A local friend of mine has an eventing monoflap saddle for sale. It is a Intrepid Deluxe (which I had not heard about and I can’t find a lot online about it). It is a medium wide tree and she has the swap for the wide tree if I buy the saddle. I think Remus needs the wide tree. Anyway, I digress.
I decided to try it out. First off someone she knew was buying it so I thought that I wasn’t going to get to try it then that sale fell through so I thought well I hadn’t found any lately to look at so why not. Got it and took it home.
On our fun night at the barn we tried it on him and the barn mates discussed it and said it didn’t really fit Remus. It sat a bit funky (NOTE: It had been fitted to fit her big Tbred gelding so I was not shocked it didn’t fit Remus). I didn’t ride in it. So I carried it back home. (We tried it on another horse at the barn that same night, the TB/Shire cross and it didn’t really fit him either. I kind of thought oh well. I won’t see the owner of the saddle till the show next week. I didn’t just keep the saddle against her wishes I promise LOL).
Then I went to Dad’s all weekend and had no horse time at all. Plus it rained most of the weekend. But in the back of my mind I was thinking…I want to sit in that damn saddle to see if lightning can strike twice (I love love love my Luc Childeric dressage monoflap).
So I watched the skies on Monday and decided to take a risk. Went out to the barn last night to try it
Egads. First off it fit Remus a bit better now that I slid it back more and didn’t try to make it sit like my Zaldi. (I sat it like I sit my monoflap dressage, a bit further back). Second. OH MY GOD.
It seriously was like the most comfortable saddle I had ever sat in (besides when my Luc Childeric arrived and I sat in that). Like oh my goodness. I felt so secure in it. Now granted I just walked and trotted a bit in it (The skies were imminent with rain). But OKAY I get the fuss. SO now I am wondering if it is worth getting a saddle fitter out to take a look at this saddle to see if it can work for Remus. It is a good price, it is local and I love the feel of this saddle. Sure I would love to buy a 3k saddle tomorrow but the chance of that happening in the near future is not good. (But the900facebookpony just keeps sending them to me since I do love looking at them!) Thanks buddy!
I am posting some photos for you guys to see to see what you think. I have not a lot of choices in my budget (think cheap) but a saddle fitter I am NOT as we have already realized! (I have emailed my local saddle fitter earlier this past week anyway to get an appt to see what fits Remus the best saddle wise anyway but maybe I can get her to take a look at this one, am hoping she responds soon).
I only put a regular pad on under this. I did not use my new ECP pad (Navy blue, the purple one is on back order from Riding Warehouse but will be shipped to me soon…..sigh I might have a problem). #toomanysaddlepads
I know there are ways to shim and fix things. Remus seemed pretty comfy in it too. He wasn’t ambitious but when he is especially after he had been snoozing in his stall all day while it was gray and gloomy out. Anyone heard of this brand, the Intrepid? Anyone have any other ideas? Has anyone looked at the Dover monoflap they have now (Someone was telling me about this one)?
Also, we tried a Prestige Nona Garson on Remus at the barn too (I have not sat in that yet) and it was a wide tree and sat pretty good on him too. I could possibly find a used one of those without selling a kidney(Options there are many and yet still not enough!).
In other news, I booked my ticket for Austin. YAY. Amanda swears I am going to melt and die in Austin (or Kosse wherever in BFE her show is being held) but whatever.
I leave Saturday afternoon and have to come back Wednesday so not a long visit. My plans are to arrive in AUS and grab a rental car and head north toward where her show is. Get a hotel for the night and then go the rest of the way in the am. The things I DO for her! HA I actually have to work on the Tuesday in Austin so only have a small window of time to see all the horsey things and bug Amanda for a few hours (AND MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, MEET BOBBY???)!
I am not sure if meeting Presto will work out as due to his ongoing issues he probably will be back to Midland by the time I am there. BOOOO…..I am not sure if I can swing a 4 hour each way trip to see him this trip. Just means I will have to go back again. And soon. Feel better soon, Presto!!
Fat Buckskin in a Little Suit 
exciting about finding a potential saddle match! i’m no expert fitter even with being able to put my hands on the actual saddle in real life, so i won’t offer any opinion just from the pictures. but good luck getting a pro out to take a look! saddle shopping is basically my least favorite activity ever haha… ugh…
if you do go the route of using a shimmable half pad – i would have to recommend against ECP products. their shims compress down to nothing (as in, paper thinness) prettttty quickly
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you must really hate saddle shopping 🙂 It is like house hunting for me!! Thanks!
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The ECP shims do compress over time, but those pockets are such that you can easily cut felt or thinline shims to slide in/out as needed. Way easier design than other pocket pads I’ve had, and significantly cheaper. I def love their pockets (and overall pad quality and price) a lot more than their shims, but shims are also the easiest thing to replace!
As for the saddle, the leather looks nicer than I thought it would. Agree that the fit is a bit sketchy, but worth having a saddle fitter take a look if you like it.
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I actually dont need a lot of support with Remus with the shims. I do like the flexibility of changing the shims out and really do love the ECP brand in quality of pad for the price (CANT wait to get my hands on my purple one!) 🙂
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Gonna have to give another vote for the ECP pads – but I do take out the foam shims and use felt instead!
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