Bingo Seems to Like My New Saddle!

I have had a saddle quandary over the years, many of the horses I ride have backs that are wider than my ancient saddles can handle.  I got these saddles for my Anglo-Arab way back when Thoroughbreds were THE sport horse breed, and while my Stubben Siegfried and Crosby Wide Front saddles were wide for their era I dare not use them without my Corrector pad on the wider backed horses I ride now.

Several months ago, I learned that years ago Crosby made a hunt seat saddle for a Western trainer, Lynn Palm, specifically for use on the wider backed Quarter Horses (they called it the “Prix des World.”)  I started haunting Ebay for this particular saddle, I found some but I just did not have the money right then, they got sold and none came up on Ebay for several weeks.  Finally I got some money saved up and miraculously a 17” medium tree Lynn Palm Crosby appeared on Ebay!  I have to use my son to get stuff on Ebay right now, so I got him to ask the seller about the state of the leather and got her to put up a picture of the underneath of the saddle so I could see the panels.  Everything looked fine, so I went ahead and got the saddle, which came with stirrups, stirrup leathers, pad, girth, saddle cover, and a saddle carrying case for $450.00!

When I got the saddle it was obvious that it had never been oiled though I saw hints of saddle soap.  The seller told my son that the saddle had been used only three or four times, then stored properly so it was next to new.  When I got the saddle I noticed a few differences between it and my Crosby Wide Front saddle, the panels are foam instead of stuffed with wool, instead of a knee roll there is a thigh block up high in front, the billet straps instead of being one layer of leather have a nylon core covered with thin leather, and the stirrup bars instead of being horizontal, slant down to the front of the saddle.  While the tree seems no wider than the tree on my Crosby Wide Front, the wool flocking in the Crosby Wide Front is much thicker than the foam panels on the Crosby Prix des World, so the latter saddle has more room for the horse in between the panels.   

My new saddle arrived just six days after I bought it so I was able to condition it properly before my lesson with Bingo.  I use lard, the regular lard that is in the grocery stores, to condition leather since it quickly softens dried out leather (WARNING--if you use lard avoid touching all metal [green crud] and rubber [it melts rubber], and on bridles be sure to put the straps in the keepers immediately or the strap will swell up so much it will no longer fit through the keepers.)  Crosby saddles were made in England, out of properly tanned English leather, and the leather soaked up the lard immediately.  I larded the saddle 5 times before I thought I could ride in it without damaging the leather, and I got that done in time for my lesson.  When I went out to the stable, we brought both Crosby saddles out, my Crosby Wide Front that I use with my Corrector pad, and my new Crosby Prix des World.  I wanted both saddles with me since I was not sure how my new saddle would fit Bingo.

I showed Debbie my new saddle, asked her if she minded if I switched my RS-tor from the Stubben Siegfried I’m lending her so I would feel more secure riding Bingo.   Once we found the RS-tor (someone had taken it off the Stubben and it ended up in a pile of stuff,) we put the new Crosby on Bingo’s back without any pads, and hallelujah, it seemed wide enough to fit properly!  We then tried it on with my usual combination of the Back on Track Contender II saddle pad with my Corrector on top.  Debbie did not like how the saddle sat on the Corrector so we just used the BOT Contender II for a pad.  Since the BOT Contender II saddle pad has Ultra ThinLine padding on top I was not too concerned about the saddle not fitting “perfectly.”  The saddle seemed perfect, the pommel cleared Bingo’s withers adequately and the cantle was not too high.  Debbie had some trouble getting the 44” girth on the bottom hole, but by the time we got to the ring she was able to get the girth up to the fifth hole on the billet straps, Bingo knows how to swell himself up quite well when he is getting saddled.

When I started riding Bingo he was not too sure about the new get up, and when I gave my leg aid for the walk he went back to his old habits of UH?, oh--do you want me to back up?--how about turning on the forehand?--how about a turn on the hindquarters?  By the fourth leg aid he remembered he is supposed to go FORWARD and he shuffled off.  I was not very demanding the first walk around, I just encouraged him to keep to a regular walking speed while he got used to the new saddle.  He willingly took contact and he kept his mouth soft.  Then I decided to halt for the first time in the ride, and I was expecting Bingo to be just as resistant to halting as he had been my previous two rides, but he surprised me.  I alternately twitched my little fingers--no response.  Then I did the usual halting aid, twitching both little fingers at the same time and he STOPPED!  No resistance, he kept his mouth soft and his mouth stayed closed, so I sat for a minute before walking again.  This time he promptly responded to a light squeeze of my legs and strode out willingly.  After more walking, during which I was able to get him to extend his stride a little bit, I alternately twitched my little fingers again and he stopped immediately with no resistances, no arguments, and no questioning.  Boy, I was happy, I counted to ten and then I praised him for being such a WONDERFUL responsive horse and I gave him a good neck scratch before moving off again.  He did gently dive his head down twice during my ride, but he did not keep it down for long and at no time during my ride did he set his mouth against my contact.  The next time I alternately twitched my little fingers he stopped right away.

He was not perfect during my ride as he was still resistant for turning, but this gradually improved as I used my properly timed leg aids.  Debbie was happy with my position once I got my feet forward a little bit, the slanting stirrup bars seem to encourage my lower leg to hang a little further back than usual.  All during my ride Bingo’s back seemed a little looser, and he seemed to find it easier to extend his stride at a walk.  I know he was not tense about the saddle because there was one moment when two of Debbie’s puppies decided to run in between Bingo’s hind legs and he did not even flinch.  At that moment I was glad that Bingo had been used foxhunting and was used to dogs!  I also really appreciate it when a horse ignores a perfectly good excuse to show his displeasure about the world.  After a few more minutes we ended our ride, and I asked Debbie to try the saddle out.  Even though we did not shorten the stirrup leathers for her (they were two holes too long,) Debbie’s position in the saddle was perfect, her heels and seat were lined up properly unlike when she rides in the Stubben which puts her in a chair seat.  Then Debbie dismounted and as she led Bingo back to the barn I noticed that he was using his shoulders more freely.  Hurrah, my new saddle worked for him!

I could not get out to the stable on Friday so I could not try out my new saddle on Mia.  I am eager to see if it will fit her and Tercel (both pure Arabs) and if it will fit Cider (Arab/Welsh) and Merlin (an 18.2 hand Dutch Draft/Irish Sport Horse) at Shannon’s farm.  I had dreamed for decades about finding a wider Crosby and I finally found one, and I think I will end up loving this saddle just as much as I love my older Crosby Wide Front.

Have a great ride!

Jackie Cochran