I think you have explained why Lyric has such saddle issues
when she does her cross training (western events-gymkhana, team penning).
Lyric is fine at rides as she mostly trots and canters. ( In fact she has a huge
trot – and can out trot my almost 16 hand mare any day of the week.)
But when she does gymkhana and team penning she has fits if the saddle is not
perfect.
We are in the middle of another great saddle search and tried
a Circle Y reining saddle recently. It had the bumps on both sides were
it hits the shoulders. We did not even put the cinch on it as we knew
Lyric would go nutty with the saddle and pain it would cause.
Several years ago we had purchased a crupper for Lyric and
started training in it for distance. We went to a gymkhana and just left
the crupper on and tried a run in it. Oh my, oh my, a rodeo was witnessed
by all. Lyric came flying down to the first pole and started bucking and
bucking- 15 times. Dani was not unseated and determined to stay on.
The show photographer caught it and I have an 8 X10 of Lyric with her back feet
well above Dani’s head. Dani has the most determined look on her
face, a classic shot. They got a standing ovation when it was all over.
And they were fine once the offending crupper was removed.
All of this leads me to ask – what western barrel saddles
are extra wide and short, without the shoulder bumps? Oh and I have a Bob
Marshall barrel saddle for sale as well as an SR Enduro that Lyric has out
grown. Any ideas will be appreciated.
