Saddles and More Saddles

Rain Yesterday, Friends Today

As for saddles....I know have in my temporary possession, an Ansur Elite jumping saddle, a Westernaire treeless western saddle and my saddles, all for a soon to come Ansur saddle demonstration. My car will be full when I finally go.

I have to ride in the Westernaire first, which I was going to do today. But, then I realized I wasn't sure if I had a good western pad to use and a cinch for the saddle.  I do own at least two cinches, but be darned if I could find either one--it's been over 20 years since I rode western. I did have my saddle pads--one fuzzy one that's OK and one nice blanket pad that needed washing. So, I washed and hung it out of the fence to dry along with a long girth to use with the jumping saddle.  Then, I headed off to the tack store to see if I could find a cinch.

Picking the right length was a bit of a challenge. I ended up getting a 28" once since my dressage girths range from 24"-28" and the western saddle is not much different...I hope.  Then, I realized I was supposed to meet a friend for an early dinner--we like to hit The Olive Garden before the soup and salad lunch special stops--so I had to head over to the restaurant.

By the time I got back home, it was time to feed the Boys, so the notion of trying the saddle today kind of vanished in a twinkling. Now it's supposed to rain again tomorrow, so looks like I'll have to put it off for another day.

I am not a western rider, although I did a little competing western "back in the day."  But I will be interested to see how the treeless western saddle feels.  And, since I am a saddle company representative, I really think I need to have ridden in all the saddles I show to prospective clients. I've ridden in the jumping saddle already, and I must admit, were I still competing hunter/jumper, I'd have one in an instant. Treeless is the way to go for my horses, and that saddle is both super comfortable for me, but it also put me in just the right balanced position for riding hunter/jumper. Like the dressage saddle, Ansur seems to have really thought out the needs of riders and made saddles super well suited to the discipline they are intended for.

On my Sunday demo, the woman is a trail rider and the Excel dressage saddle suited her perfectly. Sure enough, the Endeavor, the trail model is based on the Excel balance and seat design with just a few little tweaks.  There is another trail saddle--the Enduro--that's based upon the Westernaire seat, so riding in the saddle I have will give me a good feel for the Enduro as well.

I substitued at the Academy on Monday, but it was rainy and cold anyhow. I'd thought perhaps I might want to take a swim after school, but I simply could not bring myself to go to the pool to get wet and then have to drive home in the chill.  Guess I am a summer whimp when it comes to swimming after all.