Not what the plan was, but....

 Well that went a bit sideways... Oh well. It was still a decent ride.

 

My plan was to take Lyric to Ashland to do some hills and get in a pretty serious hill workout and then a light dressage ride. Kelli said she would meet me but wouldn't be as quick to get there. I figured that would be perfect because I could do some hills and then we could ride in the arena, and then do a hack. And... I could always stay out on the trails longer if needed. However, by the time I got to Ashland, it was already later than I wanted and I was trying to get home to spend some time with Mike. I went to put the CWD on her that Kelli had left with me and... I just... I didn't like it. It looked super tight in the withers. So then I pulled it off and went to put the jump saddle on. And then panicked because I felt like in order to slide it where it needed to be, the billets were mid belly! Ack, So... they I thought... well, let's try the CWD.. maybe it's not that bad. And so I did... girthed it up... cringed... but figured I would at least put my butt in it to see, since the stubben is so awful. So I got on... and... it was comfy enough for me but I just felt like it was not going to be kind to Lyric. So I got off after walking around the parking lot. At that point Kelli pulled up. Argh! So much for getting in some hacking. So... I waited for her and then had her look. She really just thought it was so downhill. Well... it's Lyric, so...  But the halfpad made it tighter, I thought. So... I pulled it off. At that point Kelli offered to let me put the Envy on her. She's trialing it. Hmmmm.... why not actually!? I was contemplating trying it anyways. So I put that one on and put my stirrups on it. I told Kelli to text me when she was getting on and I headed to the hills to do some hills while she was grooming and tacking up. 

 

Good grief that saddle is TERRIBLE!! I was instantly miserable. I thought the stubben was bad. This thing was way worse. It tips my pelvis totally the wrong way - so it drops my crotch down and tips my seat bones up and back... then... the thigh blocks were totally cramming my thighs to the back of the saddle... where there was no room because of the weird tip in my pelvis. And despite my stirrups being pretty long... like longer than the should be, I felt like I was almost riding in two point. It was like the saddle totally crunched my bottom half and in the wrong way. It was awful. Like... my back was almost spasming. But I trucked out to the XC field and we were followed by an adorable black fell pony looking creature. Lyric and I walked up the hill twice and then I noticed that the pony was NOT going in the water. So  I meandered back down and offered a lead. Lyric walked right in and was like "What's wrong dude?". Um silly... may I remind you that you also did not want to get in the water at first missy! We tried but he still said no and I knew I was running short on time, so we went back up the hill and down and then tried to lead him in again. This time it worked. Yay! Then Kelli texted that she was heading to the arena, so I trotted Lyric up the hill. And eeekkks.. the saddle sucks worse in the trot!

 

We got to the arena and chatted with Lucy briefly and I did our homework at the walk... the almost turn on the forehand and almost turn on the haunches to activate the left hind. Then we started trotting. And man... after about 4 laps, I couldn't do it. Lyric didn't seem real happy either even though the saddle seemed to fit her. So I went back to the trailer and put the stubben back on. And man, after the Envy, the stubben was a nice relief, which is saying something as the stubben also tips my pelvis the wrong way. We headed back to the arena and did our trot work and canter work, doing our Jacel homework. It didn't go as well as when she was there but we did get some good work. She was rooting a bit more today. I'm not sure if the ulcers are just getting worse, she was stressed or sore because of the first saddle, or... mad because she knew this game and it's hard. But we did get some decent work. I probably would have done a hair more but didn't really need to. Plus, it was getting late and the day was so pretty. Kelli had finished too so we headed out to the XC field. Kelli only had time to walk to the lake and back so that's what we did. Or tried to do. Marvin was unhappy so... she went to get off and walk. I asked if she wanted to swap saddles because... we had mentioned me sitting in the Veritas at the end of our ride anyways. And then she could see if Marvin was happier in his old saddle vs the new one. And Kelli agreed, so... we hopped off and did a saddle swap in the middle of XC. And oh wow!! That veritas is actually quite nice. My pelvis rotated the correct way and my leg hung nicely down. It was WAY more comfy. yay! Except maybe not yay because it's not a cheap saddle. So we walked to the lake and back and Marvin was a bit better, but not quite. When we got to the top of the field I did a little trot and canter just to feel out the saddle. Kelli had pulled the knee blocks off it so it was just a straight flap. But I honestly kind of liked it. She said she thought that was the most "stable" my core has looked... not so hula-y. Well... damn. I did think it was easier to sit the trot in too. Though it took me a minute to find my seat in the canter. But... oh well. We'll see what happens on Tuesday with Dan and then figure out what's going to happen with my saddles and for which horse and then decide if Lyric gets her own new saddle or... if we can make do. I hope we can make do!

 

I shockwaved her hamstrings tonight when we got back home and she was a good girl. I'm hoping this will help relax that tight back end of hers. 



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