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| That shade of blue is totally his color, at least in winter when he's clipped. Thanks for the Christmas present, mom! |
You guys would probably laugh to see me handle this saddle. I am so afraid of hurting it. I tend to be accidentally hard on things like saddles, so I'm being hyper aware of myself when I handle it. The stirrups are down in that photo because until I get stirrup covers, I am putting them on and taking them off for each ride, and not running them up ever. I also throw myself off Connor like a gymnast at the end of each ride so my vest's zipper doesn't scratch it. Thank goodness I own a pony.
Mary says I'm being ridiculous, because they wouldn't put calf on a saddle if it wasn't also durable, plus the previous owner rode multiple horses a day in it for 18 months and it still looks weirdly new. My Toulouse was in worse condition after riding one horse four times a week for 18 months.
I did finally leave it in our tack room overnight last night. Baby steps.
Question for the tack ho's in the audience: this saddle has been oiled to the point that it looks black from 10+ feet away. Do I buy havana bridles/breastplates etc and oil them until they're dark to match, or does it look black enough that I can get away with black strap goods? The stirrup leathers on it are new, that's the color it was originally.
I would darken havanna , but that's just me. ot looks gorgeous. What stirrup leathers do you have? I like you stirrups too but doubt they'd fly in Hunter land. I feel your motherly way for the saddle, my CWD has been in service by the WS while I've been off riding, I've had some serious over protective feelings about that lol.
ReplyDeleteThanks! They are CWD stirrup leathers, possibly kids. They're half hole and 48". My stirrup irons are the Compositi composite wide track, definitely wouldn't fly in the hunter ring, but then again, neither would my high knee action pony. ;-) I would have a hard time letting it go for service, but I know they take good care of it.
DeleteLove those stirrups! I love black tack, but I bet you can get away with either...whichever you find the best deals on?
ReplyDeleteThey are awesome! I should have ridden in this saddle in normal irons at least once so I knew whether it was the wide track stirrups or the saddle that's making my lower leg so secure now, but oh well. One way or another, love the stirrups!
Deletei love the compositi stirrups too! but also kinda doubt they'd have enough of an effect to inspire that big of a change in your lower leg security (they helped me with my wintec but certainly didn't fix everything like my new saddle does!)... so it's def your new awesome saddle!!
DeleteGosh it's pretty. I would go with darkening havanna tack from looking at the photos, but I also dearly love black tack, so this is the least helpful comment ever. Congrats on the saddle; it's amazing to have one that just WORKS for you and your pony. And thank you for reminding me to be thankful for my own "unicorn" saddle!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely be thankful - it is a miracle to find one.
DeleteIt is just so beautiful. Sometimes I think about how it would take $10,000+ to replace my two saddles and then I want to take them home with me every night!
ReplyDeleteI would do brown then darken it. I take it you don't have any current items you just want to darken?
Please endulge my h/j background and tell me why anyone needs a breastplate if their saddle actually fits?
Yeah, I only left it at the barn after calling my insurance company and verifying that my homeowners policy would cover it even at the barn. It would be hard to lose it.
DeleteI do have a set of new Nunn Finer rubber reins in Havana that needs darkened. I don't think a breastplate is necessary at the lower levels if your saddle fits correctly. My trainer considers it insurance though, just in case, and I know some people hang onto the top strap on the 5 point breastplates. Mostly, it's a look. I don't have one, but have been encouraged to get one.
I definitely would get havana tack and darken it, the thought of putting a black breastplate against that saddle makes me feel uncomfortable lol
ReplyDeleteHaha, favorite comment so far!
DeleteFrom the pictures, it doesn't look black at all. I def would NOT do black strap goods. I'm also a hunter princess and everything I own is padded fancy stitch ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks - I have been leaning that way, but wanted opinions. Ah! No padded fancy stitch here. :)
DeleteI use black leathers for my saddle since it is so dark, but havana for the rest. I find that it darkens/looks better.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point. The leathers were a gift and I am not complaining, but I do hope they darken up.
DeleteNo black. Us other tack hoes can totally tell ;)
ReplyDeleteSee, this is why I blog. Thanks!
DeleteMy saddle is the same color, and Gingers bridle is black, because at the time I had the same thought as you. My decision annoys me :)
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear from someone who has been there before. I think I'm pretty well settled on the havana + oil path. Thanks!
DeleteI think you chose correctly with the Havana and oil! You might not be able to tell from a distance but up close, I think the difference would easily noticeable.
ReplyDeleteThat's probably true. Thanks!
DeleteI agree with the rest of the crowd...havana and oil. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd that is what I am going with! My jump bridle is already that anyway.
DeleteHavana and oil. It doesn't look black to me at all just a delicious chocolate color 😊
ReplyDeleteMy Cwd is full buffalo and i was a freak initially too but CWDs are well made and running your stirrups up won't hurt it. Especially if they aren't grated or any thing. Enjoy your new toy!
Thanks for the vote of confidence! I am a total CWD convert now, this saddle is life changing. I wonder how much money I spent on lessons that were pretty much just trying to fix things that a saddle that actually fit me would have solved.
DeleteWhatever flatters Connor the most, even if it doesn't match
ReplyDeleteThat's always been my MO in the past, actually 'whatever he goes best in, even if it doesn't match', but I suddenly am finding myself interested in aesthetics too. It's a good place to be.
DeleteUnpopular opinion coming... My saddle is the same colour. I use a black breastplate. You can not tell when you are on the horse. Also, eventers don't care. Lol. Black is good because you can wear it with your dressage saddle also. However if you have the choice buying new, go with dark brown
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's nice to have the flexibility. I feel like I could get away with my black Micklem with it, but my jump bridle is havana already. Mostly thinking about the future.
DeleteYup, havana all the way. Black tack is just so... chincy? I can't get excited about it. I mean, if you have black and need to make it work, you can live with it. If you're talking about buying tack, go havana.
ReplyDeleteI have a horse sized Nunn Finer figure 8 that I need to trade for a cob size (long story), but I also have brand new Nunn Finer reins in havana that are nowhere close to matching it. It's just going to take a lot of work to get it to match, but I do agree with you. I like black in the Dressage ring.
DeleteHavanna all the way
ReplyDeleteI somewhat recently noticed that my dressage saddle, which I had borrowed from a friend for 2 years before purchasing off her, was actually really really really dark Havana. And that was after I got a black dressage bridle for it. Call me unobsevant....but the black bridle works for me. It actually bothers me a little bit now that I know, but it actually isn't that noticeable. I think your saddle looks more Havana than mine does, so I'd probably go with the Havana strap good for it!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE LOVE LOVE CWD saddles, and I've never even sat in one. They just look so satisfying to my ass. I am so jealous! :P Enjoy
ReplyDelete