mean, why? I know you disagree with that and obviously I do, too, but who would think that...


A person who does not know how to engage the hindend (drive train of the horse) and to collect (true collection) to round the horse.
A person who is not knowledgeable enough to maintain perfected gaits and lets the horse "break" gait.(pace etc.)

Now you have the "MIRACLE FIX" bridle, saddles, pads, shoes, rollers, chains to will correct the problem gait (as advertised)

What is funny, you can watch a gaited horse gaiting in the pasture at "liberty" with NO saddle, bridle, or any other special equipment to gait.

Don't get me wrong with shoeing/trimming, you need a good balanced trim as in any other breed/type of horse, however, you don't need pads, weights, bands, lead weights and etc. to make them gait. Those are again, mechanical aides and in my opinion, the crap out way to go.

[Palogal]

I just don't get that! Lol, my brain refuses to listen to that. I mean, why? I know you disagree with that and obviously I do, too, but who would think that...

People that don't understand collection think that as long as the nose is tucked in that's good enough. Really collection is as gaited said. There are folks that put a kimberwicke in the horses mouth that makes the horse tuck it's nose with no true collection and they they call them "on the bit" when really "on the bit" has little to do with the actual head - that position is a side effect of the forward and the submission with correct training. I use the term "collected" in stead of "on the bit" because I truly despise that term.