My trusted riding buddy John and I braved the blustering winds and did 9 miles along the lake yesterday.
I was riding Lucy in a black leather Shasta saddle that had become my personal saddle through default - because it didn't sell. My main market in these saddles are the brown nubuck Shasta models, and they sell like hotcakes. I just don't have a real niche for black saddles, so, since I can't stand to have anything sitting around not working, I rigged it as my personal saddle, and hit the trails. Yes, grumbling under my breath about how it will probably be slick-seated (since it's smooth leather finish) and hot in the sun...that was about a year ago, and as I rode the lake on this morning, I was quietly thinking how much I like the saddle, and now that it's going to live with a good friend of mine, how much I'm going to miss it.
This saddle is much like our Jack Russell Terrier "Daisy" who was the puppy not chosen. She was born white, without the obligatory spots...also, long-bodied, short-legged and roman-nosed - you get the picture. Not the dog I would have picked out of a crowd either, but I brought her home on trial, and it took 
about 7 minutes for her to have the household in her power.
about 7 minutes for her to have the household in her power.Anyway, we rode our way up alongside the lake, hit the lodge for a cup of hot tea and a bathroom break, stretched our legs a bit and then ate our granola bars while wrapped in the wonderful leather chairs in the lobby, then headed back out to the paddocks to reclaim our ponies.
We did the return ride at a pretty good pace, and returned to the trailers feeling like all had to be well with the world since we had the privilege of starting the day on amazing horses, and with the entire park to ourselves.
I don't know about you, but I'm 50, pretty fit, but after just about any excursion I do a mental check of myself to see how I'm holding up - lower back, knees, neck - no pain anywhere. I'm so appreciative of good, quality equipment, and I'm grateful for the miles I've had in this saddle.
I think I'm going to order another one just like it.
Ride treeless!
Ah, poor little dog! Our cocker spaniel, Holly, was the last of her litter, too, rejected because she was plain blonde, not spotted like her litter mates, so because of that and since she was born on Thanksgiving the boys wanted to name her Leftover! I nixed that!
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