I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

A forum for discussion of training in dressage
Tuddy
500 post plus club
Posts: 607
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:19 pm
Location: Zehner, SK Canada

I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Tuddy » Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:35 pm

Welp, I did it.

I've been struggling with it for a while. Does it mean I will quit riding dressage? Well, that's a nope from me. But dressage is about the journey and the training, and not the tack.

With these big shouldered Canadians of mine, I found a western saddle this spring that works well for them, and being a cowgirl at heart, it was written in the sand. Not that it made me selling my dressage saddle any easier by any means though.

Why is this sale so hard on me? Because, I am very emotionally tied to the memories that are ingrained in the leather of that saddle, both painful ones and amazing ones. But I also know that in order for me to move forward, I need to be able to let go of some things, and unfortunately, that dern saddle was one of them.

I posted it on Facebook and had it sold within an hour. A very nice lady who takes regular dressage lessons needed a new saddle to fit her wide backed high withered horse. One that was built like Tuddy.

I took it as a sign. Karma works in mysterious ways.

Speaking of Karma, I had my very first riding instructor, (who I loved but had to quit lessons with because of logistics and me being in school), has a spot open for me if I ever wanted, to come and hang out and take lessons with her. I told her we would chat later this fall. She has Canadians and while she predominantly jumps, she knows that promoting the breed is quite important right now, and with Western Dressage, Working Equitation and Cowboy Dressage taking off here, that maybe, that may be something I could work on. We will see... I am not making any commitments at the moment.

Have a great day everyone! Enjoy your ponies and give them an extra scratch behind the ears!

Hayburner
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1132
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 12:48 am
Location: Western PA

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Hayburner » Tue Sep 18, 2018 2:03 pm

You certainly did more than just sell your dressage saddle....good for you! it's hard to let go of the things that we are tied to emotionally, but it's freeing once we do. Since I put my heart horse down, I've been trying to let go of some of his things, I pick them up and good memories come flooding back. My youth, my lack of fear and having what I felt was the most handsome horse in the world. I do have a tote filled with some things that I will donate to a riding center so they will be put to good use. Now, his saddle, I still can't part with....not sure if it will ever fit my mare but I'm not ready to let go of it just yet.

I've been eyeing the DP saddles - to me they have a western and English/dressage flair to them. Lovely leather and details on them.

Ryeissa
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2349
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:41 pm

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Ryeissa » Tue Sep 18, 2018 2:07 pm

.
Last edited by Ryeissa on Sun Sep 08, 2019 4:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Nikiwink
Greenie
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:51 am

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Nikiwink » Wed Sep 19, 2018 6:38 am

I totally understand. I will be in a similar boat soon. My dressage saddle belonged to my heart horse that i had to sell. i still refer to it as her saddle. But it wont go near the new horse so if i mange to get him going undersaddle i will have to sell it to fund a new one. And given his build and crazy wide shoulders (qh x appy) i will be looking at westerns or half breeds too.

Ryeissa
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2349
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:41 pm

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Ryeissa » Wed Sep 19, 2018 3:30 pm

.
Last edited by Ryeissa on Sun Sep 08, 2019 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Tuddy
500 post plus club
Posts: 607
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:19 pm
Location: Zehner, SK Canada

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Tuddy » Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:22 pm

Rye! What a handsome fella! My very first horse was a Paint. And yes, I think he would look quite smart under a western saddle.

Ryeissa
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2349
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:41 pm

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Ryeissa » Wed Sep 19, 2018 6:23 pm

.
Last edited by Ryeissa on Sun Sep 08, 2019 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Tuddy
500 post plus club
Posts: 607
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:19 pm
Location: Zehner, SK Canada

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Tuddy » Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:43 pm

Ryeissa wrote::) he's 7/8 ayrab..... just colorful.


The paint I had was a mare, and I had her bred to a nice Arab stallion, hoping to get color.... solid chestnut. :shock: When the foal hit the ground, I told it to get back in there and come out with some color!

I had actually bought that saddle for that chestnut colt, but he passed very tragically on me, so I never got to use it. Then I used it on Tuddy, who, we all know, I had my big life changing, epic fall on, so, maybe I just needed to get rid of it to clear that medicine associated with it.

I left my damn phone at home, so I don't know if the new owner got her package yet. I hope it treats her well. I even burned some sage and smudged it before I sent it off. :D I am such a hippie that way.

#burnsomesageandturnthepage

Ryeissa
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2349
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:41 pm

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Ryeissa » Wed Sep 19, 2018 9:12 pm

.
Last edited by Ryeissa on Sun Sep 08, 2019 4:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Kyra's Mom
500 post plus club
Posts: 859
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 2:04 am
Location: Sunny? Southern Idaho

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Kyra's Mom » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:26 am

I had a western saddle for a while. Kyra looked very cute in it, especially when I rode with my bosal. Total western pony. Use what you are comfortable in. I didn't use mine enough and I actually lost weight and it was too big and I slid around a lot. I sold it on...kind of wish I still had it (yep, I gained some of it back :P ).

