Like the saddle? Or the messy desk? Or both? Nonetheless, the saddle came in one week! I was anticipating two to three weeks like the confirmation email had said. Go horse.com!
- Wintec 500 Dressage (not the Pro version... this one lacks the unsightly and dysfunctional thigh blocks)
- Black (obviously.... cuz it's a dressage saddle, right? Though I've seen brown ones that look pretty snazzy)
- 18" seat for my long legs. And the seat itself is deep but not huge and the leg panels are nice and long, which is perfect.
- Easy change gullet system... comes with medium and hopefully that will work. If not, I have a feeling a medium wide will work. This is a great idea because it is much cheaper to get a different gullet than it is to get a whole new saddle or get it readjusted by a professional saddler (these are meant so you can open it, screw it in, and go actually ride on the saddle!)
- Synthetic! Easy to take care of.... and I didn't kill three cows........ and it still looks like leather. I don't like cows, but the thought of two or three for a petty saddle.... jeez!
- Downside: long billets! PLEASE don't tell me I have to get a new girth. Won't be a killer, but still :(
Greta had her spurt of "craziness" from the beginning of her heat cycle yesterday. Today she was a saint. I give credit to the raspberry leaves once a day only when she's in heat (does wonders for moody mares) and the fact that I'm used to her now. She's also used to where she is. Instructor says that she's also starting to trust me and get used to my crazy riding. Aww. I love you too, der Greters!
I'll be posting up pics and video tomorrow of the test ride. Hopefully all will go well!
I also want to post some actual stories soon. Maybe some more opinions. We'll see what comes up!
Nice blog! I am in San Antonio and I need to find a couple of decent tack stores that are more of the English persuasion if you know what I mean. Could you recommend the best tack store(s) to go to up in Austin? I'll make a day of it and hit Ikea too! I need: riding pants, a breast collar, and a helmet for my TINY six year old niece....Thanks for the help!!!!
ReplyDelete~Mindy
Well, there's not any that I'm aware of in Austin. There is a huge tack store down in Seguin called D&D Farm and Ranch Supplies that has a lot of western and a good selection of English tack. They had a lot of little kid's riding clothes when we went there too (some really cute jodhpurs that I wish came in my size haha!)
ReplyDeleteI do most of my horse shopping online as there's not much but feed stores and western riding tack around here. The English stores are usually way overpriced. I got my saddle for about $150 off on horse.com!
IKEA is huge! And they have some interesting stuff. Some good buys too. The Round Rock Premium outlets next door is really nice too, though definitely not as nice as the big outlet mall in San Marcos. It would take a lot to beat the one down in San Marcos!
HA HA!!! I know all about Ikea! I am from Philadelphia and have lived in D.C. and Miami. I so miss REAL tack stores, being from the snobby East Coast.... I was hoping to find WAAAAYYY better than D&D in Austin. I thought there were a bunch of snobby English barns up there! OH WELL! Back to online buying for me too... Just didn't wanna have to buy my riding pants online.... To me they are like jeans...must be tried on!!! Funny post about your friend, but he doesn't have horses in his blood so he couldn't possibly EVER understand how badly he put his boot in his mouth eh? :)
ReplyDeleteHaha! Well, yeah there is a bunch of snobby english barns up here, and snobby tack stores too! It's just better to go online. Actually, now that I think about it, there is a nice-sized English tack store at the Rio Vista barn in south Austin near ABIA. Don't know about their prices, though.....
ReplyDeleteOh, my friend has horses in his blood. He was raised by his grandmother who is an AVID horse person. Very knowledgeable about equines and western riding and groundwork, and her good friend was trained in dressage by a Spanish Riding School "graduate". He and his younger brother just wasn't as into them as his younger sis, another good friend of mine.
He's a teenage boy: of course they don't know any better heehee!