I tried an OF this weekend

[Louisa_Pierce@ne.3com.com]

I went and got an OF this weekend.  It was a used Patriot that was custom
made for a police officer.  It was
really neat looking, and now that I have seen one and rode in one, I know
what allot of you were talking about.
I now know what Bootie's and Panels are, and I also know what you mean
about the Biothane stirrup fittings.

This saddle had allot of PROs and CONs for me and my horse.  First I tell
you the PROs for my horse.

1.  It fit him super, he is an Arab, but he is a big Arab and the saddle
did not and would not rub his loins, and I thank
you all for bringing that to my attention

2.  I did a 10mi trail ride, but I rode it like a CTR and after the ride,
he didn't have one bump or thickening on his back
(granted it was only 10, but he has had thickening under my last saddle in
less miles)

3.  I thought it moved well on him and the saddle made me feel like I was
not sitting on his withers.

CONs for me.

1. I could not ride in this saddle!  Granted after 8miles, I rode in it
better and in time I may be able to adjust.  I am
a dressage rider and I am big on knee rolls.  I felt like I was riding bare
back and I would slip off at any minute.
Or if my horse spooked (a very common occurrence) then I again would be
off.

2.  I have bad feet by design :-) and my cloud stirrups have remedy all the
pain in my feet.  But this saddle caused
horrible pain in my feet after only 3 miles.  I think this was caused by no
knee rolls.   I am sure I brace against
the knee rolls and use them as kind of a shock absorber, well with no shock
absorber, I had to much weight in on
the balls of my feet.  I can't even walk around a pool table once, w/out
pain in my feet, so any kind of weight on them
caused pain.  Again, I may be able to over come this, once I get comfy in
the saddle

3. The biothan fittings have to GO!  What a horrible design.  After 6miles
the fittings rode up under my thigh and caused
terrible rubbing.  Not to mention that the latch came undone and my right
stirrup shot down about 3 inches. I was so
pissed at this point, I didn't want to stop and fix the dam thing, I just
wanted the ride over.  At one point I did stop and
try to fix it, but it was stuck and just about impossible to get it back
where it belongs that I gave up and I finished the
ride with one leg 3-4 inches longer :-(

I am going to ride in it the rest of the week and see how it goes.  I hope
I can learn to feel comfy in this saddle, since it
fits my horse so well.  Can some of you write to me again and tell me what
you did to change he biothane fittings.

Louisa and Sultan



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