Crystal Clear

On Tuesday, I was lucky enough to have a saddle fitter come out to the ranch to custom fit TC for a new saddle and let me try it out! I feel weird writing about it (you'll see), so I've decided to not disclose the company name. I might just keep company names out of this whole journey. 

I'm going to first talk about how much I adore this company. They asked me SO MANY QUESTIONS about both myself and TC. They had me take so many measurements and actually had me redo them because I didn't get it quite right. The price for the fitting was reasonable and not only did they let me keep the saddle for two weeks, they offered me a rental policy if I still wasn't sure after the two weeks. 

The fitter was just brilliant. I learned so much about TC and about myself and what I like in a saddle. She had me sit in the saddles not on TC and then on him. She was able to custom fit them to him and make adjustments during the fitting. Generally, I so strongly recommend this company. So why the secrecy?

He is a totally different shape these days. I mean,
he is kind of fat, but given that he's in light work,
I think he's got a decent topline on him finally!

TC. Hated. It. 

How did I know? See his reaction below. 

I can't tell you the last time this horse reared! 

I have never had TC react so poorly to something. And the saddle fitter, who has been doing this for a long time and is so unbelievably well respected all over the world, said she's never had a horse react poorly to the saddle. We were both flummoxed. TC is not a horse who rears, he is more likely to bolt or leap, but he does sometimes balk (but not with a rear). But he was PISSED. This was after a few attempts at getting him to trot and having him balk. 

That was the highest he went. He gave me ample warning, he did what Rico does actually, where he flips an ear on me to be like "really, do you need me to be more clear about my opinion? okay..." and then he planted both hind legs, rocked back and came up just like that, and then came back down and trotted off shaking his head at me. It was all very controlled and while it did make the saddle fitter a little worried for me, I got to sound like a psychopath being like "nah he's fine, he wouldn't hurt me" like an idiot who raised a bear cub only to get mauled by it. 

What we got after a longe

I got off to longe him just in case and then I got back on and he trotted around a bit. We called it there, but I kept the saddle just in case. I loved the saddle in the posting trot, I felt so secure and so close to him. 

My theory was that he was mad at us for taking too long and riding him at dinner time. The fitting was thorough and when we finally got into the arena, it was windy, the birds were going insane, and he thought the other horses were getting fed. He generally likes to work, even during feeding time (we did that a lot at my old barn), but maybe the standing around, the wind, the birds, the fact that there was a new porta-potty nearby the arena (my parents just started construction on their house) just drove him up the wall and he didn't want to play our game. 

He's got more muscle in his pecs
now too!

I came out on Wednesday and rode him in the trail saddle I've been riding him in that I know he likes. He was great at walk and trot but balked into canter. Innnnteresting. I got off and longed him again and did a bunch of trot to canter transitions, then just took him in. I started panicking slightly that maybe he's hurt, maybe he's sick, maybe his feet hurt, maybe maybe maybe. 

I chatted with Kate about it and debated whether to give him bute and ride him on Thursday to see if I could at least eliminate pain. I decided against that, but decided to take my clicker with me, longe him first, click for forward, and just try to ride in the saddle again. It's literally custom fit to him, he IS sound, he can give me ten minutes so I can see how it goes when he isn't annoyed at being taken out late or whatever. 

This all worked great, he was much more forward and only balked a little bit at the walk. I clicked for go and he was quite forward. We did some posting trot again and I was bummed that he had been balky because the saddle felt amazing again. If I could clone that seat and slap it onto whatever saddle I end up with, I'd do it. 

Way more symmetrical!

Then, and I'm so glad I did this, SO GLAD, I sat his trot. I don't sit his trot right now, he's too weak, I'm too weak, it's all bad. I don't know why I decided to do it. 

My back immediately was like NO WAY NOT GOING TO WORK. I sat the trot for maybe 8 seconds each way and my back did not like it at all. I have no idea why! I have some theories but don't want to get into any of them because it doesn't matter. 

My back is SUPER picky and obnoxious. If I knew this about my back when I first got injured, I could have saved myself so much pain. Just riding in a saddle where the seat is slightly different or the balance is slightly off can have me fucked up for weeks. 

So, it doesn't matter why TC was weird that day, we can't get this saddle. I still don't know why he's been a bit balky, I'm sure lots of people might be wondering about him holding a grudge about that first day but he just isn't that horse. I don't know and I don't care, we're back to being saddleless so I'll do some long lining work with him and some trail riding and figure it out later. He's gone through phases where he balks, it's not an unusual behavior for him. 

This is so exciting to me, this is his
right shoulder that was jammed down
and it's now almost the same height
as his left shoulder!

So I'm bummed. I love this company, I love the saddle fitter, I love their policies, it doesn't make sense to me why TC said no so aggressively and why my back hated it. 

Now I'm back to the drawing board. I've been talking to Jen a TON and do have the information for the saddlery she is using. I'm not two-years-into-looking desperate yet so I'll be trying some local saddlers first. 

So far, I think TC wants this: 

- lots of shoulder freedom (short tree points? or flexible ones? or angled ones? don't know)

- stability behind the saddle

And I definitely need this:

- super narrow twist

- more angled/horizontal thigh blocks

- stability under the saddle and behind the saddle (aka not treeless)

I'm going to start going insane and bringing everyone out to my barn. Everyone. And if anyone has any saddles they'd recommend, let me know!