Staying Home

Big sigh. OK, fine. Practicality wins out. I am not going to Moab this weekend after all. Several things seemed to be conspiring against me for the trip. But one of the biggest reasons I am staying home is to save the gas money (since I was only going to hang out in camp and not compete anyway) and put it toward my new saddle instead!

I spent an entire afternoon on the taking pictures, emailing pictures, faxing a wither tracing, and talking on the phone to the Down Under Saddlery people. Ricki helped by analyzing Flyboy's size and shape and the fit of my Longreach endurance saddle. It has caused the hair on his back/loin to be rubbed thin. I adjusted the placement of the saddle, readjusted the breast collar, etc, and while that may have helped some, the bottom line was that the saddle is simply too wide for his shoulder.

After a lot of discussion, reading, research, and thought, I have decided to invest in a new saddle. It's another Australian saddle that Ricki from Down Under says will fit Flyboy very well. I got a screaming deal on it, so I hope it fits him and me! I decided on an Aussie saddle again, because that Longreach has kept me safe and secure through some pretty rough spots on both Flyboy and Riyah. Extra security feels good on the greenies!
If it is truly a good fit for us both, then we should be happy to have a good saddle that will last us a long time.

I hope all the endurance riders have a blast this weekend. The Moab canyons ride is my very favorite! I was hoping to see a few friends, too. Ah, well. We'll keep on getting Fly ready for his debut next spring. He still needs lots of riding and tons of good experiences. And arena work. And ground games. And confidence building lessons. Etc, etc, etc! It's all good.