Oops! I Did It Again!

I bought another saddle.

I didn't really *need* to, but I needed to.  My lovely County Conquest (which was actually up here for a little while) is just far too wide for the horses I've been riding - so much that I was beginning to doubt that I even liked my saddle!  I just felt like I could not get my leg on the horse.  It turns out that I'm okay with a wide twist only if it is on a wide horse.

There was a Butet I was riding in, and it was okay for a while.  It certainly worked better on the narrower creatures than my County.  Over time, however, it became less okay, and I really felt like I was fighting to keep my leg under me.  The flap was not a good fit at all, either.  But I made do.
Eventually, I was looking one day at the used saddle selection at Beval.  They didn't have what I thought I wanted (a narrower County), but the lady working there had me sit in some different things.  One was and18" Premium Butet with a 2.25 flap (compared to the 17" 2 flap I'd been riding in) for the bargain price of $5700.  Not happening.  She then asked me if I'd ever sat in a CWD, and I replied that I hadn't.

So she sat me in a CWD.  Let me tell you, that saddle was the most comfortable, cloud-like thing I've ever had the privilege of planting my butt in.  It wasn't what I "wanted," though, so I wasn't willing to pull the trigger.

Three days later, I couldn't get the darn thing out of my head.  So I went back to Beval, sat in a few more things, and ended up taking a different CWD (we'll call this on CWD #2) on trial.  I will admit, the original CWD did not feel quite as cloud-like when I sat in it that time, but I still felt I had to just "get it out of my system," so to speak.

I've been anti-French-saddle for so long that I had zero intention of actually liking the saddle or thinking the saddle fit the horses I ride.  But dammit, when I was riding in it, my leg (my right leg in particular) just went where it was supposed to go.  And I don't mean just in the right place, but also turned correctly from the hip down.  I've always had a problem with my toes wanting to super-point out, but riding in that saddle, the problem just disappeared.  It was in no way that the saddle was forcing my leg into any particular position; my leg just "fell" into place.

Well, crap.  All that was basically the opposite of my planning to hate it.

So I rode in it a few days more.  And then Trainer L said she much preferred that saddle for me than the Butet I'd been using.

Well, crap.

And THEN Husband pointed out that I was complaining much less about back pain riding in that saddle - even compared to when I've ridden in a County.

Well, crap again.

So then the only question was whether I wanted a more forward flap.  If I was seriously considering spending that much money on a saddle, I owed it to myself to try a more forward flap.  I returned CWD #2 to find something else to try.  As luck would have it, I did find the same model and seat size in a different flap immediately.

So I took it on trial (let's call this one CWD #3).  Between the more forward flap and a different panel configuration, CWD #3 rode a bit differently than CWD #2, but it also fit the horses better.  After talking with a rep from CWD, I learned that the panel configuration of CWD #3 is considered their "Pro Panel" - a configuration which works relatively well for many horses.  (CWD #2 was more built up in the rear of the panel - probably to accommodate for a very uphill build or some similar conformation).  The more forward flap was a better fit for my leg.  And Trainer L said she much preferred CWD #3 over CWD #2.

So I made an offer on CWD #3 and the seller met me near the middle (I was willing to pay the asking price, so any amount less was just a bonus).

And I have a new (to me) saddle sitting on the saddle rack.

POSTSCRIPT - I had my (serious) doubts about how well this saddle would work for a wider horse, especially when I saw the perfect sweat pattern on the one the TBs.  Amazingly, however, CWD #3 was not nearly as much too narrow for one the horses I sometimes ride (an Appendix QH who is nearly as wide as Sparky) as I expected it to be.  It looks as though a simple change of panel configuration would result in a saddle which would fit the Appendix.  The same has held true for the other wider horses I ride - the saddle fits them much better than I was prepared for it to fit.  So much for my preconceived notions about French saddles (well, CWD, anyway).

Clothes Do Not Make the Man... er, Woman

I've joked before about how even if I try to look like a Hunter Princess, I completely fail.  And it's true.  You can put me in the exact same Tailored Sportsmans, EIS, and Charles Owen as anyone else who excels at the Hunter Princess Look (Lovely Rider, for instance... who just graduated college this weekend!  Props to her!!!) and I just do. not. look like a Hunter Princess.  So clearly, the clothes do not make the man.  I would say woman here, as I did in my title, but I actually kind of hate that "changing the words to express gender equality" thing.  Not that I don't support the idea of women and men being equal and being paid equally for equal work, yada, yada... it's just that I think merely changing man to woman (or person) doesn't actually promote equality between the sexes.  And also, I don't like change, generally speaking.

