Adventures in DIY

alternate title: This Project Nearly Gave Me a Drinking Problem

As previously mentioned I picked up a cheap dressage saddle that worked fabulously for Dee. And while it was brown like I was hoping for, it was an ugly brown.

Not my favourite brown

With some encouragement from the blogoshpere I read and re-read Amanda's tutorial, picked up supplies and decided to give it a go.

I decided on Chocolate as my colour because as SprinklerBandit pointed out, it "literally can't look worse" so I basically narrowed it down to two colours and then played Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe to make my final decision. The guy at Tandy got a good laugh out of my decision making process.


I found it be super nerve-wracking and found I drank way more adult beverages than I had planned on. It turned out good but I have compiled my own list of Do's and Dont's.

First coat

Do: Buy more adult beverages than you think you'll need. Every time I questioned my decision I just drank more.

Don't: Forget to liberally spray yourself with bug spray. It's always fun to swipe at a mosquito with your dye covered hand

After oiling and Tan-Kote

Do: Check the weather forecast before you set up outside. Once you deglaze, raindrops become a big problem... I'm just telling people my saddle is spotted to match my spotted pony.

Don't: Assume the dogs will be well behaved and are totally fine to stay out in the yard with you. After you get started it's always great fun to have to go chasing after a beast who decides to jump the fence.

Do: Wear crappy clothes. I have no idea how I manged to get dye on my butt.

Don't: Skimp on deglazer. Going back to redo a spot you missed (after starting to dye) is no fun.

Do: Oil the saddle after the dye step (if you are using a non-oil based dye). The guys at the leather store recommended this step and it really helped the leather. Just be aware it will cause some darkening

Don't: Get frustrated with the Resolene and just say fuck it and assume the streaks will go away as it dries.

The final product. If you look closely you can see the streaks
But my GAF is broken so it stays this way.

Do: A full 3 coats of Resolene is needed. After 2 I rode in it and had dye transfer. After 3 I had no transfer at all.

Before and after. 

Even with all of my challenges I would dye another saddle. Every time I see a greenish dressage saddle my grabby hands itch to dye it. 

I love how it turned out. I think I'm going to see about dying my super faded an splotchy TSF girth next. I just need to make a quick trip to the liquor store first...

New Dressage Saddle!

When I bought Dee it was my first experience with truly challenging saddle fitting. She has a super short back (and I need an 18" seat), a hollow behind her wither, and then she's super flat across her loin. I tried over 15 saddles before finding my fabulous Amerigo. It isn't a perfect fit but it's close enough that with a shimmed up half pad it causes us no problems.

So much love for my expensive Italian bum-candy

I also tried a bunch of dressage saddles. Nothing even came close to fitting. They were all either too long, they bridged or slid back really bad.

Gusseted panels are a complete no-go for her. They always end up sitting way past her last rib. Turns out, most dressage saddles have moved towards gusseted panels.

Add in that I really, really want brown and I spent my entire saddle budget on the Amerigo my saddle search got pushed to the back burner.

Then my dressage instructor put a training ride on Dee (#littleasshole had been a jerk while ponying and I managed to sprain my hand so badly I couldn't close my fingers, not super conducive for a dressage ride). She commented on how I should really look into getting a dressage saddle as my position problems are stemming from doing dressage in a XC saddle.

He can be such a jerk. Thank goodness he's cute

Two days later someone posted an older brown Crosby dressage saddle on our local HT association Facebook group. She was only asking $500 and was willing to have someone bring it up to Beaumont so I could try it.

I put it on Dee and was pleasantly surprised. I couldn't see any major issues. It was a little low in the back but seemed to fit everywhere else. I gave it a quick ride and sent a picture of me in it to my dressage instructor. I messaged the seller and asked if she would take $400.

I also had my previous coach (one of our only local saddle fitters) give the fit a quick look. She was shocked at how well it fit. It seemed like the shape of the saddle was made for Dee's back.

The seller said that $400 was perfect and that's how I ended up with a dressage saddle I wasn't really looking for, but couldn't pass up.

