Yesterday while cleaning the basement I came across my two saddles.
That el-cheapo English saddle lasted me years and hours of riding. I don't know how comfortable it was for the horse; he sure tossed me off enough. It's still got the original leathers and looks much the same.
But, to the trash it will go.
My Aussie saddle on the other hand, purchased many years after that first saddle, is a much nicer saddle. It was down there too, in the basement. Covered in dust and cobwebs.
Today was clean saddle day.
First I vacuumed it off. Then we washed it with plain water. Then Jim discovered another Aussie saddle in the barn, an even dirtier one. The one I had really forgotten about. We bought it for the boys in the event they ever actually got interested in riding, which they did not. So it's for someone light and petite.
Photo is of the two Aussie saddles after their initial clean up.
I have no idea how much the smaller Aussie saddle cost and I'm not sure it's going to be salable; the leathers look like they need replacing and there are scratches on the seat. But we cleaned that one off too and applied Neetsfoot oil to both of them and they are shining up a bit.
The one thing I do know for certain is that I won't be using them again.
That's a sad thought. I could still ride Sam. I never got tossed out of that Aussie saddle. Except for that one time when I rode Jet after he got back from the trainers and he beelined it for the barn. He made the turn, I did not. It's kind of a miracle I lived. I broke my tailbone. Tried to get right back on but it hurt too much. Haven't been on a horse since and that was ... eight years ago?
So chances are I won't be making the effort in the next three years.
Cleaning the saddles is going to be a bit of a project.
Initially I imagined I would clean a saddle, do photo op, and get another listing on Craigslist. Hmph. Not so much. There is a huge wooden crate out in the barn full of horsey supplies; girths, bridles, halters, harnesses, blankets, blankets, blankets, ointments, sprays, soaps, clippers, brushes. All of this needs to be taken out, cleaned up, and either tossed out or sold. May has well do everything at the same time.
The barn could turn out to be a big project. Good thing I'm starting 1068 days early.
Cleaning is boring. I know this. Next time I promise to write something interesting about France.
My very first saddle, purchased about a million years ago shortly after purchasing my first horse; an Arabian gelding and spending more money than I had, was, I'm pretty sure, the least expensive saddle in the store. And the only one I could even think about being able to afford. I think my second bridle cost more than that saddle.
That el-cheapo English saddle lasted me years and hours of riding. I don't know how comfortable it was for the horse; he sure tossed me off enough. It's still got the original leathers and looks much the same.
But, to the trash it will go.
My Aussie saddle on the other hand, purchased many years after that first saddle, is a much nicer saddle. It was down there too, in the basement. Covered in dust and cobwebs.
Today was clean saddle day.
First I vacuumed it off. Then we washed it with plain water. Then Jim discovered another Aussie saddle in the barn, an even dirtier one. The one I had really forgotten about. We bought it for the boys in the event they ever actually got interested in riding, which they did not. So it's for someone light and petite.
Photo is of the two Aussie saddles after their initial clean up.
I have no idea how much the smaller Aussie saddle cost and I'm not sure it's going to be salable; the leathers look like they need replacing and there are scratches on the seat. But we cleaned that one off too and applied Neetsfoot oil to both of them and they are shining up a bit.
The one thing I do know for certain is that I won't be using them again.
That's a sad thought. I could still ride Sam. I never got tossed out of that Aussie saddle. Except for that one time when I rode Jet after he got back from the trainers and he beelined it for the barn. He made the turn, I did not. It's kind of a miracle I lived. I broke my tailbone. Tried to get right back on but it hurt too much. Haven't been on a horse since and that was ... eight years ago?
So chances are I won't be making the effort in the next three years.
Cleaning the saddles is going to be a bit of a project.
Initially I imagined I would clean a saddle, do photo op, and get another listing on Craigslist. Hmph. Not so much. There is a huge wooden crate out in the barn full of horsey supplies; girths, bridles, halters, harnesses, blankets, blankets, blankets, ointments, sprays, soaps, clippers, brushes. All of this needs to be taken out, cleaned up, and either tossed out or sold. May has well do everything at the same time.
The barn could turn out to be a big project. Good thing I'm starting 1068 days early.
Cleaning is boring. I know this. Next time I promise to write something interesting about France.
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