Security + Deep Seat = "Ride-Ability"!

Meridian Saddle #120

To borrow the term from my amigo Dean Essex DVM, the saddle that I'm selling, pictured above when it was new -- is a perfect example!  It's incredibly comfortable, no padding needed, the high cantle, combined with nice pommel & large bucking rolls -- kept me ON, even when Khari took a bad stumble on a steep down-hill at the Elbe Hills Ride last fall.  I'd only come off this type of saddle once, one of my first trail rides on Khari, when we were going too fast, ducks flew up off a hidden pond & the horse with us cut over right in front of us, making Khari Hit the Brakes!  I flew over her head, but didn't get hurt.  I've ridden all of our upcoming 1,000 miles of endurance in this type saddle & stayed top-side during some amazing stuff!

My "fat" girl & her new saddle!

Sadly, when I bought this saddle in Aug. 08, it fit Khari perfectly.  We started training mid-05, conditioning in 06, then 3-50's in 07.  We've been lucky to do 5-50's per season since.  Fitness happens over time, she's gone from a "fat" girl, to a "fit" girl.  Her withers slimmed down & the saddle started sitting too low in front.  This kept tilting me forward & over 50 miles, gave me shin splints.  So we padded up the front.  That worked, except that it pushed the saddle farther back & it started to shimmy back & forth over her loins -- rubbing all the hair off & soring her.

Finally this January, I attended a saddle-fit clinic with David Genadek of About the Horse.  While there, he tried several different padding options, but could not find anything to solve all the problems I was having.  The saddle just didn't fit anymore.  Since it was expensive, I have to get it sold, before I can order another.  I like Dave's saddles, but don't know about their "Ride-ability".  I would love to try one out & show it to Dean, but these saddle makers just don't seem to want to lend out saddles on trial.  I don't want to spent that kind of big $ for a custom saddle, to find that it doesn't work!

Bighorn Saddle

Compare the saddle I was thrown from, my 20 year old Big Horn.  This was the first saddle I bought when we started doing Competitive Trail in the early 90's.  One problem, was that your upper body tilts forward anytime you try to slow down or stop, making it hard to maintain your seat when anything happens.  The fenders are set a bit too far back.  Without a rear cinch, the saddle doesn't stay "down" on the horses back.  The "seat" looks positively "flat" compared to the Meridian above.

The only other issue I had as far as my comfort in the Meridian Saddle, was the 14.5" seat.  I fit in it, but without much wiggle room.  That may make it slow to sell.  Next time I will order a 15" & have the bit of extra room that makes me more comfortable, if a tiny bit less secure.  I will use one of the new molds to be sure that the fit will work for Khari.  Since we'll still hopefully "start" our fifth season before too much longer... (Heal Connie heal!) I can't imagine that her body will change much, she's mature at 11.