You should recieve three objects - the Saddle System and the Saddle (male and female). The Saddle System is the object that will allow people to ride a Hoof It Centaur Avatar - it consists of two poseballs, one for the Rider position, and one for the Centaur (which is more of a poseblock, but you get the idea).
The Saddle is simply an object that you can wear, with no functions. This means you can offer bareback rides without a saddle, or just wear a saddle as an accessory.
Different styles of Saddles may be available for individual purchase - however, they will not allow people to ride you without the Saddle System. They are for decoration only.
Getting startedDrop the Saddle System onto the ground. Wear the Saddle if required.
Turn off any Animation Override devices you're wearing (including the Centaur AO).
Left-click on the Saddle System and a dialog window will open asking you to select MALE or FEMALE. This determines the centaur's animation height based on the height of the original centaur shapes, so if you're a small male or a tall female, you may want to choose the opposite gender. If you haven't changed your shape, choose the correct gender.
Right-click on the blue block and select 'saddle up'.
If you're the rider, right-click the pink poseball and select 'saddle up'. You won't be able to move until there's a centaur under that saddle! Use the up and down commands to change your seating position until you're sitting comfortably.
NOTE: As the centaur, you may find that when you 'saddle up', your hind legs stick out in the sitting position. Just take a step forward and it'll be fixed!
General UseThe OWNER is the person who bought the Saddle System. The GUEST is any other person who uses either of the poseballs. Either person can be the CENTAUR or the RIDER. You do not have to be wearing the Saddle for the Saddle System to work.
The Centaur always has control. Whether they own the Saddle System or not, the person on the Centaur poseball is in control of walking, running, jumping and steering. However, if they don't own the Saddle System, they won't be able to go anywhere without the OWNER being on board.
The OWNER of the Saddle System always has overall control. This means you can 'throw' a rider, or a centaur (unsit them). If you are the CENTAUR and you have no rider, you can move around as usual. If your GUEST is the centaur and you dismout, they cannot move - so they can't run away with your Saddle System! The Saddle System will not move unless the OWNER is in either the Rider or Centaur position.
The RIDER can always control their sitting height (see the commands below). It doesn't matter if they're the OWNER or GUEST. It's up to them to make sure they're sitting right!
MovingWalk, run and jump as you usually would - couldn't be easier! This model doesn't allow you to fly - this is a centaur saddle, not a pegasus saddle! Tapping jump will make you jump higher - but go easy on it else you could end up on a merry trip into orbit...
If you cross a sim border and have issues (as we all do!) just hop off the Saddle System and back on and order should be restored. The Saddle System is copyable so if it gets lost on a sim crossing you will still have a copy in your inventory.
When you get off the Saddle System, it will reset its rotation, so if you get stuck at a funny angle going up a nasty hill, just hop off and it'll reset.
CommandsThe saddle will listen to two people - the OWNER and the RIDER.
Owner commands:- touch - Male/Female - set the centaur animation height for the appropriate gender
- /1 show - show the rider poseball
- /1 hide - hide the rider poseball
- /1 throw - unseats the guest (whether rider or centaur)
- /1 up - move your riding position up
- /1 down - move your riding position down
These commands allow riders of different heights to move themselves so that they sit correctly. Repeat /1 up or /1 down until you're in the correct position.
Permissions
The saddle and saddle system are fully mod and copy (with the exception of the scripts and animations which are copy only) - this allows you to customise it as you wish, and make backup copies in case anything goes wrong. Please, make a copy before you modify anything!
If you'd like to give a saddle as a gift, gift certificates are available in the main Hoof It store, or you can use the 'buy as gift' feature for my products on Xstreet SL.
RefundsSince the saddles are copy/no transfer I can't provide refunds - all sales are final.
If a part gets broken when you're making alterations, I can replace that piece, but it'd be really nice if I didn't have to so PLEASE make a copy of your saddle before you do anything to it!
Updates and Replacements
If updates are released they will be provided free of charge. Updates will be announced on this website and to the Hoof It group, which is free to join.
FAQI'm wearing the saddle but nobody can ride me. What's going on?
The saddle is simply for decoration, you don't even need to wear it. Rez the Saddle System and hop on!
I'm wearing the Saddle System but nothing's happening :(
The saddle system is a vehicle rather than an attachment. You need to place it in world, and then sit on one
of the poseballs.
When I sit on the centaur poseblock, my legs go into the sitting position
They've been told you've sat on something and acted accordingly - they're not clever enough to know the difference!
Simply take a step forwards and they'll think they're not sitting any more and behave themselves.
I'm floating above the ground!
The saddle system raises you slightly to allow you to cross difficult terrain. This may be more or less pronounced
depending on your avatar height. I like to think that mythical beasts don't always choose to follow our laws of
gravity :)