Willy had the saddle fitter come out today. Firstly, we try to keep his dressage saddle checked 2x a year, with his bone spur, we want to make sure everything fits just right. But, even more exciting, we had the opportunity to start looking at some jump saddles. Willy and I had a jump lesson with our trainer on Friday, and it was just about the most fun I've had with him in a very long time. It started as a serpentine exercise with poles on the ground. We did it at the walk, and then the trot, and then my trainer moved up the two center pieces to little cross rails (sorry my paint diagram is so terrible).
The two Xs in the middle are the cross rails. As the diagram above shows, we did it one direction a couple of times, and then we came back and did it from the opposite direction. At first my trainer had said she wasn't going to put the two middle ones to jumps, but that we were making it too easy. Willy was super handy, and making those tight turns like a champ. He was so rideable and half-halted beautifully, but was still so full of joy, like he always is during jump lessons. I really do love this horse and appreciate his complete and utter enthusiasm for jumping. What I have also really grown to appreciate is that he is very school horse in his mannerisms when it comes to jumping these days. I never thought my pony would be point and shoot (he really still isn't, there's still a lot of active riding involved, but he very rarely balks at a jump these days).
Because of that awesome lesson, I was extra enthusiastic about having the saddle fitter come out for jump saddles. I was 95% sure I knew exactly what saddle I wanted, and he brought one with him, but he had me try one other first, which Willy and I did not like (and it didn't fit him well either). Then the saddle fitter put us in a 17.5in Medium County Solution Monoflap, and all I could say was that it felt like we were exactly where we were supposed to be--my exact words were "it feels like home." This was the saddle I was fairly certain we wanted. My trainer has an 18in that we both love, but it's a bit big for the both of us (my trainer has very long legs and Willy has a very short back). So the fact that I was able to try one that fit the both of us, well needless to say my trainer was very pleased with how we both looked, and the saddle fitter knew as soon as we rode around, that this was the one. My one complaint is that County doesn't allow their Reps to really sell the demos they have "on the truck." Even though the perfect saddle was sitting right in front of me, I couldn't buy it right there. All county saddles are handmade by the order, so my two options were get a custom county that would take 16 weeks and cost twice as much as my budget, or start looking online for used saddles. I HATE saddle shopping almost as much as I hate selling saddles, but alas, now I know my dream saddle is out there somewhere. So if you know anyone selling a 17.5in Medium County Solution Monoflap, tell them I am looking! Also, if anyone needs help at their farm, let me know, because if I book enough gigs, maybe I'll just go ahead and order a custom saddle for Willy (I am not over here watching my checkbook weep).
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