That said...dang this is a tacky sucker.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Oh...My
I believe the person who once owned the horse that this saddle was made for is a reader. If so, I am not trying to offend. If it weren't for the seat, it wouldn't be too bad as a show saddle. I like black saddles, and it looks to be very high quality. Without the seat, which admittedly would be mostly covered by the rider, I wouldn't object to using this on my filly. The seat is just too much though. So, sorry, I'[m not trying to be offensive.
That said...dang this is a tacky sucker.
That said...dang this is a tacky sucker.
I know there's a famous quote about how when you go to leave the house, you should take one piece of jewelry off.
ReplyDeleteYeah. That.
This is AWFUL!! To busy. If it was just plain black leather (no tooling) I think it would look better.
ReplyDeleteOn the right horse, with the rider dressed in plain black with a bit of color and plain black pad, that would be a stunning outfit.
ReplyDeleteSorry. I don't find it tacky at all. I would have put it on my solid black Morgan/Percheron without hesitation. Although I would prefer a plain black seat instead of that tiger print.
And there is absolutely no difference between that saddle and most of the blond monstrosities that people are using for top end show saddles. They usually have just as much or more silver and the same amount of tooling. It just appears different because the black shines enough to make the tooling stand out.
I would totally rock that as a parade saddle. A nice bright sunny day and I'd blind half of the people on the parade route!
ReplyDeleteI like it.....but I don't have a horse with enough presence to carry it off.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I'd do is replace the girths with black ones. Then I would match a plain pad to exactly a rust shade in the seat. The rider would be in black, except for maybe matching rust touches on his/her shirt.
You might be able to pull it off on a light chestnut horse, the shade of the seat......then the rider (and the pad) would have to be all in black.
Yes, Ladypr.....your Bum could have pulled it off. I could see it on a Friesian, too......
Again, I repeat, I LIKE the saddle, except for the seat. That just tips it from the realm of, "hey I would use that" to "OMG". It's just too much, gilding the lily or something like that.
ReplyDeleteDon't know about the owner. But I posted this saddle a ways back. The horse was bought from my friend by the lady who had this THING made. The horse is a wonderful, beautiful Kentucky Mountain stud....unfortunately for the saddle, he is not black. He is a very handsome Bay Silver Dapple. I about crapped when the stallion's old owner sent me this saddle pic... Here is the stud in his new home: http://www.mountainsporthorse.com/id30.html
ReplyDeleteHe has great disposition and I have one of his fillies now too and she is just as pretty! But I am NOT putting a saddle like that on her, LOL :)
Perfect example of the saying "less is more". There is just WAY too much going on with this saddle.
ReplyDeleteAND YAY---I posted the link to this in the previous comments. Still waiting for the post on trophy saddles. Some of the lettering is just HUGE. My feeling is they should either add a silver piece on trophy saddles that can be removed if the winner wants to sell it, award a "plain" saddle with no lettering or just give winners CASH. I would not want to win a trophy saddle! Saddles are too varied and a personal choice to ever get that right for the winner.
I always though trophy saddles were silly. Heck, just from the perspective of FIT...to assume it would even fit the horse winning it...I have a hard enough time fitting my horse when I get a trophy BLANKET/Sheet (she is smaller than many endurance horses, so those darn things are way too big for her)...And then ja see ppl trying to sell them on ebay and such...who wants a saddle that has all that writing on it? So at least making a silver "plaque" that says something, that can be removed, is a better idea...or maybe a breast collar instead, as that is easier to fit a horse with. Money is always best though...then you can buy a saddle that fits :)
ReplyDeleteThis is way to much - very busy with all the tooling,silver and animal print. Blinding.
ReplyDeleteAylisha: Saddle fit for horse AND/OR rider. Who says the winner fits a standard 15" western saddle. Not sure who started the trophy saddle trend, but it not practical. Something that is a "one size fits all" makes much more sense.
ReplyDeleteH- that would be the statement:
ReplyDeleteBefore leaving the house, remove the last accessory you put on.
Sans the printed leather seat, this isn't a bad looking show saddle. I have seen far worse offenders in the hidious category.
The excessive tooling is a dealbreaker for me though. That crap can rub raw spots on your legs, through your jeans- not fun! I also refuse to get out the old toothbrushes to scrub the dirt out of every nook and cranny- forget it.
The silver is a bit much for my simple taste, and I could do without the 'stars'.
To each their own I guess?
If you had a robust stallion with a big butt and legs that won't quit, black or gray or blue roan, with the right 'tude, this would be KOOL.
ReplyDeleteExcept for that damn striped seat. Really cheapens the look.
Some shades of palomino would look good in this, too.
Or some paint/appy variation on blacks & whites.
The rider would wear black, yes, with silver, white, purple, blue or aqua accents. Of course it would have to be top-of-the-line quality, or the effect is just squandered.
If you had very good posture and snow-white hair, you'd be FABULOUS.
