Boost It Up a Bit

I am really happy with my new to me County Connection, but when Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, was here on Saturday, she thought the saddle needed some padding adjustments for Speedy. Specifically, she thought it was too low in the back.

Too low?

I have a decent eye for saddle fit. And by decent, I mean that I can see a poorly fitting saddle, but the subtleties of fit are outside my skill set. To me, the saddle has seemed to be a good fit overall, but in this photo, it does appear as though the pommel is a bit high and the flaps too far forward.

I trust Chemaine, and if she thinks we can improve the fit by altering my pad, I am all over it. As soon as I got home, I logged on to Riding Warehouse knowing they'd have what I need. It didn't hurt that I had a gift card still unspent as well.

I immediately found what I was looking for: the ECP Correction Half Pad with Memory Foam Inserts. this pad comes in two styles - a four pocket and a six pocket. The six pocket definitely offers more adjustability, but I felt like the 4 pocket would meet my needs. As a bonus, it comes in four colors.

Best half pad ever!

For $46.95 (less, because I always save 15%), this thing is amazing. It's nicely contoured, and the fabric is thick and sturdy. Each quadrant comes with three thicknesses of foam. You can use them all, or keep whichever combination works for you. I pulled out all of the shims from the two front pockets. I didn't need them. 

Front pocket padding.

I started with all of the padding in the rear pockets first. I was surprised at how much better the saddle already fit. It definitely needed shims.

No padding in front, three shims in back.

While it looked better for sure - the flaps hung much straighter, it seemed as though the cantle was a wee bit high, so I pulled out the two thinnest shims.

No padding in front, thickest shim only in back.

Since I wasn't sure how it would ride, I chose this more middle of the road option for the first ride. No matter how many times I pulled the saddle off and replaced it, Speedy just stood there munching on the hay in his net. He really is a saint.

Saddle pad and girth added.

I've struggled a little bit with having a chair seat in this saddle. Now that I stretch before getting on, that problem has largely disappeared. When I rode last night, I felt much more balanced. Maybe that extra inch was what we both needed.

Speedy hasn't seemed affected at all by the saddle's fit, but he felt really good last night. It was probably more because he'd had a few days off. He doesn't like to be worked two days in a row, and two days off suits him best. I'll hop on him again tonight. I am pretty sure he's okay with or without a few shims as long as there is a treat afterwards for him.