Cob Jockey

It's really a shame we didn't get video of my lesson last night (I'm not using the Pixio until this blows over because I don't want to have to disinfect a million pieces of plastic), because we had such a fantastic lesson!  In the trial saddle, too.

Tacking up at my trailer bc social distancing #2020things

My trainer really focused in on keeping me firm in my torso, keeping my shoulder blades slid down my back and making my arms move separately from my torso.  That's on top of last week, in which we had a great lesson focusing on bend and really getting my knee snugged into him, which the CWD Dressage makes a lot easier than the CWD jump does.

Not knocking my jump saddle at all, it's just not a Dressage saddle

In fact, the CWD Dressage makes EVERYTHING about riding easier.  I am really starting to like this saddle.  The blocks keep me in place without being annoying, I don't notice them except it's like "Huh, I am really not moving around up here and it's not even hard!". 

The short flap gives me just enough skin-boot contact to feel close to him.  I can move my pelvis around without feeling like the cantle is all up in my business.  The monoflap and the complete lack of knee pad behind the block make it easy to snug my leg into him.  The wide twist takes up the space between my legs completely.  I just feel STABLE in the thing.

"This is highly irregular" - Connor

I don't have to make a decision for basically as long as the state shutdown lasts, however long that is, so it's another extended trial, although I'm keeping a close eye on Connor's back to make sure we don't have back soreness round 2, since this one isn't flocked right for him.  So far he's going amazing in it though.

Truly not horrible even though it's not right

So after starting this saddle search nearly a year ago "knowing" I wanted a CWD Dressage saddle just like my jump saddle, waiting four months for a custom one that didn't work (on my birthday!), being heartbroken and deciding to see what else was out there, having a budget for custom, trying over 50 saddles from many manufacturers, and paying let'snottalkaboutit in fitting fees, I may be ending up exactly where I started, with a CWD Dressage saddle.

Life is weird.