I much prefer black - on the right horse - to the super blonde leather.
My favorite is still chestunut brown or dark oil like Arab folks use.
Ooo, turquoise cufflinks, black gloves, black romal reins.
DAMN you can tell I don't show Western!
~Cattypex on her husband's laptop~
You know, I've NEVER liked this style of saddle. I don't like the shape of the skirts and all the tooling and silver. I see a lot of these same style of saddles in catalogues in light oil with dark brown seats. The tiger print is over the top.
ReplyDeleteI think black is a color that works on all horses. I truly cannot think of any color of horse that it looks bad on.
I agree, cattypex--I don't like the super blonde saddles either. I like pecan, dark oil, chocolate, or black.
ReplyDeleteCP & Kat- Put me down for the medium oil, dark oil leather goods. I thought I was a fan of black, but as I age, not so much.
ReplyDeleteI think black looks good on true blacks, blue roans, grays and horses with VERY BLACK points, like some bays & buckskin/dun horses. Also on black/white pinto colors.
ReplyDeleteBut I still prefer the various shades of BROWN. It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature!!
Heck, I even want a BROWN dressage saddle......
CNJ & CP,
ReplyDeleteAll my tack is black because it works on any color of a horse. I have a Wintec 500 Dressage saddle with the CAIR system and easy-change gullet, so it fits pretty much any horse I want it to. I also cleaned it today--all I did was hose it off and rub it with a towel, and it was clean! Took 10 minutes!
I think Wintec makes brown dressage saddles, CP.... I'm sure you can find one if you look hard enough!
Katphoti....
ReplyDeleteI do appreciate the Wintec ease of care, I really do, and the nice price on quality saddles, but... I'm such a leather snob. ; )
I have even ridden in a couple of comfy Wintecs.
For no reason other than.... I dunno, cuz maybe it's .... sexier? .... I'm much more into leather. Maybe if they sprayed WIntecs with Eau de Leather! ;)
Heck, if I was into S&M, I'd even be a total leather girl. No latex for me, nosiree BOB.
I think that black Wintecs look much prettier than brown ones. That's where I'll prefer black, definitely.
Of course, my own old faithful Blue Ribbon close contact AP saddle is almost black. It was dark brown when I bought it, but a few quarts of saddle oil and 25 years later, it's a 83% Cacao Dark Chocolate color. And it DOES look nice. It's smooth leather, not the kind with all the little pores. ALmost like glove leather, just not so thin or limp.
Oh my. I'm veering toward SEXY again.
Can I go on record as saying I've NEVER used anything horse related in a sex act?
LOL! That gave me a good laugh today :) I agree, I love leather (that tack shop smell is just THE best...too bad it can't be put into those car hanger tree thingies or room scent sprayers :P). But doing endurance, I also LOVE my synthetic tack and saddle. Just bought a new saddle and it is the first leather one I have had in a LONG time...so puuurrrrdy. Mahogany brown with a black seat..but it will be a bear to keep clean (a sheepskin cover sure helps though)... Check it out here: http://www.rlwatsonsaddles.com/stock.html it is the same as the last saddle on the bottom of the page...and soooo compfy for me AND the horse (well, once I get rid of the fenders...my knees just can NOT do fenders for 50+ miles...ugggg)
ReplyDeleteMurphy's Oil Soap is your friend in the tack room! And lots of water... just dry everything off and then let the leather dry in a non-damp area before you oil it. I always get very sloppy when cleaning tack, and Leather New is NOT cool except in emergencies.
ReplyDeleteI like to use enough water that the gunky dirt really shows up so you can gently scruff it off with a terry rag.
Never had ANY tack go bad on me.
I LOVE to care for leather - it's almost like giving someone you love a foot rub.
Oops. *fans self*
I repeat... NEVER in a sex act....
LOL...but I LUV Leather New...use it on bridles, saddles, boots, whatever. years now, and never had an issue with it. Just spray and scrub and the leather becomes clean, soft, and smells great!
ReplyDeleteOf course, it;s ok if you use LN if you clean tack more than ONCE a year...... ;)
ReplyDeleteKat- I rode in my friends Wintec. Hated It!
ReplyDeleteI am a leather snob too CP. And No not for that either...
My CC and Dressage saddles are relatively easy to care for. Wipe them down, oil them well, keep them covered, no big deal. My western saddle has more hard to reach places- under the jockeys where the fender/leathers go, up under the skirts- no wonder I don't clean it more often, but with the lack of tooling it is also a breeze. Wipe it down, oil it and cover it too. Hell, if I have to I get out the ol' paint brush and slop it on.
Nothin' like the smell of leather... sniff, sniff, Ahhh!
I was very sad when they discontinued Blue Ribbon Saddle oil... but now a different company uses the same formula! Walsh Leather OIl I think.
ReplyDeleteI was taught to clean and oil the roughout underside of all leather, too. Takes the squeaks out!