Saddle snob

I'm a lucky lucky girl in that last year I put myself in debt and brought a Prestige Event saddle and a County Innovation for Kate and Connie respectively. These saddles are delicious and the county is the closest I have ever gotten to getting a saddle to fit Connie who is pencil shaped. Round topped but not actually that broad.

Bill horse is by a Dutch Warmblood stallion who wasn't freaky big, out of a very petite TB mare, and somehow she has grown into a Quarter horsesque solid monster freak. She is only about 16hh tall but she is so broad and her shoulders are massive. So clearly saddle fit is a problem. She is not bad in Connies saddle but it actually still isn't broad enough because it wants to ride forward.

Anyway, in a blast of unparalleled smarts I realised I just needed to make a custom gullet for my long forgotten Bates, that has sat in the shed for a year. The farrier bent up the gullet for me and hurrah a gullet that fits Bill, though my saddle protested a little at the stretch. It needs a little padding at the front because she is downhill but she rode really nicely and freely and seemed a little more balanced in her canter, though she did just have her feet done so that could have helped as well.

The issue then I hear you ask? I don't like the Bates. It's all not calf skin and not luxurious. The Prestige is a beautiful balanced saddle to sit in and the county is a freaking dream. It feels like you couldn't fall out of it if you wanted too. You sit in the county and you sit ON the Bates. Bah I'm a saddle snob, and I really can't afford to be! Still as long as Bill is happy I will suck it up