Alright, so, I digressed a bit.  Back to the idea of "the clothes don't make the man."  Yesterday is a great example.  I was wearing The Trendy Breeches (TS Trophy Hunters), one of The Trendy Shirts (TS IceFil... I have an EIS, but I really don't love the fit), The Trendy Helmet (Charles Owen AYR8), The Trendy Brand of Half Chaps (Tredstep) and A Trendy Brand of Paddock Boots (Ariat Devon Pro VX).  And a hairnet.  Can't forget the hairnet.  (Honorary Big Sister Jen, what has happened to me?)  So that basically reads like a "Who's Who of Correct (and Expensive) Hunter Princess Apparel", right?  And I should totally look the part, right?  I mean, hell, even my spurs and spur straps came from Beval.  BUT I DON'T.

Now, I will always joke that I am completely incapable of looking like a Hunter Princess.  And in reality, that's totally fine.  I don't spend the money on these things because I'm trying to look the part; I spend the money on these things because I absolutely believe that quality doesn't cost, it pays.  I've gotten far more use of yesterday's particular pair of TS than I have from any other pair of breeches.  A few weeks ago, Husband (have I used his real name here before?  I don't remember, it's been so long) actually asked if they were new.  Yup, three years ago they were new.  But yesterday, I looked at some pictures that Husband took while he was at the barn with me.  And the fact of the matter is this:

Right now, part of the reason I do not look like a Hunter Princess is because I am too heavy.

There.  I said it to the world.

Now, don't take this to mean that I think one needs to be model-thin to be a rider.  You don't need a thigh gap, or a cute booty, or impossibly long legs.  You just don't.  But you DO need to be fit.  And you DO need to be strong (not weight-lifter strong... but strong in your core).  And right now, I am not either of those.

My weight went up and down a bit when I was living in Atlanta (depending on what job I had at the time), but before I was married, I was at a pretty good "fighting weight" for me.  But after moving to New York, I didn't ride for a while, I didn't really work out, and I quit paying attention to what I was eating.  Consequently, I gained weight (big surprise) and ended up at basically the heaviest I've ever been and coming dangerously close to an "overweight" BMI.

I've been unhappy with my weight for a while now and had started taking steps towards making improvements.  I've been much better lately about watching what I eat and had lost a little weight - I'm starting to see a bit of a difference - but I hadn't realized what I looked like when I'm on a horse.  Seeing the pictures from yesterday strengthened my resolve to stay on track food-wise, but more importantly, to really make it a point to work out, get fitter, and get stronger.  It's not fair to me and it's not fair to the horses to have to lug around more weight than is really necessary.  And if I am serious about wanting to improve as a rider, then I need to really think of myself as an athlete.  And no serious athlete is okay with carrying around twenty extra pounds.  It's harder on the joints.  It's harder on the body.  And it's much harder to be effective when you're lugging around dead weight.

So today it starts.  I need better endurance so I'm not so dead after riding four horses (which I did yesterday).  I need better core strength to be able to support my position so I don't fall off during a spin and a buck (which I did on Saturday).  I need better leg strength so I don't get left behind on a horse with a big jump over an oxer (which I did last week).  I'm going to work out over my lunch break today (beginning a MWF schedule), alternating through cardio (for better endurance), core, and weight training.  And tomorrow (altering my usual T-Th schedule) I come into work early so I can leave early and ride two horses in the evening instead of my usual one.  I will go rock climbing with Husband at least one evening per week.  And I will continue to spend at least one entire day at the barn on the weekend, riding as many horses as possible.

I need to be an athlete so the horses I ride can be athletes.

And so my show coat fits.

I'll Keep You My Dirty Little Secret

PS - See those breeches?  Those are my wonderful, amazing, Tailored Sportsman Trophy Hunters in RUST!

Ok all, I have a confession to make.  I've been keeping a secret from you... but I can't bear to do so any longer.

I've been taking lessons.

I'm currently living pretty much in the heart of amazing hunter-jumper trainer-land, and I would be remiss to not take this opportunity to ride with them, learning as much as I can and really improving as a rider.