I'm not a fan of the colour though. I love brown dressage saddles, but this shade of brown is just unappealing. I may have to consume many an adult beverages and take a page out of Amanda's book and dye it. (I looked at dyes and there are too many for brown, I'm terrified to commit to one)

Finally Bought A Saddle

It's a Christmas Miracle!  I found a saddle, and it only cost $500 more than my horse. It's jump saddle that fits me amazingly and is passable on Dee (and is pretty good with the right half pad/breastplate combination).  We've decided this is the best we are going to get without going custom.  The hunt for the dressage saddle has been placed on hold since I currently have one borrowed that works and I spent my saddle budget ont his one.  Once the insurance company figures out what they are doing with my other saddle I will hopefully have the money to buy my own then.

The new-to-me saddle is a very lovely wool-flocked Amerigo monoflap.  It was actually custom ordered by my coach when she was moving up to Intermediate.  After she sold the horse she sold the saddle, and now it's made it's way back to me.  It really is a small world.  I can't wait to take some more lessons and really enjoy having a saddle that puts me in the right position.

And my mama just ordered me a new PS breastplate to go with it!

It's Official, Saddle Shopping if the Pits

Well I've tried a few saddles so far.  A lovely Amerigo that was super comfy but slid back like crazy, a Berney Bros that didn't even get to the girth stage, a Frank Baines dressage saddle, a friends Jaguar and a semi-custom.

None of the jump saddles are even remotely worthwhile.  The Frank Baines belongs to a friend who is generously loaning it to me so that I don't have to ride bareback all the time.  It fits mostly ok with a front riser.

I've got a Zaldi rep coming up this weekend because I've heard good things about them working on harder to fit shoulders.  My coach (who owns a tack store) is also working on getting a demo saddle in that is built on dressage panels but uses a polymer to support a forward flap.  Either option may work but is going to be pricey!!!

I'm currently signed up for a Sandra Donnelly clinic over the Christmas break but I'm beginning to panic that I won't have a saddle to ride in :(

I've got nothing much to share because we got 30cm of snow over two days and then it was -30 Celsius for a few more, so all I did was run out and put extra blankets on.

400g Turnout with 200g liner(fullneck) and a BOT mesh sheet.  She should be warm

Saddle Woes

When I bought Dee I owned 5 saddles (I know, I'm on my way to being a compulsive hoarder):

17.5" M Santa Cruz monoflap

17.5" MW Forestier monoflap

18" M JES Elite by Schleese dressage saddle

18.5" MN cheap synthetic dressage saddle

And a mediocre sidesaddle.

The Santa Cruz remained with the red mare while she was in training and she apparently had a hissy fit about someone touching her ears and reared, fell over and busted the tree.  I'm currently in the midst of an insurance claim to repair/replace the saddle but the insurance company is taking their sweet time about it.

The crease at the cantle is where it broken :(

This left me with the Forestier to jump in.  I knew it wasn't a great fit, it is snug in the shoulders and not wide enough in the back and slides back.  We compensated by purchasing a breastplate and an Ogilvy pad to try and protect old-lady back.  This has gotten us through the first few months but now every time I try and ride in it she is uneven.  So it's officially been shelved :(  I have no desire to sell this saddle because I got an amazing deal on it and it fits Merlin like a glove.

Purdy Forestier with snazzy Ogilvy

The synthetic dressage is for sale since it is way too narrow for Dee (a girl at the barn is actually trying it right now).

Cheapy synthetic

My Schleese is an awesome saddle.  I completely fell in love with it when I got it.  It's brown, puts me in a great position and fit the red mare like a glove.  Unfortunately it doesn't work too great for Dee.  It actually fits her not bad except it is too long for her super short back.  It ends a few inches past her last rib.  So for right now I am riding her in it with the Ogilvy but I know it is only a short-term solution.

It's brown and beautiful.

I sold the sidesaddle (for more than I paid for it!) after I bought Dee since it never fit me right and it was WAY too long for Dee.

I love riding sidesaddle, just not in this saddle.

So right now, my best option is bareback.  Which is fine for the occasional ride but I really need to find saddles that fit both me and her.

I've started looking, but she is remarkably hard to fit.  She's actually a medium width at her withers but she's almost flat across her back.  She also has a very short back and a giant upright shoulder that makes everything more difficult.

I'm also not really ready to compromise the monoflap.  I have a major love affair with the monoflap and my new jumping saddle must be one.  It'd be awesome if I could get a dressage monoflap too!

I'm completely open to suggestions!