For years, I bought, sold, repaired and even made a few western saddles. I loved to carve leather, so I would spend hours, days, and even weeks making elaborate designs on the fenders, swells and skirts.

Here is the funny thing, I was like the shoe maker who did not own a pair of his own shoes.

Neither did my husband.


Every time, I found a saddle that l liked and it fit both me and my horse, a customer would want to buy the darn thing.

One time, I sent my husband out on a trail ride to try out a used black saddle. I had to chase him down. Someone wanted it. The others on the trail ride could not beleive that I made him swap saddles to finish the ride.

It is just how it is when you are in the saddle business.

Well, we went to a horse show with the Mobil unit. In the trailer we had a very nice, new Circle Y, show saddle loaded with silver. One of the local judges that was showing that day, noticed the show saddle and she had a trade-in.

It was almost in perfect condition, chocolate brown, heavier, and I do mean heavier roping saddle with weighted, steel stirrups.

Come Monday morning, I had to find another saddle to use. I headed for that roping saddle to give it a try.

I liked it. Actually, I really liked it. I worked in the arena for several hours that morning. I also used it on several different horses. It had full quarter horse bars so it fit every horse very well. The stirrups never moved. I never had to chase them.

It was well balanced with extremely soft, velvety smooth, supple leather. It looked almost new, but at the same time, it was well broke in.

It was the "Perfect" used saddle. One that even a saddle maker could appreciate.

Sunny was my own horse. He was an AQHA stallion that we liked to show, both in Western pleasure and in pleasure driving. Being a stallion, he took a lot of work and a lot of control. So, we worked in the round pen for control, then we would drive for an hour and do some arena work to keep him sharp.

However, once a week, we headed up the road just to keep him fresh.

This day, I saddle-up with that nice big, dark chocolate, Circle Y roper and the two of us headed up the road.

In pleasure driving you have to have a very clear change in pace between the road gate and the park gait. So I did a lot of just changing speeds at the trot for most of the ride.

At last, I was headed home. I was half way between the mail box and the first turn on our road. The road is about a mile long. I decided just to ask him to lope off. Controlled, but just a very relaxed gait letting him choosing the speed.

I never made it to the second stride. I was "SHOCKED". Out came a huge: "WHOA"

I felt if I was about to have an "orgasm" on the spot.

"What the heck?" I said out loud.

I just figured it was my imagination. Thought it just had to be the way I had been sitting.

I re-shifted by weight, pulled at my jeans, checked my stirrups, made sure my body was in proper position. Wiggled this way and then that way. So thought I would just try it again.

I asked for the lope.

This time more controlled and my pace. I pushed him off in the right lead to get ready for the corner.

Within seconds, I about "creamed my jeans" AGAIN.

I shifted, and re-shifted. Moved forward. Pushed myself back out of the stirrups. Leaned back. Almost sitting on the the back of the saddle at times. Tried to post.

But to no avail.

Things just got worse, or how you look at it: More excitable!

In over 30 years of riding this was a totally new experience. Not for being excited, but for feeling like I was about to have an orgasm while riding. No, matter what I did, I could not change a thing. I had worked on the walk, trot and turns in the Arena, but I had not loped in that roper until that moment.

I did not make it to the corner. I just could not take the excitement, the giggling or the shocking embarrassment.

I got off and started to walk home. I would take a few steps, stop, bend-over to try to control my giggles. I just could not stop laughing. Every time I thought about what just happened and still felt like it could still happen, the laughter got worse.

My body, just would not calm down. I just kept giggling. It really got worse when I thought about telling my husband. At times, wishing he was home at the moment and thinking how he would never let me sell that darn roper. Thinking how he would encourage me to lope in it. Seeing the smile on his face, kept the giggles coming even more.

What could possibly happen next?

In the mist of not being able to stop laughing, here comes my close horsie friend barreling down the road in her big red Ford pick-up. She pulled-up, stopped.

"Why are you walking?" she asked. "Is everything alright? Are you OK?"

I looked at her and just laughed. I was still pretty "excited" and the giggles just kept coming. I could hardly talk. Half of the time, I was talking with her with my legs crossed.

"Roberta" she asked. " What the heck is wrong? What is so darn funny?"

Well, she asked a few more times, so I told her.

This did prove to be a mistake on my part.

Yes, as you can imagine, the laughter suddenly turned into a loud roar. She asked if the saddle was for sale. This time, I told her I would have to think about it. Or perhaps I should ask my husband first.

Yes, the laughter got louder as the two of us pondered the hilariousness of the situation. The more I wiggled, the more she laughed.

The moral of the whole story is "Ladies, NEVER and I do mean NEVER, lope in a ROPER!"
Unless you are ready to take care of the problem when you get home.

Actually the main Moral of this story is:

Find something to laugh about. No matter what it is, just laugh. Then, share it with friends to make sure they are laughing as well.

My friend and I still laugh about this story. We even told her mom, and the laughter started all over again.

Yes, I am still giggling over that nice afternoon lope down the driveway.

Just enjoy the day.

Remember: It is never about the ride.

It is about the Fact, we get to take the ride, no matter where that ride takes us.

PS: in case you are wondering. This is a true story.

and to answer your questions;

Yes, I told my husband

Yes, I thought he was going to die laughing

Yes, he said the next time, I wanted to lope in that roper to make sure I called him first.

Did I ever that that saddle out for another lope?

Well, I think I will just keep that one a secret.

Yes, go ahead and laugh. However, I can not beleive that this is the only one that this has happened to. I think I just might be only crazy that has shared it with all of her horse crazy friends.

Now you tell me, what is your story?

Whinny's Roberta

PS: here is a note from my Daughter-in-Law:

'Laughter is an orgasm triggered by the intercourse of sense and nonsense!' So even though it's Monday, LAUGH! You may REALLY enjoy it! ;)

Greet the world like your horse greets you, as if there is no tomorrow.

Let it all go and just be the WHINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNY!!


Daily Oats: Food for the Horse lover's soul

Whinny's Roberta

Roberta Edstrom
CEO
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