The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread NINE

See our "who's who" page! ^

[FrogInABlender]

I really do need to take the time and read the rest of the Outlander books though. That's one of the best series I've ever read, along with Jean Auel's Clan Of The Cave Bear series and Stephen King's Dark Tower series.

[FrogInABlender]

Jamie.....Yummmmmm!

[RMDupree]

Oh yeah. He's marvelous. ;-)

I haven't caught up on the Cave Bear series yet. Got as far as The Mammoth Hunters. That's another one I need to start over with.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, I ordered a new saddle today. It will be ready in 3 wks. So Harley is on vacation.

Hair just to prepare, this means I may not make it up there this year. I'm going to try hard, cut back on some of my expenses, like the $30 dollars a week I spend on bird feed:) etc. I really want to come, but I wasn't expecting this expense. I think I can still swing it, but I just wanted to start letting you know. What's the weather there like in Aug and Sept? If I could put it off just a bit would help.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Our Augusts and Septembers are marvelous. Hotter than I like, but I bet you'll find them cool. :~D I understand your predicament. I really want you to come, but I understand the constraints of every day life :~D

I know everyone likes to have traveling money, but beyond airfare, we could make this really a cheap trip for you. You can stay here of course, we'll feed ya, and riding doesn't cost anything :~D

[HairOfTheDog]

So - what's ordering a saddle mean? Are you having it made, or did you order one we can see?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, I think if I will start being more careful with my money then I've been lately:) I should be able to swing it especially if it could be a little later in the summer.

My budget is for seeding a fertilizing my pastures, buy a weed eater, and the trip to Washington. Stanley will let me make payments, and if I sell the English Saddle, (I could even sell my western or he would take it on trade, but I just really don't want to do that, sentimental reasons:), I don't think it will be a problem. I think I'm going to have Mack run it on Ebay. He's been wanting to see how it works anyway.

I've been a bit of a spendthrift this winter. Just this winter I started drawing a paycheck for doing the bookwork of our business:). I make plenty to pay for everything, if I'd be a bit more frugal with the little stuff:). I really have been looking forward to the trip too, so I'll work hard at it:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

It's being made. The same shop that built my last one. I really liked it, and think it held up well for the abuse I put it thru:)

The best thing is Stanley told me if it doesn't work, I don't own it. If it doesn't work the next step will be to make a cast of his back and have one built from the tree up, but it won't cost anymore then this one did. So I can't lose. I'll get one that a fits no matter what.

That was what was hanging me up about buying a new one. I don't want to get stuck with ANOTHER saddle that doesn't work.

If I bought one of the manufactor brands: 1. I'm stuck with it if it doesn't work, and 2. They told me at the shop they don't come in the Full size.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

We usually have reliably good weather all the way through September. And we're real flexible too. I ~like~ the first part of July the best because it's still really green, but no longer muddy... The scenery and the woods would be their most beautiful. Often times by August and Sept my pasture and the trails are not just dry, they're gettin' dusty! - but that's OK.

[HairOfTheDog]

Sounds real good. I look forward to seeing it, and sure hope it works. :~D

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

It will look just like this one except for it won't have the silver in the corners or around the hole of the back cinch it will just be tooled with the basket weave pattern in those places , it will have the round concho and the pretty flower in the corner of the top skirt, it won't have the tooled leather and small conchos around the back of the seat, but will be white rawhide with that silver lacing, and the seat will be black swede.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Very pretty! I see an absence of rings on that one... Are you having rings where the conchos are in the back?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Oh, and for what it's worth, that is the least expensive, plainest one they make. I asked him we could leave anything off to cut back on price and he said I really shouldn't because the resale value would go down. Like I'm going to resale:). He really thinks I should just trade my old one in, he says it will just sit and rot and be a waste. I've got 3 wks to make up my mind on that.

It's just that, I don't know, (I hope) that Harley will be the last horse I ever own. What if he isn't. What if I get another one and need the smaller size again. That's USUALLY the size a quarter horse needs.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

HMMMMMMMM, never thought of that. I may call him and ask him to put the kind of conchos on that's on my old saddle, that has tie rings. Thanks for the reminder of that.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

It was hard to sell my old Stubben English saddle. That saddle had fit every horse I'd ever ridden from high school up to but not including Bay. It went with me and reminded me in college that I used to ride and wanted to again.

I kept it until I had a reason to trade it for it's value. We traded it in to get ecurbh's saddle. A good trade, that was... trading old dusty memories for a riding partner :~D

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well I'll shoot hard to be able to make it in July. But as long as you are OK with it maybe being later, then I'd say I'll still make it, just not sure quite when:)

Does that work for you? I don't want to be an imposition.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, that would be a good trade:)

I just feel there is a very good chance I'd need my old one again. Heck that's the one I'd ride Rocky in if I ride him. The new one may be too wide for him.

So all things considered, I really think I should keep it and not just for sentimental reasons, altho those reasons are strong for me:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

You can never have too many rings on a trail saddle :~D

And I think in the grande scheme of things when you're building it, they're cheap to add more.

[HairOfTheDog]

Whenever you can works for me. No imposition at all. It'd be great fun.

[FrogInABlender]

Well I'm glad you ordered a new one coz you sure needed it. Hopefully you can still make it up to Hair's place too. The birds will have to go on a diet! ;o)

I'm still on the waiting list for the one I ordered back on Labor Day. I went up to visit they guy over the weekend and he said it'd probably be April before he could start it. :-/

But I ordered another one from a different guy while I was up there. So one of these days I'll have 2 new ones, so if anybody ever wants to come riding with me, they can.

As far as eBay goes, just make sure you set the Reserve high enough so that your saddle doesn't go for just nothing. And good luck with it! Hopefully you'll get what you paid for it back out of it.