And more saddles than horses

Remember the post about how I've ended up with 5 horses? As if that isn't disconcerting enough, I have so many saddles, I am not even sure of the count (but we'll get to that). It is a new year's resolution to get down to 2, 1 jumping and 1 dressage. Meanwhile, if as you read this you think "I would love to have that saddle," then please contact me and we'll see if we can make it happen. All are 17.5 seat, variations of medium tree.

Jumping saddles:
This is easier. Saddle #1 is on consignment at Malvern Saddlery's A Bit Less, but I will be pulling it out next week to send on trial to a friend in California. It is a Devoucoux Oreka, a show-jumping saddle made for only a few years. It is black (all my tack is black) and I bought it after I sold the Albion I had for Tobe as that was a narrow saddle and Keebler needed a medium. I got a decent deal on it and it is comfortable and fits a lot of horses. Am now selling it because, while comfortable, it does my position no good and more importantly, does not fit Tag well. In addition, I'd rather have wool-flocked.

#2 Having made that decision, with Tag down in Alabama, had some time to shop. Started looking for County and Black Country saddles. They are expensive new and hard to find used (especially in black). I went to the Walsall Master Saddlers site and started emailing saddlers with what I was looking for. Ended up with a steal of a deal on an all buffalo Ryder Saddlery Vantage http://fryso.com/products.asp?cat=3&pro=6. Glen was actually the saddler who made the original Albion prototype saddles and since I loved the older Albions, I figure this will be excellent. It would be coming over from England for the trade show held in Valley Forge Convention center at the end of January, all set

#3 Or so I thought until last week, I received a call from Glen that for family reasons, he would not be coming over but would ship the saddle at no additional charge. So the saddle is heading for Aiken, but I doubt it will get there this weekend, so I jumped on line to try to find an inexpensive "bridge" saddle. Thought about borrowing (and Hilda kindly offered her saddle), but with shipping etc and worrying about trashing someone else's saddle as Tag learns to go xc for the first time, I decided might be better to get something. Found a Courbette Pandur that was temping (great saddle if you like those old Courbettes, and only $350), but ended up with another Walsall made saddle. This one a Rosewood (no I've never heard of it either), but it looks great. Under $400 is getting it to Aiken today. Hopefully it fits Tag well enough.

Then there are the dressage saddles:
1) Bond Street saddle with memory foam. Bought in 2002 because I thought it might help me sit Gizmo's trot. In fact, it did, but he didn't love it.

2) Laser CM Ultimate adjustable dressage. I rode Gizmo in this saddle and then rode Tobe in it and started Keebler with it. At this point, I was working hard on my dressage and realizing it didn't help my position, so I started shopping for a saddle that would. Meanwhile, I lent the Bond Street to Jeff Kibbie for his horse Loki.

3) Devoucoux, Monoflap Milady, excellent deal from England. Comfortable and fit Keebler pretty well so I should be done.

4) CWD bought from a charity auction, good deal on a nice saddle, but I don't like the way it fits me so it was intended for sale. Don't love the way the Devoucoux fits Finn so consider other saddles

5) E. Jeffries, bought online for Finn. Then I decided to sell Finn and it doesn't fit Tag.

6) Hulsebos WB4, ebay find. Fits me, fits Tag. I figure I am done and then....

7) Ride Feivel, JD and Taldi all in Jessica's County Connection. Absolutely love it. Go looking on line and put out the word on Facebook. Turns out Lynn has one and is willing to trade. Hey, I have at least a couple that I know fit Keebler so I send her the Devoucoux and the Bond Street. She settles on the Devoucoux. I have

7a) Lynn's County Connection, but my horse isn't here, so we hope it fits Tag and as a bonus, she may be able to find someone in her barn to buy the Bond Street.

The rest of the dressage saddles will go to Skylands saddlery to be consigned as soon as I have a moment to do that, but if anyone needs a saddle.....