I am a good rider... but I want to be a great rider.  I want to be the kind of rider other people ask to have ride their horses.

And I'm now on the way.

Missing My Horses

I'm missing my horses pretty badly right now.  Both are doing well and their lessees (who are very sweet) are loving them, which makes me feel good, but I still miss them.  I can't help but see pictures and statuses posted on Facebook and think, "That should be me."

What makes this more frustrating is that my husband seems to think that now that both horses are leased out, I have no intention of having a horse up here!  For real?  We have discussed MANY times various options for me to have a horse up here, whatever horse that may be.  I can't be too mad at him, because overall, he really is supportive... he just tends to forget things sometimes.  But I still felt like kicking him.  Even if he does forget things sometimes, he knows how important horses are to me.

I'm thinking I might make a trip to Georgia soon to check in on them (and see my Atlanta friends!).  The trainer at Star's Lessee's barn also said that whenever I came down, she could have all kinds of horses for me to ride there, so I will probably take her up on that.

That's all for now, really.  Just wanted to get it off my chest.

I have Higher Standards... Do you?

If you know me, you probably know two things about me:
#1 - I'm a tack snob
#2 - I'm ridiculously picky about tack care products

You might also know that I frequent the Chronicle of the Horse forums.  When a thread popped up there about another poster's saddle soap - Bensmom saddle soap the review thread (if that's okay with Bensmom) - I initially ignored it.  But I kept seeing this thread.  And it kept getting longer.  By the time it was many pages long, I was intrigued.  So I started reading.  People LOVED this shit - including big-name grooms and trainers!  It appeared that it was imbued with magical properties that not only made tack very clean and supple but also compelled people to want to clean their tack.  And their before-and-after pictures they took were impressive.  So I gave in, and I bought some.  I used it once, and I loved it.  And I used it several times more, and loved it.  I bought it for friends.  I bought more for me.  I started recommending it.  I bought more for me.  I bought some for my Horses' Lessees (and more for me).

And I still didn't have pictures.

Until now.

So, back to #1.  I have nice tack (Beval, New Cavalry, Edgewood...).  I use nice tack on a "daily" basis.  Usually I'm pretty good about wiping it down after using it.  But not always.  And when other people rode my horses in my absence, they weren't always great about wiping it down, or at the very least, not to my standards.  Aaand, well, in this past very wet Georgia summer, some of it got moldy.  So after my horses went out on lease and I brought my remaining bridles back to New York, they were in pretty sad shape (though no longer moldy, at least).

BEFORE:

Sparky's New Cav - See the ear sweat crud?

Star's Beval - It should gleam.  It doesn't.

Both bridles were dry, dusty (dust had settled into the leather and along the ridges of the raised portions), leaving them looking decidedly dull and absolutely lacking in that beautiful gleam that well-cared-for leather should have.

Sparky's nose sweat

More grime

Sweat, grime, dust, residual mold and general grossness had accumulated.

Assorted pile of other "daily use" stuff

ThinLine Reins - Look at the grossness!

Star's Beval  - Still not gleaming

Star's Beval with nose sweat... or something

Note in particular, how disgusting my much-beloved ThinLine reins are.  That section covering where the ThinLine meets the leather should be havana, not icky grey-tan.  The ThinLine itself should be a nice, true black.

I used Higher Standards Starla's Sugar & Spice, which was a limited edition scent for the month of October.  It smells phenomenal!  I loved the scent so much that I strongly considered taking it with me to work to sniff occasionally.  While I managed to avoid that particular temptation, I could not avoid the temptation of purchasing a second jar of Sugar & Spice.  Nevermind the fact that I had barely made a dent in the original jar.  Or the special edition Confidence scent.  Or my initial Buzz's Citrus Ginger scent....

Really, you can't go wrong with any of the scents.  Ben's Rosemary Mint is a bit strongly mint-scented for my liking (still very nice, just not my personal taste - I'm not a "minty" person); Fox's Vanilla Lavender is quite a lovely scent - very aromatherapy-zen.  All of the scents are far superior to those of the most similar other product on the market, MOSS.

