Playing With The New Pad "Barcelona"

newforest

newforest

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Mar 15, 2008
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I will add photos.
My initial thoughts on it were-

1. Will it stay in place. As its hand tied I could add will it fall apart, but my brain settled on the will it stay :)
2. Will the swallowtail-base of pad and saddle drape (Manta Estribera) annoy her as it will be moving about. Its weighted but its still going to flap.
I lunged her in it to asses the first part and then put it away. I wondered then if the drape would actually annoy me, or will I tangled in it.

So today I rode in it and its very comfortable. The seat can be shimmed for spinal clearance but I haven't as wanted to try it without. The seat can also be changed for wool but this is faux wool. It didn't move and nothing came undone. I just had a brief walk and trot, I like to do short sessions initially.
It has wither clearance and I could get my hand under where the girth attaches and lift it up.

I just want it for on the yard. :)
 
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Is this the gorgeous looking one in your album? She looks as if she is channeling Bucephalus! He was a black, in case you didn't know ;)
 
Just googled it, apparently that horse had a wall eye, mine has a blue one ;)
She has a similar size bottom.
But yes its the one in the album, but with the other drape.
 

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Oh interesting, I didn't know about his wall eye. But if you look at the horses of the Parthenon they are very like strong blooded native ponies - Ziggy looks just like one, and do some Section Cs. Tilly has a bit too much feather but her conformation is perfect for a little war horse!
 
I looked into and researched Baroque saddles, Spanish and Portuguese. But someone is way too wide for one of these.
So we have the next best thing, a pad. Its got no stirrups but it has a slight pommel feel to the front.
 
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It needs a little tweak here and there, I am pleased with it.
I did some visualization and then made it. :)
 
OK third test ride.

I am officially the yard jester but hey ho. No one actually took much notice until I actually rode on it. :rolleyes: Anyway did a breezy day test its fine. I did weight it but you can't be too sure until you use it.
She had a "being a cob" moment where we came out of the school with a locked neck twice. Thats fine my pad didnt move while I reorganised her feet back in!
Want to change the drape-again. I keep fiddling and its just not the right weight-or colour come to that. Changing to navy.

My other back of my mind plan is to get some spanish/portugese riding trousers, if you have any lying about let me know. :) It would just add a bit of fun to it.
 
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Lol to the Spanish riding trousers! Reminds me of years back when one of my brothers took part in a play. He came racing in demanding mum quickly made him some "pirate trousers"! I know mothers can work miracles but I think that was pushing it......:D (She made him some eventually!)
 
I have sourced something that may work for trousers. :)

Anyway decided to take the" seat" off, it wasn't behaving itself and needed refitting every ride. This is the fourth ride and I decided its not going to do as I planned.
Now I have an even closer seat, not that a piece of unpadded faux suede blocked me, but its better off gone.

Had my very first bareback canter on her and she is very smooth.
New navy drape in place :)
 
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Updated version. Added knee rolls and teeny cantle as I have been jumping with it.
Totally retied.
 

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This has been completely retied since she has lost all the excess weight. Its interesting looking at the date since it was 5 months ago I used it.
The seat has been taken off and it can be padded using a layer under the pad :) This has a cut back head for wither clearance and can be shimmed as required. Lots easier!

I have had a few say why not put a saddle on isnt it easier, well yes except I am making this myself. Once I am happy I will just put on like a saddle minus stirrups. No one else on my yard rides bareback.
 
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