Riding the Choices

Saturday, I decided to get in a ride since the temp was going to over 20 degrees F at 9 am.

For some reason, I can no longer remember, though I am inclined to blame my friend P, I thought riding in my dressage saddle would be a good choice.  It's been about a year since I used it last. In that time, I purchased a lovely girth, 

had longer girth billets put on the saddle 

and bought a few colorful square pads to go under the fleece shaped pad.

I don't have all of these - just a few of them.

In reality, Saturday went like this - the Norman Thelwell illustrations are amusing and quite accurate. Pony is way too fuzzy in his winter coat and a little fat due to some time off being a babysitter for the Clydesdale weanling.

My new girth is too short for him, the new long billets aren't long enough to make up the difference. The new billets are also too stiff to get a proper tightening and the double pads were slip-sliding all over the place.

The ride was interesting to say the least!  

The end results are tack chores and a little shopping. I need to get neatsfoot oil worked in the billets (& saddle flaps) to soften them. I need to hunt down a new longer girth. I need to find a dressage square pad with integrated extra back cushion. Stormy & I need extra exercise to get back to a more fit state. 

And I need to take the truck into the mechanic because somewhere on the way home from the barn, I blew a hole into my exhaust system.

Part of me thinks I should have choose to stay in the studio, quilting.