Yesterday, I spent the afternoon helping a client do some saddle fitting. Reminded me why I ride English.
Recipe for a tired human: heave four western saddles into pickup … lug four western saddles out of pickup and sling onto hitch rail … place one saddle gently onto horse’s back to check fit … hmmm, not bad … place second saddle on horse’s back … nope, no good … place third saddle on horse’s back … better, but needs different padding … take off saddle, change padding, replace … repeat … repeat. … watch owner ride horse in saddle … remove saddle … place fourth saddle on horse … nope, no good … replace first saddle … change padding, replace … repeat … repeat … repeat … heave saddles back into pickup and drive to where I borrowed them and haul them all the way around the house and barn and replace in tack room. Whew!
Yes, the owner has vital info. on a saddle that fit his horse nicely (he just needs the version two inches bigger for himself) and a padding system that makes his current saddle passable until he finds one that fits both. But, what a process. Yikes!
Clipart courtesy Daily ClipArt