Finally!

I have been saving most of my trimming money for the last 6 weeks into a money tin with a picture of a jump saddle on it.

Last Wednesday, Tony Flynn the saddle fitter visited and I bought a Riviera Nice jump saddle in black (ON SALE! $1000 OFF OMG!!).

Looking like an eventer finally.

Jump saddle, dressage leathers lol.

I am in love. I popped her over a small vertical and it is.so.easy to jump in a proper jump saddle. :P


So I emailed Sam Lyle and I am planning on sending Allie to him either February or March next year. He says he has room at that time. So excited! I'll finally start jumping!


Do I start a new money tin with Sam's face on it this time?

Saddle Fit, Lesson, Happy Ponies.

We had Tony Flynn come do a saddle fitting for both Allie and Gracie yesterday. I bought my saddle from him over a year ago, but I could tell that my saddle wasn't balanced for me (it was fine for Allie). Sure enough, it was tilting me forward and needed a heap of flocking up front. It felt great in my lesson!

Gracie's dressage saddle is no good. It doesn't have a changable gullet so it is now for sale for about $50 if anyone wants it? Natalie's other saddle, a wintec all purpose, DOES have a changeable gullet so he fitted that to her and she went so.much.better. under saddle with it - Nat said it was her best ride on her - ever. He put an extra wide gullet in it! No wonder the poor mare didn't have much forward or want to lift her back before.

We got some photos and video:

Nat was trying to get up off her back here I think - looks like it worked!

Watch this one, it has a lol moment!

Happy pony and rider after the cool down walk up the street.

Our neighbor's cute dog who came for a walk too. LOVE those ears!

I also got a lesson with Ann before Nat rode Gracie - pics and vid of this too! We concentrated on her being 'through' to help with our walk-trot transitions (which are normally 'leaping' - Ann said "we will fix that today!" and so we did!) and then have a little go with the same principles at the trot-canter transition.

Finally - a nice trot-canter transition. Just what I was looking for!

 

I was so satisfied with the lesson - Ann said that with a horse at this stage normally they look for nice moments - Allie rather has bad moments among the nice, if that makes sense? She also said once Allie has the balance and strength, her trot is going to be amazing. I'm so excited. :D

So motivated and excited for my test now!!

Saddled!

Ooooooooohhhh....... aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh.......

 
My pretty new saddle is here! I am now the proud owner of the KN Ouverture Victoria (which I can never remember how to spell and I need to Google it every time.....). It's second hand but it doesn't have any major scratches or faults and I am super happy with it. I had a quick ride in it after the saddler left from dropping it off and it was so nice to ride my horse properly again. She is all healed up now and ready to go! Her scar is a very very thin line, you wouldn't see it if I didn't point it out to you. That is all I had to say really!

Ears pricked, ready for a ride?

I'm chuffed but I'm not sure Allie is too pleased about the end of her holiday...