I ordered my new saddle yesterday. I've been on the fence about this for sometime now. I have an About the Horse barrel saddle that I love! It fits Grace better than any saddle I've ever had her in and I love the way it fit me. The only thing is, we are not running barrels - not now and most likely not ever again. Earlier this year I accepted that if I wanted to keep Grace sound, barrel racing would not be in our future. Then when we started Western Riding and got back into Trail, it was pretty clear that it was the direction we both wanted to go in.
Can I let you in on a deep dark secret? Barrel Racing kind of scares the crap out of me! I don't want anyone to know because then you all won't think I'm tough, but then again I am the same girl that sat through a 3 hour tattoo session and actually enjoyed it. There is just something about running full speed at a 55 gallon steel drum that my brain and body just won't let me fully accept as something it wants to do. I know that I had a tendency to hold Grace back and it would piss her off to no end. I also know that if I want to haul down the road and run barrels that I could get about 2 years out of Grace before she would break down. On the other hand, if I do the events that she is actually built for, I may be looking at another 10 years.
With that in mind, the only thing holding me back on the saddle switch was my love for the barrel saddle and of course the cash.The final push for me was when I saw a picture of myself from the last horse show in the barrel saddle. I have to admit, it just didn't look right. I've ordered one of Dave's new "Anato Tree" reining saddles. The price is very reasonable and the sale of the About The Horse barrel saddle should cover most of it. Dave tells me it should be done in about 10 weeks, pictures will be up just as soon as it arrives.
Aww congrats for you! Im super excited for you! So...details? Roughout? Obviously its the reining style, but color? The Anato tree is a good line and inexpensive. At least YOU dont have to go through seven months of bareback riding! :P
ReplyDeleteThose are great saddles. I'm hoping to get a lightweight saddle from Dave for trail riding Pie - he's about finished growing and filling out and now I just have to get him back to work and fit and measured . . .
ReplyDeleteBarrel racing is for young girls whose brains haven't fully developed. At least that's my opinion.
ReplyDelete@ Nina - it will be the same as in the picture, but without the roughout, will have some tooling there instead. Not as many options with the Anato tree as there are in the About the Horse line. Oh and a 15.5 inch seat.
ReplyDelete@smazourek - Spot on!! If I was 16 again....