Monday, January 14, 2019

My "saddle" solution





Saddle fitting feels like an endless battle. Also, unlike most things, the more I learn the more hopeless and confused I feel. I was happy in my world of gullet sizes and re-flocking to get a reasonably well fitting saddle. The more I learn though the more I realize that those are just partial solutions for overall saddle fit. My trainer said something to me a couple of weeks ago that really just spoke to the voice in the back of my mind that I have been trying to ignore since I started my saddle fitting journey. Horses are not factory created so nothing is going to truly conform to their backs that comes from mass production. Which is really bumming me out. I am definitely on an ammy on a budget, I have three horses currently, and now I feel like I need to buy a custom saddle for each of them. Even one custom saddle is more than I payed for both of my horses combined! Ughh…. Not to mention my lease horse Lacey. I don’t really want to buy a custom saddle for a horse I don’t even own. 

I have been riding my Haflingers in Duetts for the past 5 years or so, which I like, but the dressage saddle I bought and got fitted to Oak does not fit Lacey, my current riding horse, or Grayson. After what I have learned about saddle fitting it probably does not fit Oak either but I am afraid to look. My solution? A Christ Fur “Saddle”. My trainer had one and let me try it and it felt wonderful. 


They are not cheap and I was worried about spending so much on a fancy bareback pad, but I think they are substantial enough to be sufficient for the riding I am doing now (which is the dressage version of just piddling around). They have removable foam inserts along the spine and fleece rolls to secure your leg in place. They have a place to attach stirrups and lots of extra padding. I have ridden in mine twice and it feels amazing. I can’t feel Lacey’s backbone at all, which is great because she is very bony. With the stirrups I feel the same security I do in a regular saddle. And it is soooo comfy.

Hopefully it will work until I decide what I really want in my next saddle. I think that will really depend on which of my two boys becomes my main riding horse. I ordered mine from Horse Dream Importers and they have been really responsive in answering my questions and sent along a free bottle of special detergent to wash my new pad.



6 comments:

  1. Question: Do you feel like you could "get away" with showing in it at a schooling show? I have been eyeing these or a tree-less saddle for dressage, and honestly I have not liked the feel of some of the treeless options.

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    1. Good question. Would depend on the individual culture of the schooling show I guess. I will ask my trainer what she thinks too. I have not been a fan of any treeless saddles I have tried either. I like this fancy bareback pad though. It does not put me out of balance like other treeless saddles have.

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  2. It looks like a good option for now until you figure out what you want and who you'll be riding most.

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  3. That pad looks really interesting to me. I'm going to check it out.

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  4. Ooo these are fancy looking but also look super comfy

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  5. The hubby and I have been toying with the idea of getting our girl a pony, since her friends at school ride.. but we've NEVER owned horses, just small livestock like goats... posts like these get me researching and googling again lol... - http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com

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