New saddle squeak

After a long wait, the new western saddle has arrived. Within a few days I had logged in eight hours on the trail and about 40 km, and although my hip was screaming after the long first ride (longer leg drape changes the hip angle and requires some adjusting) I was good to go by ride #3 with the help of advil.

I have been riding both western and english for several decades now, and while I love my A/P County saddle it isn't the best solution for the long trail rides that I regularly do. The western saddle provides a broader weight distribution and is also safer for those 180 degree spins when the deer / wild turkey / chasing dog / atv / x-country skier / snowshoer / jogger / biker / baby carriage (you get the idea) causes a spook.

It is also the better way to start a colt. Lots of leather and flopping around does a good amount of desensitizing. And it has a stabilizing effect on those first rides.

First day with the new saddle

When Q first arrived home, I did the basic introduction with my western saddle at the time to quickly realize that it would not fit at all as it pinched his shoulders. I then tried to exchange it six times with other saddles at a local tack shop but none of them would fit. It would rock on his back and bridge. Finally the tack store owner suggested that I sell my horse and buy a QH. Ha!

May 2016 - a new gelding and first day with a saddle

This was the only indication at his first canter that he wasn't too sure about this idea

Within minutes he was chill and relaxed in the round pen. But boy was he darker then.

So began my custom western saddle process. The wonderful Ray Laviolette of Circle R Saddlery in Ontario invited me to his workshop and we talked trees, options, colours, function, and life. Ray spends several months in Arizona during the cold winter months but generally produces 3-4 custom saddles a year when he is back in Canada. The beauty is that he comes to your barn, and does a custom measurement of the horse's back to build a custom tree through his tree manufacturers in Tennessee.

But, he said my horse was too young. Given that Q was an andalusian, he suggested we wait until he was at least 5. Two years later. And then, it would take about a year for the saddle to be finished. Three years.

Three years from idea to execution

So we began the process last year with the custom measurement. In the spring, he came back to test the tree before constructing the saddle. A perfect fit. It turns out that Q's back is straight (vs the gentle sway of a QH) and that is why the standard western saddles would not fit (it was not because of tree width).

After three years of waiting, you can imagine my delight at having the saddle with the matching saddle bags (picnic anyone?).

With the matching saddle bags. Just enough for some water, sandwiches and a few apples.

But the squeaking is so noisy! The first few days I would have a hard time hearing my trail buddies. I suggested we might need to change to sign language so that I know when there was a speed change or turn.It has gotten a little better over the last few days, and of course we have pumped it with baby powder where the fenders meet the tree. I think this will just take many more miles in the saddle, which is fine by me.

Q thinks more trails is a great idea!

The image I had given of what I was looking for ... vs what I got. Pretty darn close!