Trial, trace, trail
The cold snap finally gave up the ghost yesterday. I headed over to Double G and picked up a used Wintec 500 dressage saddle. They didn't have any new models with my seat size in stock and the Cair panels, but they had this used one, an 18” seat, and a medium width gullet plate already installed. “It's fate!” Christine said.
The Isabel model has a too-deep seat for me, and the Pro is suede-covered—I don't need any more help clinging to the saddle, thanks.I don't have any opinion yet about the air-filled panels, and the one Wintec all-purpose saddle I rode in was neither here-nor-there for me (but it did fit the swaybacked TB I used to half-lease). The reviews and forum posts I've read about the new models have been mostly positive.
Before we went out, I got to try out the new Clipmasters, Mico looks a lot better now, and Clover finally has a nice low trace clip. I love the clippers! They are fast and cut very well. They work much better than the variable speed models I've used in the past.
I had also picked up a red fitted dressage pad and a cheap cotton lead to use as a trailer tie. I hate square pads, it's hard to use the whip well with all that extra material. Since the weather was milder than it had been in days, I took Clover out on a trail ride for the first test ride, just to get a feel for it. There was enough snow cover on the trails to get in some trot and cantering, too. Christine said that Clover looked smashing with red accent of the pad under the black saddle on her dark grey coat.
It seemed easy enough to keep my leg underneath me, usually my knee pokes out over the saddle flap on a dressage saddle and/or I have to keep from jamming my leg out in front. When we galloped up a couple of hills, I felt pretty insecure, because I couldn't get into or maintain galloping position easily. I figure that's got to be a good sign that I'll be in a better position for flat work.
I felt like I could feel Clover's back and hind legs under my seat better, but hard to tell over uneven terrain—I'll be able to tell better tomorrow when I go to the indoor to ride. So far, I like the saddle, and it fits Clover well. I like the prospect of changing the gullet width, since Clover will go a wide when she muscles up more.
For my purposes, it should be a good enough dressage saddle for the level I ride at. I'll know more tomorrow after I ride. Clover was content enough on the trail ride, and didn't show any discomfort.
The Isabel model has a too-deep seat for me, and the Pro is suede-covered—I don't need any more help clinging to the saddle, thanks.I don't have any opinion yet about the air-filled panels, and the one Wintec all-purpose saddle I rode in was neither here-nor-there for me (but it did fit the swaybacked TB I used to half-lease). The reviews and forum posts I've read about the new models have been mostly positive.
Before we went out, I got to try out the new Clipmasters, Mico looks a lot better now, and Clover finally has a nice low trace clip. I love the clippers! They are fast and cut very well. They work much better than the variable speed models I've used in the past.
I had also picked up a red fitted dressage pad and a cheap cotton lead to use as a trailer tie. I hate square pads, it's hard to use the whip well with all that extra material. Since the weather was milder than it had been in days, I took Clover out on a trail ride for the first test ride, just to get a feel for it. There was enough snow cover on the trails to get in some trot and cantering, too. Christine said that Clover looked smashing with red accent of the pad under the black saddle on her dark grey coat.
It seemed easy enough to keep my leg underneath me, usually my knee pokes out over the saddle flap on a dressage saddle and/or I have to keep from jamming my leg out in front. When we galloped up a couple of hills, I felt pretty insecure, because I couldn't get into or maintain galloping position easily. I figure that's got to be a good sign that I'll be in a better position for flat work.
I felt like I could feel Clover's back and hind legs under my seat better, but hard to tell over uneven terrain—I'll be able to tell better tomorrow when I go to the indoor to ride. So far, I like the saddle, and it fits Clover well. I like the prospect of changing the gullet width, since Clover will go a wide when she muscles up more.
For my purposes, it should be a good enough dressage saddle for the level I ride at. I'll know more tomorrow after I ride. Clover was content enough on the trail ride, and didn't show any discomfort.
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