7/21/14

Decisions, Decisions.

So, I made my decision about the saddle last night after talking to a few other people about it and explaining how confused my little brain was.

The saddle is going back today. (Insert sad face and happy face here.)

Part of me is quite upset that it didn't work out and I'm kind of bummed, but the other part of me is happy because I think I've figured myself out a bit, I don't have to worry about my parents' footing some of the bill for the saddle and I don't have to freak out over saddle fit. For those of you that just ride English and don't know much about Western - Western saddles, unless you have a very hard to fit horse, are soooooooooo much easier to fit to a horse. I doubt Red would be hard to fit but I don't want to have to worry about hurting my horse or him becoming lame or something. Plus, I have to ask myself where I think I'll want to be in a few years, or in the next few months, even, when he's home. Do I want to work more on what I'm currently working on (western, ranch work, roping and liberty) or do I want to change it up completely? Do I want to add something to that list when I lack time as it is?

Backing up, when he actually let me back him which is HUGE.


Red is such a good horse and I know that with time and patience, he could do whatever I throw at him, but after everything that he's been through, I want to focus on what he likes more. Even though he didn't seem uncomfortable or look uneasy with the new tack and did everything I asked, I personally don't think he was as happy than when he has a Western saddle on. It wasn't anything else but the saddle, I know that because of our little "wee we are going to play!" session in the pasture before the ride, when he was happily running around the pasture with me and playing. Maybe he was confused by it or just not as eager to have a fancier headset and do different things. Either way, Red's a perfect picture of a western horse. He loves it and that's what he most happily excels in, so I think that's what we'll focus on now, other than our liberty because he loves that, too.

Be honest...can you do this with your horse? ;)


Red's an easy going guy, very calm and chill. English isn't very calm or chill, if you are honest. It's more uptight, which isn't a bad thing, but I don't think it's our thing.

And before I go...it's almost AUGUST. Two months and this cutie will be home with me! Praying that the rezoning meeting goes okay!

10 comments:

  1. Good for you for choosing what is best for you and your horse! :)
    Also, to me, English and Western are not all the different. I worked on my EQ big time when I rode Western and we plod around with a super low headset now that I ride English. To me its just a tack preference and not a discipline. :)

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  2. I agree there is not that much difference between English and Western....have you ever seen a reiner??? Not that I am picking on them but they are rather uptight and everything has to be perfect. And there are a lot of QH showing English as well.

    Oh and haha on fitting a western saddle, I thought was easy to until i had a saddle fit all my horses except Jessie, didn't think she was hard to fit and then Kali didn't fit either saddle well so its not that easy either there is a lot of different shaped horses around.

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  3. Glad you've found a good fit for yourself! :)

    Just have to point out though, that a lot of horses and riders in the English world are very chill and mellow. Uptight comes in all styles.

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    1. I totally agree with that! There are definitely some uptight western riders and easy going English riders. I think for the most part that in my area, the english riders are sadly of the uptight variety so it's just what I'm surrounded by, lol!

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  4. Disagree that english isn't calm or chill. Pleasure riding is pleasure riding regardless of the saddle choice. That being said, there is nothing wrong with wanting to be a pleasure rider :)

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    1. I definitely agree that a lot of it is calm and chill! It just depends on the society your in, I think. Sadly, 99% of english riders here that would be willing to help me are uptight. :/ That being said, there are just as many uptight western people, too!

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  5. Your horse, your choice, your decision. :-) Maybe later on down the road, you'll rethink the English way and give it a try again. You have sooooo much going on right now to have to worry about a new "way"....try again when life is less hectic. :-)

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  6. Good thing you made a decision your happy with!

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  7. I'm glad you made a decision that makes you and Red both happy! I agree with the others that not all English riders are uptight. That's more a personality thing with particular people rather than the discipline they ride. Uptight people also attract more uptight people so that's probably why you're surrounded by them. Mellow people aren't going to want to hang out with people who nitpick and stress over everything. :)

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