"Are you sure you want to ride in that saddle? It has absolutely no security."
~Clinician to the DOR
"Well I guess I better stay seated and not fall off then."
~The DOR to the clinician
The DOR chose to ride English, she was confident that it would be just fine. She had told the clinician about how Sir Royal Pain will sometimes jump sideways, sit and spin when he gets frightened. The clinician was worried that the saddle seat saddle had no security and that if something went wrong that the DOR did not have enough experience riding English to stay seated. For once the DOR listened to her horse and her heart more than someone else's voice. While she was nervous and a bit concerned that maybe the clinician was right, she knew in her core that now was the time and things would be just fine. She also had the encouragement of the SCC and the Horse Guardian.
Things were fine and the clinic turned out wonderfully. Three hours in an English saddle, which felt the same as being bareback, made the DOR work hard...now she knows how I feel when she makes me trot a bunch. Nice to know that old farts can learn new tricks.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!
3 comments:
That was very brave of the DOR to do a clinic in a "foreign" saddle. Not sure I have the stones for it yet.
Maybe the clinician only rode Western and was afraid of the English saddle?
Way to go DOR for standing your ground....er....sitting your seat and having a good enough seat to stay on, too.
~Lisa
The clinician is actually a very accomplished English rider. The DOR told her it was only her thrid time in an English saddle and the clinician wanted to make sure that the DOR would be safe.
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