I am woeful. I have no saddle. Seriously, I think I'm going to have to either start riding bareback or make my horse deal with an ill-fitting saddle. Which he's more than happy to do, obviously, since he has already, but I don't think that's fair. Have I mentioned he's actually got white hairs coming up in a roaning pattern under where the saddle has been sitting?
Actually I don't think bareback riding is good for his weak back either. BUT - I am happy to report that I rode my boy bareback for the first time ever tonight. It was... interesting. I think I've mentioned that he's built kind of like a trout. Slab-sided, deep heart girth, slightly raised spine, kinda wobbly for sitting on. I'll never forget how weird he felt the first time I rode him. And that was with a saddle. I think we did alright tonight, despite my nerves. He didn't seem to care in the least. I, on the other hand, did not do as well. Reflexively hanging on with my legs, which he thought meant I wanted him to trot, then telling him "whoa, whoa." Poor guy. But he didn't get flustered. He did a wonderful side-pass a couple times. I'm sure I was asking for it, but I didn't intend to. I think when I try it again I'm going to be in the round pen with a regular old wide nylon halter on him, so I know I'm not jerking on his mouth when I lose my balance. I did try to grab mane instead, but it didn't always happen that way, I'm sad to say.
So anyway, keep your fingers crossed for me that something strange will happen and a well-fitting saddle will fall into my lap. Well, not literally. That would hurt. I'm really tempted to go out and buy a Powerball ticket tomorrow... I've got as much chance as anyone else, right? Which makes the odds pretty good, right? Yeah, I know, I'm deluding myself. But sometimes it's a lot of fun to be delusional.
You can use my ortho flex saddle. I'll be in Spokane on the 2nd to see the doctor, if you want me to bring it up there I will. I haven't used it for years and won't be riding for awhile. It's a hybrid thing. A cross between a western and English. I bought it when the Australia saddle I bought for my Morgan didn't agree with him. It's been 19 years and I can't remember what the deal was. Anyway, so I got this ortho flex and he loved it.
ReplyDeleteI kind of like the cheap Abetta saddle because it's so light for me to put on. The ortho flex was scratched by a cat pretty bad so you don't have to worry about it.
When I was a teenager I could ride as well bareback as well as with a saddle. It takes awhile to build up good bareback riding muscles. I could NEVER do it now. I even used to jump bareback! Use his mane to balance yourself and it's also handy for mounting. I remember trotting was the worse thing, cantering and galloping are wonderful. Slowing back down has to be done slowly and smoothly though. Falling off is easier bareback I remember. lol
If you want to use the ortho flex my email is arlenelyons@hotmail.com
Arlene, you are so sweet! I would love to try it, if we can figure out how to get it here. I'm not going to be around on the 2nd.
ReplyDeleteI can ride bareback really well on our old fat appy mare. Even her trot is butter smooth and easy to sit. But she's wide as a barn. And she's not sensitive to leg pressure at all. My daughter, who has only ever rode that horse bareback, was rubbing it in. "Well mom, you just have to get used to it, bareback is easy." Yeah, on HER horse. I was so tempted to put her up on Tonka and see how she liked that feeling.