saddle search part 4: out on trial

Saturday I had planned to drive out to the local tack store and sit in saddles, but I woke up with what felt like a sinus infection. Blech! (Double-blech because I spent last week Thursday getting over the 24 stomach bug. There should be some rule about how long another bug has to wait after one has been evicted.) I was still recovering yesterday but I didn't want to miss out on the clearance prices (gone once the inventory is gone) so I was able to get a ride there (when you're getting better and your immune system is using every extra bit of energy it can find, you'd be amazed how much energy it uses up to drive even 15 or 20 minutes) to try sitting in some saddles I had seen on the website.

The Crosby Equilibrium (used) didn't fit me. I can't remember what was wrong with it. I think the flap wasn't right for my leg and left my knee sticking out in front.

The Ovation QH (used, but only 6 times) was as nice in person as it is in the picture online, but the seat is too small for me. The saddle is stamped 17.5 but measures 17 on the nose. I suggested perhaps it had been mis-stamped? Anyway, apparently I need a 17.5 saddle so that one didn't work either.

Then I sat in both the M. Toulouse Lucia II and the Padjette (new, and for some reason half price on clearance). Of the two I liked the Padjette better, and the store owner who was helping me thought that I looked better in it than the Lucia II. Soooooo I took a Padjette on trial and sent it with my friend to the barn so she can put it on my horse's back and see how it fits him. The store's trial policy is only two days, so hopefully if it fits him I'll feel up to sitting in it ON the horse tomorrow evening so we can see how things look with 135# of me weighing it down.

The skeptic in my head says no way can it be this easy, so we'll see what happens.

Here's info on the Padjette from the Intec website (M. Toulouse is one of the Intec brands), for anyone who is curious:
http://tinyurl.com/45pottc

Cool! I hope the saddle works out for you! I really like that Padjette, I might have to steal it from ya :P

I hope you get feeling better soon chickey! Sending good vibes your way!

The Padjette looks like a nice saddle. If, for some reason, you decide it's not what you're looking for try the Thornhill brand saddle. It's the only brand I've ever sat that felt as good brand new as it does now 5 years later. They tend to run wide in the gullet, so if your horse normally takes a wide, I'd try a medium.