(no subject)
Happy Belated New Year, all!
Quick note, friends that have called the last few days/week, apologies if I haven't gotten back to you. Life has been...well, crappy for a while, and then just plain crazy. Will return calls/emails as soon as I can. :)
So! Today, I did something I've been hemming, hawing, and planning over for about 5 or 6 months. I BOUGHT A NEW SADDLE!
It is the first time I have ever owned a brand new saddle. I was always a bigger fan of buying used, because breaking in a saddle is...well, painful. But...this was such a good deal and a brand that I know and like, so there it is. I ended up getting a Henri de Rivel Advantage, a good mid-level saddle and great quality for the price. Over the past few months, I've test ridden an Ashland, two HDRs, a Harry Dabbs, a Bates, and a Crosby. Both HDRs won out, but I preferred the flatter seat of the Advantage over the Pro A/O...the price difference was a couple of hundred, so I went with the most comfortable. Anyway, it is a beauty of a saddle, a nice oakbark color, wool flocked - so if I ever need it adjusted, it's much easier than foam.
Time to retire my faithful Thornhill, which I've had since I was...14? Fifteen? I will not be selling it, though...two saddles will come in handy. But it was time...I'm one of the last people I know to get out of a flat saddle, and frankly, with my joint issues, it was high time I got one with knee blocks.T his saddle will do us well for both the hunter ring and lower-level eventing for the time being. Eventually I'll need a dressage saddle too (if we go above Training in eventing), but this is fine for now.
Everything else is going okay. If it isn't, it's overshadowed by my excitement over my new saddle.
Hope everyone had a great New Year!
Quick note, friends that have called the last few days/week, apologies if I haven't gotten back to you. Life has been...well, crappy for a while, and then just plain crazy. Will return calls/emails as soon as I can. :)
So! Today, I did something I've been hemming, hawing, and planning over for about 5 or 6 months. I BOUGHT A NEW SADDLE!
It is the first time I have ever owned a brand new saddle. I was always a bigger fan of buying used, because breaking in a saddle is...well, painful. But...this was such a good deal and a brand that I know and like, so there it is. I ended up getting a Henri de Rivel Advantage, a good mid-level saddle and great quality for the price. Over the past few months, I've test ridden an Ashland, two HDRs, a Harry Dabbs, a Bates, and a Crosby. Both HDRs won out, but I preferred the flatter seat of the Advantage over the Pro A/O...the price difference was a couple of hundred, so I went with the most comfortable. Anyway, it is a beauty of a saddle, a nice oakbark color, wool flocked - so if I ever need it adjusted, it's much easier than foam.
Time to retire my faithful Thornhill, which I've had since I was...14? Fifteen? I will not be selling it, though...two saddles will come in handy. But it was time...I'm one of the last people I know to get out of a flat saddle, and frankly, with my joint issues, it was high time I got one with knee blocks.T his saddle will do us well for both the hunter ring and lower-level eventing for the time being. Eventually I'll need a dressage saddle too (if we go above Training in eventing), but this is fine for now.
Everything else is going okay. If it isn't, it's overshadowed by my excitement over my new saddle.
Hope everyone had a great New Year!