Learning how much you don't know

We are very lucky in that a UK qualified sidesaddle instructor recently returned to New Zealand. Sally was taught to ride by Betty Skelton, and she has shown and hunted aside for decades. Unfortunately she is based over 5 hours away from me, but she intends to come to Canterbury on a semi-regular basis to teach.

She was here this last weekend, so sunday morning me and my two mad sidesaddle mates met at the local arena for a full on lesson.  We had hoped to get some jumping in, but we spent over an hour on saddle fit alone. And HORROR my custom made, recently repacked sidesaddle doesn't fit Molly *wail*

Sally was instantly aware of my problem when I whipped off Molly's travel rug, and the first words out of her mouth were "goodness what a rolly-polly!" I also had to point out that this was Molly at her most svelte. lol

We can do things to make my sidesaddle fit, Sally said that part of the problem was that the bottom is a really soft serge, so the flock just doesn't stay in place and keeps flattening out. We discussed all sorts of options, even perhaps stripping the entire bottom of my sidesaddle and putting it on a wyckham pad, although given the tree is too wide already, I am concerned that would make it impossibly wide. Plus the work can't be done in NZ, as there is no one experienced enough to do it, so it would be incredibly expensive to send it overseas to be done.

Sally had us doing all sorts of exercises at a walk, including no stirrup work, and was constantly correcting our positions, and defiantely showed us where we were going wrong and how to feel that right thigh. She was always telling me to sit up over my right thigh in trot, as I tend to lean back (defensive riding on Molly when she tanks off), although she did say that I had a lovely position at the canter :)

At the end of the lesson Sally showed us two gorgeous old name saddles she had brought back with her from the UK. One was an Owen on a wyckham pad which we put on Molly so I could have a wee ride to feel the difference. OMG... what an epiphany... I could instantly feel my weight dropping into my right hip and I was centred in a way I have never felt before. I almost felt tipped to the right, I'm so used to fighting a left hand pull. I actually wish I had never ridden in it, my sidesaddle just doesn't compare now, and I don't know what to do.

Financially it is far too expensive to strip mine and put it on a wyckham pad, plus I think that will make it too wide. We can kind of "make do" for now, the fit is not too bad with the pad I made, and next time Sally is done she will spend some time tweaking it. I feel it might be better to save up my money over the next couple of years, and buy a decent sidesaddle for my youngster, who will probably only be a medium to medium-wide. But it doesn't stop that longing for a well-made, perfectly balanced O.N.E.S. with that"sweet spot" honed by decades of riding... *sigh*

The morning with Sally definately highlighted how much I don't know with regard to saddle fit and position and we are planning to get together for lessons whenever Sally can make the drive down to us. She is also going to show me how to drive Molly, as she has some ideas for helping to improve her trot through long-reining & driving. It's so fanastic to finally find someone who can help us and who has such an amazing depth of knowledge that she is happy to share.