I remember getting my first brand new saddle when I was a little girl.  I couldn’t wait for that “new saddle” smell, and to see the beautiful finish of that virgin leather.  My old saddle was simply an eyesore and I had endured it for years.  I had inherited the old saddle from a cousin who had outgrown it years before, and I’m fairly certain it wasn’t new when she acquired it either.  It was just beneath my dignity to use it any more.  My new saddle finally arrived, and it soon became apparent that my old one wasn’t so bad after all.  The smell was pretty wonderful, but the feel was stiff and the seat was slick, and it made awful noises when I rode in it.  I didn’t think I would ever be able to make it feel like my own.  It seemed to take years...I actually missed that old saddle!

Our Trainer has an old saddle like that at the barn.  He lovingly calls it “The Brand New Saddle”, even though it must be a million years old.  It is the sum of the parts of several old saddles that had fallen by the wayside or found their way to someone’s trash bin.  Every part of this saddle has a story.  There are countless blemishes and scars, each one representing a horse and human experience. It is the saddle he uses when he starts a young horse, and it is the saddle he puts every new student in.  The saddle is old and worn, but it is so full of life.  It’s soft and secure, and it has become a thing of beauty in our eyes.  It’s a combination of grandmas’ soft hands and grandpas’ burly arms.  The Brand New Saddle reminds me to think fondly of all the experiences life has presented me with, and to see each one as a part of what makes me who I am. 

This week we thought of replacing the duct tape on the horn of The Brand New Saddle, but we decided that even though it looked rough and worn, it was really just getting good.   There is plenty of life left in The Brand New Saddle just as it is.  It is a treasured friend and will never grow old! 

MJ Schifani

Springbuck Horsemanship, Collierville, Tennessee

www.springbuckhorsemanship.com