New saddle!

When I first purchased Hampton, I promised myself that if I ever made it to Third Level with this horse, that I would buy myself a new NICE saddle.

I finally made that happen this weekend!

*dances around like a giddy fool*

I have been saddle shopping for a while. AKA, been in the depths of saddle shopping hell. I had a good idea of what I wanted, and knew what size Hampton needed but even so some saddles just did not fit him. He is just a little weird to fit because he gets considerably wider in the gusset area of the saddle. (He has some big old ribs)

My Wintec has been fine, but he has clearly outgrown it. When I lunge him, the back of the saddle actually rises up off his back. Even though the tree in front is the right size. Ugh. SO ... it was time.

I originally had a budget of $2500, PLENTY to buy me a super nice saddle. But I have been unable to save up that much over the past 8 months. So I knew that I could either 1) Keep riding in the Wintec and hope I had enough saved by next winter, or 2) Lower my price range and hope I get lucky. I really did not feel it was fair to make Hampton keep doing Third/Fourth level work in a saddle that didn't really fit.

This weekend a friend of mine had a saddle for sale. I cautiously tried it on Hampton.

It is an Amerigo, 17.5" seat. Medium tree.
Yes Big old Hampton wears a Medium!

It fit. Almost perfect (needs a little reflocking in front but it is do-able).

Then the moment of truth. Would I like riding in it?

So I rode in it Monday, and while it was different than my Wintec, I DID like it. It has a lovely narrow twist, is soft (no butt bruising, yay!), and Hampton worked really quite well in it! We even managed some sloppy 4-tempi changes.

Another bonus, long billets so I don't need to buy a new girth!

Had to creatively crop this because Hampton was exposing himself.
Inappropriate.

So I called up my friend and BONUS - she is letting me do time payments on the saddle! It is WAY less than what I had originally planned to spend anyway. So ... win-win! I mean money will be tight until I pay it off but I will manage. :) It is worth it. I couldn't keep making Hampton work in a saddle that did not fit. And I friggin deserve a nice saddle. So does Hampton for that matter.

Saddles are such a personal thing really. I mean my Wintec has outlasted several boyfriends, numerous moves, life changes, job changes, 2 horses. I mean what piece of equipment do you spend more time in? And is such an important part of riding? So the right match was very important to me.

Once I get the saddle fitter out to make little tweaks, we will be all set!

Boom.