We didn't use it enough to annoy my back, but it did make me realize how much of a difference the saddle makes for TC. He really adores it and it fits him like a glove. Even though he is a different shape now than he was this last summer.
I've been back and forth on the saddle front, there are so many options, but I think I have an idea of what I want to do at this point. It's kind of absurd but this journey is going to be a little absurd.
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| TC says yes I love this saddle |
Essentially, TC and I are looking at another development year. And during this time, I am hoping/expecting him to change his body shape quite a lot. So even if I were to buy a traditional saddle, the saddle I buy this winter may not even fit him next winter, even if the tree can be changed (due to the shape of the panels maybe needing to change). I can't imagine he won't change shape, and if he actually doesn't, then I will probably call it on the dressage front with this horse. But we will just assume that this work is going to be the answer to his issues. He's already looking like a different horse.
So knowing that even if I buy something perfect now, I might have to buy two saddles, I've decided to just plan on doing that.
I have a message into the butterfly rep to see if she can come out and bring me a variety of what they carry to see if we can get something that fits me better than Kate's saddle does.
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| He doesn't look bad in my bareback saddle but neither of us love it |
This way I have something to ride in for the next year that I KNOW will fit TC and won't need any adjustments (since it adjusts itself). I mean that is saving me a ton of money anyway, right? Given what most saddle fitters charge and that I'd probably be getting one out once a month for a year. Plus then there will be no days/weeks/months where I know the saddle isn't fitting and we have to wait for the fitter. It will just fit. Every day.
After a year, when he's more of a normal dressage shape, I plan on figuring out a better saddle for me that also fits him. This could potentially be me just getting my Custom fit to him again! He went well in that saddle for a while, after all. Maybe if he's got an actual topline protecting his shoulders, the saddle will be able to be fit him properly. This could also mean that I end up buying a saddle from the local saddle maker who says that he can do a fully custom saddle for me and for TC for under $5k. That would be really amazing and honestly, that's a deal for something fully custom that comes with two years of free fittings. Even that plus the Butterfly will be only a little more than a lot of fully custom saddles and I'd have two saddles.
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| Such a good boy |
The other upside is that the Butterfly will fit Sunny and I would like to do some WE and/or dressage shows on him if I can swing it.
And moving forward, it'll fit TC between saddle fittings, it'll be helpful to have to compare to his saddle to see if I need to get the fitter out, it'll be great to use if I event Flounder this coming year, it'll be good to use on my future horse before I buy that horse his own saddle, and it'll fit any horse I choose to lease.
Plus, I have a slew of back issues that need to be and CAN be addressed this year. Outside of the saddle, my back is probably at its worst it's been since the original injuries this year. I need to figure out my gym situation, which dissolved during COVID and hasn't returned, and I'm not sitting TC's trot, which was my saving grace during iffy times. This January the SO is so excited to send me to the doctor whenever he wants because I'll be on his plan. First step is to fix my back. I want x-rays and potentially an MRI to see what is going on in there, then physical therapy to fix it all.
So there is a chance that the saddle will be fine for my back and I won't actually have to buy a second saddle. But I feel confident that I can swing the second saddle if necessary.
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| I just want this horse every day |
So that's the latest in my saddle brainstorming! Who knows if I will be able to bite the bullet. I am hoping the fitter will allow me to keep it for a month but I know that's unusual. I think if TC says yes and my butt says okay, I'll go for it.
I've gone ten years without buying a saddle worth more than $1000. It's time for me to pay my dues to the saddle fitting gods I think. Two saddles in a year sounds like a lot, but I figure a lot of eventers have to do that! And let's not forget that my new horse will need at least a jumping saddle and that will happen in the next few years (hopefully!). It was a nice ten years.
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