Not only do the soaps smell amazing, they also come with a perfect little cleaning sponge.  I loved the sponge so much that I found some just like it and bought a ten-pack.  The directions (which are printed on a label on the soap container!) instruct you to thoroughly wet the sponge, wring it out, rub it onto the soap without creating lather or suds, and then massage the soap into the leather.  Afterwards, wipe off with a damp sponge.  The idea of no lather or suds might terrify some, but truthfully, suds just make us feel better.  My personal preference for tack cleaners has always been sud-less.

It really does not take very much effort to remove all the nasties that accumulate on the leather.  Maybe a little extra pressure in some bad spots, but no fingernails necessary!  The soap doesn't get stuck in the buckle hol  Leather cleans up beautifully.  It's the awesome, perfect kind of clean that is not clean and dried-out, but it is clean and still supple.  Really, using this soap leaves the leather clean, soft, and supple - just like your face when you finally find the perfect combination of soap + moisturizer.  Seriously, like a baby's skin.  And you just can't help but touch it.  And ogle it.  And want to take it everywhere with you.

But wait, there's more!  Historically, I do *not* like balm-type conditioners for leather.  They always feel too waxy and gross.  This means I hate Passier, Stubben, Oakwood, etc.  I'm also not a huge fan of liquid conditioners - Effol Effax Leder-Soft and its ilk are out.  Of all that I have tried (and I've tried a lot), the only conditioner I have ever liked is Beval Akene conditioner.  But after a bout of sticker shock with my most recent purchase of Akene, I was willing to give the Higher Standards balm a shot.  Turns out, I have a new leather conditioner that I really like.  The balm does not leave the icky, gross, sticky residue on your hands that many others do.  And it doesn't smell like beeswax - it smells like delicious baked goods!

And now, for the

AFTER:

Both bridles - no more crud!

Look at the gleam on the straps!

Closeup of the cavessons

Look at that gleam!!!

Closeup of a pair of reins that were
particularly grungy.

Assorted pile of other things that were dirty

And the best part:

ThinLine reins, side by side
I shouldn't have to tell you, but
the one on the left is dirty and
the one on the right is clean.  Amazing!

Yes, I did a very bad thing and used the soap on my ThinLine reins.  I had always followed the company's directions and only wiped the reins down with a damp cloth, but I've had these long enough that they were getting stiff from all the residual dust, dirt, and yuck left on the ThinLine material.  They were in such bad shape that I figured anything I did wasn't going to make them worse.  They are now beautiful and black again and some of the original pliability has been restored.  They're not quite on par with a brand-new pair, but they are far from brand new, and pretty far gone in terms of pliability and grip.  Overall, the soap did a GREAT job with them, and I think they will continue to improve with judicious use of the soap.  And LOOK!  They're pretty again!  The soap also does a great job on rubber.

And for those who would like a picture of something not-very-dirty cleaned with the soap:

BEFORE:

The new saddle prior to my purchase - basically clean, well-cared-for, and in good shape overall.  No complaints.

A bit closer up - new saddle on day of purchase + my Prestige leathers

AFTER:

Holy cow!  Wow!  The new, not-very-dirty-at-all saddle (and my leathers) after cleaning with Higher Standards.
I thought maybe I should clean it before sending it out on lease with Star.
(Are you tired of seeing pictures of the new saddle yet?  I'm not.)

So are we convinced yet that Higher Standards makes the best tack cleaning product EVER?  I am.

Even better, it's a small business with an awesome proprietor and amazing customer service!  Truly, it does not get any better than that!

Buy it here: www.etsy.com/shop/HigherStandardsFarm

and buy it all.  Seriously, you won't be able to stop yourself.  You will need all of the scents.  And there's a special edition scent every other month to continue to fuel your need.

And now back to #2.  I have tried many, many tack cleaning products.  My previous favorites were MOSS (of which I had 2 containers - one for Georgia and one for NY), Tattersall's, and Kirk's Castile Soap for cleaners, Beval Akene for conditioner, and Blue Ribbon Oil for, well, oil.  After using Higher Standards, I gave away the MOSS and Tattersall's (castile still has its uses... I think).  I still have the Akene, but the price is more than I can stomach any longer, so I'm afraid to use it.  The Higher Standards balm, however, is an equally excellent product at a MUCH better price.

ETA - For those interested in the ingredients, this is a quote from the maker: "The ingredients in the balm are all edible even!  It is a secret blend of cocoa butter, beeswax, and a light oil."

