Another Saddle Update

Where the magic happens

It's been awhile since I posted and a very long time since I did a proper riding post. I don't have one for you yet but I do have another saddle update!

I finally got the Prestige Lucky back on trial with the adjustment made. It got to the barn on Monday or Tuesday but I didn't make it out to try it out until Wednesday.

When I set it on her back it still very slightly bridged (very slightly lighter pressure under the seat) but once I girthed it loosely it felt better. Katai also stands with a more hollow back so I knew that once I started riding it wouldn't bridge at all.

Her darn girth groove is just so far forward!

I took the pictures in this post and then put a saddle pad on and then tried it out. I had planned on just a lunging day so I lunged her first and then hopped on for a short ride. She felt good but a little sassy because the saddle put my leg back a little further on her barrel and it sat back a little further so she was being sassy about my leg pressure.

She seemed nice and loose and comfortable over her back but honestly the saddle rode so differently than my previous one that I was feeling very out of it and wasn't completely sure what I was feeling. Then she went to canter (leg position again) but I went with it since I wanted to see what she would think of the saddle at a canter. At the canter she felt less enthused but my leg was also significantly further back on her barrel at that point than it normally is so I'm wondering if it was the or the saddle.

Not bad

Unfortunately when I finished my short bit of canter I thought that the saddle had still slid forward a bit and when I climbed off, after a little more trot work, I confirmed that it had. It had slid forward at least an inch. I was honestly pretty frustrated. This saddle is shorter through the back and has a point billet, two things that were supposed to help and yet it still slid forward.

I could store snacks in there

After some thought about it on the way home I'm going to try girthing it a little different, take some more pictures for the saddle fitter at VTO tonight and hopefully either I'll figure something out with a little tweaking or maybe they'll have an idea or maybe it just won't fit and it will be back to the drawing board. Fingers crossed!

I'm going to hopefully take more photos of my ride tonight and will share those soon.

Saddle Update

A month or so ago I was able to speak with the saddle fitter that works at the company that I got the Prestige Lucky on trial from. He requested some pictures and asked some questions about her breeding and her build. I took the following pictures for him.

After looking at these pictures he announced that she is a 36cm but that the trial saddle could be widened to a 35cm (it's a 33cm and they can adjust it 2cm at a time) and he thinks that would be good enough to try riding in. The trial saddle has been out with a different customer for quite some time now but yesterday I heard back that the saddlery got it back and are readjusting it and going to send it today or tomorrow!

I was thrilled to hear that he thinks that this saddle could fit her with the adjustment. It's just a gorgeous saddle, the leather is amazing, it's shorter through the back, and I'm comfortable riding in it plus it's in my budget so I'll have my fingers crossed that it will actually fit :-)

the trial when it was still a 33cm

Cool, patent carbon fiber type material on the cantle, tough to see in this picture but it's pretty cool 

Of course I also had to check and see if they could get it in "tobacco" brown and they can! So excited to get it back and try it out again.

The Best Laid Plans

Not sure that she wants a job as a model

I've had a lot to do before my trip and in a small amount of time. This past weekend I rode outside and went on a trail ride on Saturday. I did a lot of canter and the outdoor arena is a little deep so on Sunday I just lunged her at walk/trot/canter with the trial saddle. My plan was to climb up and do a little trot but when the saddle clearly didn't fit I just called it.

Then I drove just over an hour south to my parent's farm where I grew up. We spent time together on Sunday and then went to the county fair and watched harness racing on Monday which has been our tradition since I was little. I had a great time and it was good to see family again. I drove home Monday evening and took care of some grocery shopping and food prep for the week.

My plan was to go to the barn and ride on Tuesday and Wednesday this week since I won't be out Thursday-Sunday. Unfortunately Tuesday we ended up with severe thunderstorms and there just wasn't a way for me to make it to the barn. I think it actually ended up being good though since I got a ton done and I'm not sure that I would have had time to do everything I needed before my trip otherwise. I was able to get the Prestige boxed up, both other trial saddles packed in my car, the boxed up prestige packed up in my car, extra supplement baggies made and packed in my car, my suitcase nearly packed, laundry done and folded and a grocery list done for my trip.

On Wednesday I stopped at the post office to mail the prestige,  got both other trials back to the local tack shop, and finished packing. Of course the most important thing is that I was able to make it out to the barn to ride my girl and spend some time with her before I left her for a few days.

I'll have an update on my trip and the Dressage Pony Cup soon!