Good afternoon
| September 6, 2013 | Posted by Melinda under Uncategorized |
Went to Auburn this morning to the Used Saddle Connection and took a look at the Solstice that was there. It’s marked as a “N”, but the gullet looks like a medium. They let me take it home with me and I’ll put it on Farley to see how it looks. It’s an excellent price ($850), and the leather is in very good condition. It doesn’t have wool serge panels like my last one, but the leather is in better condition. I’m very hopeful that it works. OK. To be honest, I’m completely ecstatic I found one in such good condition for such a good price and I cannot WAIT to take a spin in it, and fully expect to be all teary eyed and emotional the entire time for that first ride. And if it doesn’t work, a friend found another local one on craigslist for just slightly more money so either way, *MY* saddle is waiting for me in the eminent future.
I had a trim appointment this morning and took pics of hooves post-trim to post, but I just can’t bring myself to. I’m happy with her feet and my trimmer, and I feel like posting pics only opens the floor to criticism that I don’t necessarily need or want right now, so what’s the point?
So, instead I’m posting a body condition photo. I’m super happy with her weight. We are 6 weeks or so post Tevis. The Barn owner is really really good about about monitoring her weight and is constantly adjusting her feed up or down depending on work. She’s been too skinny in the past so this 5.5/9 BCS makes me really really happy. She still doesn’t have the muscling, especially in her rump, that she had when in regular work, but overall very happy.
(So yes, I’m totally editing this post after it posted the first time :). Realized I forgot 2 thoughts…)
Forgotten thought #1: How do you like her mane? It’s half grown out and I’m trying to decide whether to roach again or let it grow out?
Forgotten thought #2: My first solstice I found for a really good price probably was still for sale when I found it because it was mislabeled in the ad. The seller had (incorrectly) measured and reported the seat size as a 16″…..but the picture she posted had the info stamped into the flap that clearly showed it was a 17″. 16″ seats are a lot less popular than 17″ :). My gain. This solstice is stamped as a N, but it really looks like the actual gullet size is a medium (M). It’s a possibility that this saddle started out as a narrow (which I can’t find that they ever manufactured a narrow, but hey – not everything is on google right?) and was adjusted to a medium. In the world of fat broad-backed, big barrel arabs, mediums (and wides) are a lot more popular than narrows. Again, I find a “mislabeled” saddle whose price is a good deal. My point is, if you are trying to find a certain saddle and barely have the funds for what they seem to be “going for”, it may pay to closely look at the ads and see if a good deal that isn’t the right size, may actually be the correct saddle for you!
One thing I forgot to say in the post – see her mane? It’s about half grown out. Roach it again or let it grow?
leave mane for now–looks good 1/2 grown out(not a bad length). can roach anytime.
That’s so great that you found “your” saddle! As for the mane, I think it looks great the way it is:) I’ve got a Friesian, and I always fantasize about roaching the mane because it’s such a huge amount of work to take care of it properly (which I don’t), so if you can roach the mane, do it! There are so many better things to spend time on than pulling, braiding, detangling, and brushing:)
Yay, saddle!
I’m lucky that Fee’s mane is long and thin–easy to take care of, even in our climate. Run a comb through it once or twice a month, it’s good to go. Otherwise, yeah, it would be gone. But it’s pretty, so I leave it!
Saddles can be a nightmare to find, can’t they? Glad you’ve got sorted. I have recently hogged my Arab gelding’s mane because it just looked such a mess, rubbed bits from rugs, bald bits from where he’d rubbed it, so I took it all off, he looks great, deciding whether to let it grow back or keep it hogged.
Angela – author of http://160kminoneday.blogspot.co.uk
HOLY CRAP HER MANE. IT GROWS SO FAST. I want some of her mane growing mojo for Q. That is INSANE.
And beyond my double take at her mane, haha, she looks pretty effin’ awesome right now. How fortunate to have such an awesome BO who monitors and adjusts feed like that!
Hahahaha. Yes, it grows like hooves post 100 miles :-). It looks like the consensus is leave it….so I think until it starts requiring maintenance I’ll leave it. It actually laid flat the entire growing out so now I know I won’t have to deal with weirdness if I so roach if again, I’m more likely to so it if needed. I did miss the fly protection it gave over the summer!!!!!
Hope the saddle fits! If it doesn’t have the wool serge, is it just a leather bottom? That’s what I have, totally love it, cleans up better too.
And I get you on the hoof photos. I can never take any that don’t distort, look weird. And I know the things that are wrong, we’re working on them. So I don’t post, because I have enough opinions in my life.