Susan
from susamorg on the UDBB

User avatar
StraightForward
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 3103
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Idaho

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby StraightForward » Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:34 pm

That sort of thing can be a mix of emotions. It was so hard for me to decide to move Pickle on, but it just felt like a big weight lifting as I drove away from our horse trading meetup point with my new filly.

These kinds of things can be needed to move forward. Now I need to sell my hoop tree saddle because I don't have the kind of wide load that can wear one.

Once Tesla is going training level, I am toying with the idea of having Mike Corcoran make me a western saddle for Annabelle, and she can be my western dressage/trail challenge pony.
Keep calm and canter on.

Tuddy
500 post plus club
Posts: 607
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:19 pm
Location: Zehner, SK Canada

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Tuddy » Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:38 pm

StraightForward wrote:These kinds of things can be needed to move forward. Now I need to sell my hoop tree saddle because I don't have the kind of wide load that can wear one.


I don't need a saddle, I don't need a saddle, I just sold my saddle, but I do have those wide horses, no no I don't need a saddle.... lol!!!

Kelo
Herd Member
Posts: 388
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: Texas

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Kelo » Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:41 pm

Changes are so hard. Good for you embracing it and making steps forward.

Western dressage -- NOT COWBOY DRESSAGE -- is good, though. Look over the Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA) tests, I bet you can have a lot of fun working them. It really is dressage in western tack.

(Cowboy Dressage = Eitan Beth-Halachmy's personal program, not a non-profit.)

Just make sure you get a good saddle, no different than a good dressage saddle. We all know what a big difference it makes. I just got a new cow horse saddle and I loooooooooooooooooooooove it.

The WDAA World Show is next week, btw. The live feed is supposed to be free, so might be a good opportunity to check it out. Wave if you see me :D

kande50
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1781
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:28 pm
Location: Williamstown, MA

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby kande50 » Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:54 pm

If my brain chemistry goes haywire and I decide I want to show again I'm going to try some Western Dressage with my mule, who seems to prefer jog and lope to trot and canter, anyway. So I've kept my western saddle with the mule tree, just in case I ever want to use it again.

I'd been planning to sell my 17" dressage saddle after I bought a 17.5" just like it, but never got around to it, which is a good thing because I met someone who likes to ride in the ring so we now need two saddles--and apparently, neither of us is too proud to be seen riding in a saddle with huge thigh blocks.

I also went on a trail ride recently and there were some low logs across the trail that my mule offered to jump, and I was so surprised that not only was I able to stay with him in my dressage saddle, but at how much the huge thigh blocks helped me stay balanced. I used to jump all the time, but then several years ago I jumped my mule over a log out on trail and it felt awful--like I was just too weak to stay with him. But now I'm thinking that I was just trying to jump too high, and instead of stopping I just need to stick to lower jumps. So now I'm all excited to start jumping again.

Tuddy
500 post plus club
Posts: 607
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:19 pm
Location: Zehner, SK Canada

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Tuddy » Fri Sep 28, 2018 4:06 pm

Tuddy wrote:.... I had my very first riding instructor, (who I loved but had to quit lessons with because of logistics and me being in school), has a spot open for me if I ever wanted, to come and hang out and take lessons with her. I told her we would chat later this fall. She has Canadians and while she predominantly jumps, she knows that promoting the breed is quite important right now, and with Western Dressage, Working Equitation and Cowboy Dressage taking off here, that maybe, that may be something I could work on. We will see... I am not making any commitments at the moment.



Going for a coffee date with my first riding coach today, who knows, maybe my no lessons for a while plan will turn into something different after all?

Ryeissa
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2349
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:41 pm

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Ryeissa » Fri Sep 28, 2018 4:56 pm

.
Last edited by Ryeissa on Sun Sep 08, 2019 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Tuddy
500 post plus club
Posts: 607
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:19 pm
Location: Zehner, SK Canada

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Tuddy » Tue Oct 02, 2018 1:52 pm

Coffee date with my riding coach (yes, I said it... 8-) ) went very well on Friday. Zipped out to her place on Sunday to watch a clinic she was hosting and visit a bit more. We had some life stuff we had to discuss and cry over before we talked horses - we've known each other for 25 years, and the last time we were "together" she had some life issues happen that caused us to part ways on some difficult terms. But at the end of the day, it seemed to come full circle that we reconnected and I am pretty sure that I am in the space I am supposed to be in my journey.

No riding for a bit for me, I am dealing with other financial responsibilities right now, good ole reality! Also, winter has decided to bear down on us and it is raining right now and we are supposed to get about half a foot of snow by the morning. I am not ready for winter!!!! We desperately need the moisture, but it could have waited until Christmas Eve!

Anywho, when I got home from work last night, my welcoming committee met me at the gate, letting me know how much the grass is very unsatisfactory to their palette and that a big round bale in the feeder would be more appealing? As you can tell, getting any type of fitting saddle on these brutes is going to take some dieting to begin with. :lol: . I asked Yonka if he was having a baby....

T and Y.jpg
T and Y.jpg (227.94 KiB) Viewed 11323 times

Ryeissa
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2349
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:41 pm

Re: I Sold My Dressage Saddle Today....

Postby Ryeissa » Tue Oct 02, 2018 10:27 pm

Aww I'm happy for you!


Return to “Dressage Training”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 32 guests