So... do you have Higher Standards?

Unexpected

Sparky

Star

Well, I wasn't expecting this.  I have leased out both horses.  This was not my plan, nor my intention, but it is the reality.  I had started advertising Sparky for lease (and had gathered enough interest that a trial was arranged for the weekend I would be in Atlanta), but I had also privately offered a lease on Star to a neat kid of whom I am fond (and who really loves Star).  For various reasons, that situation wasn't going to work out, but said neat kid's mom offered to pass along the information to other people on their IEA team.  The assistant coach of the IEA team caught wind of this, and called me the same day, asking if either of my horses might be appropriate for a rider of hers looking for a lease.  Based on the description I was given of the kid, Star was the more suitable horse (2'3" - 2'6" local hunters).  After a bit of discussion, we arranged for a trial of Star, but I was thinking to have them try Sparky, too.

I had also previously arranged for a trial of Sparky; the potential lessee was interested in a smaller horse for dressage and possibly some trail riding, which sounded about perfect for Sparky.  Both trials were scheduled for the Sunday I was in Atlanta.  Sparky's potential lessee arrived in the early afternoon to try him and immediately fell in love with his personality (who wouldn't?).  The potential lessee's friend (who was actually the person who had contacted me initially) rode Sparky after I did, dubbed him perfectly safe for the potential lessee (and loved him), and then the potential lessee rode him (and loved him).  We all talked for a bit, and we all felt that it would be a good fit for horse and rider.

Star's potential lessee, trainer, and parents arrived Sunday evening.  We did have lights to ride under, because I have the most wonderful barn owners on the face of the earth, who put in lights back when I was getting Star ready for Oklahoma City.  Because I wasn't so keen on leasing Star, I was fully prepared to dislike these people... and of course, they turned out to be extremely nice.  The trial was the same sort of pattern - I rode briefly, then the trainer rode, then the kid rode.  Star behaved perfectly, and as I talked to the trainer and listened to her coaching her rider, I was much more impressed than I had been prepared to be.  Talking with the trainer, I found that our horse keeping and horse care philosophies were very similar.  After watching the kid ride, I realized that my initial instinct that Sparky would not be a good fit was probably accurate - he is probably not the best horse to try and learn on - so I didn't bring up that idea.

Of course, the very next day, I heard back from both parties, and each wanted to move forward with leasing the horse they had tried.  After thinking long and hard, talking with Oren, talking with Joyce, talking with Debbie, and talking with Honorary Big Sister Jen, I decided to lease out both horses for an initial 6-month period.  Oren and I weren't thinking to bring a horse up to NY before early spring, anyway, so what was another month or two?  An initial period of six months also gave plenty of time to make sure that each lease was truly a tenable situation.  Thankfully, both parties agreed to starting out with six months.

So, last weekend, I went back to Atlanta to finalize lease details.  Having checked references before making the trip, I visited both barns, signed paperwork (Saturday), gathered up my horses' belongings, rode my horses one last time, gave them baths (Sunday), and saw them off (Monday).  It's really bittersweet - on one hand, I'm thrilled that other people also love my horses enough to want to "own" them, but on the other hand, they're MY horses, and I don't want to share and not be in charge of what is happening with them.  That said, each horse left with a new halter that said, "Horse's Name, Loved by New Lessee."  So I'm not a completely spoiled brat. ;-)  I really do feel that each horse went to a good home and that each lessee will take very good care of my horse.  The feedback I've received so far is that both horses have settled in perfectly well, have been perfectly well-behaved, and their lessees adore them.

So... I guess we'll see where we are in a few months.

You Are So Beautiful To Me

MY 17.5" XW County Conquest!!!

Here we are, about a month after buying my new saddle, I finally got to see it in person for the first time.  My friends and fitter did not lie - it is indeed, beautiful.  The round cantle about which I was so concerned really is very subtle; you can't really tell that it is round from the side.  And from the back, well, it's kind of growing on me.  It has piping.  I'm a sucker for piping.  The color is perfect and lovely, and my much-loved Prestige stirrup leathers are a perfect match.  The seat isn't quite as "squishy" as some of the other Countys I've ridden in, but it is still very comfortable.  And most importantly, it fits my horses!  I put a nameplate on it.  That means it's definitely a keeper.