Wednesday, March 14, 2018

ZB: The Wild West Saga

The last month I owned Courage, I went on a western kick and bought a bridle and a saddle. The saddle of course fit ZB somewhat like a banana boat on the top of a hill.
pictured: rocking chair
So obviously that was never going to work.

HOWEVER.

The bridle. Omg. I was super duper in love with it and I'd LITERALLY JUST BOUGHT IT and the advantage to living where I do is that custom western stuff is super accessible. 

I took this bridle to a shop that's like a mile from my house:

And one highly custom throat latch later, I had this:
well and upgraded slobbers straps #hosgonnaho
Of course, given the saddle situation, the western bridle was mostly relegated to bareback days. 
i said mostly
BUT

OMG

The other day, I walked into the tack room and was greeted by this glorious sight:
UNKNOWN. TACK.
I tracked down the owner, got permission to play with the saddle, and. Well. 
me: the light is perfect
me: ZB strike a pose
ZB: R WANT LOOK OVER THERE
See, once you have the set up all ready, it's time to get on and ride. 
boom. western zb.
Here's a wee secret about me: I am completely terrible at riding western. 

It's never been a part of my daily life. I super admire those people who just effortlessly sit there and flow with the horse and look like they were born in a stock saddle, but those people are so not me. I'm an obsessive detail person who is like HOW DO I WESTERN

The best feedback I've gotten was this: 

"Just. Stop. Doing. That."

STOP DOING WHAT?

"Whatever the hell that is." 

Curious? 

NOW ITS ON VIDEO.


I think it's best described as some sort of hunter perch with my hands singing a discordant duet of FALLING FREE FALLING. Who knows. Props to ZB for being a major sport and just letting me do whatever the hell that is.

Maybe I'll figure it out. Maybe I won't.

The important takeaways are these:

1) ZB is stinking cute as a western pony.

2) We look super legit as long as I don't get on

3) CHECK OUT WHO IS BOSS AT DITCHES
uh possibly we have our own way of doing them

21 comments:

  1. ZB is SO CUTE in western tack omg. I mean, ZB is cute in everything but ZB + sunflowers just makes my day.

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  2. Yasss western pony! ZB is doing all the the things! 😁

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  3. this post made me laugh. i love how you're enjoying her.

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  4. She looks great western! OMG, i feel you on the riding western. When I tacked Scout up I nearly fell off from bouncing/laughing so much. I do not have them skills.

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    Replies
    1. ha yeah our steering was uh... "optional" as well. Wildly entertaining tho.

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  5. I love the sunflower reins!! So perfect for ZB

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  6. Haha, I love how much fun you're having.

    Can I just say though, you live only 1000km south of me, and yet you are riding in a t-shirt??? How???

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    Replies
    1. Also, I can never figure out the appropriate length for western stirrup

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    2. Oo, oo, that one I know! Adjust it like it's a dressage stirrup - should hit about your ankle when your leg is nice and relaxed.

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    3. 1) I'm in the desert. Summers are hot but it's reasonable in the winter usually.

      2) I have no idea. I'm on a stirrup shortening kick lately.

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  7. Despite riding with a Western Pleasure person for a decade, I still cannot Western. I can saddle up Western. I can ride comfortably in a Western saddle. I cannot do the neck reining thing to save my LIFE. lol It's like my brain freezes up and suddenly I cannot left, right, stop, or back at ALL, even though I know what I should be doing.

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  8. Hahaha! You kill me! Love it!
    Also Western is super hard. I took a western lesson and rode a totally made fancy pants horse, and I still was terrible at it.
    Also, no shame if western in the front and english in the back. I call that the Hony Mullet after Ducky who regularly rode in such a manner.

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    Replies
    1. I don't think I've ever ridden western on a made horse. The poor thing would deserve better.

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    2. I think the one I rode was pretty relieved when I got off. I couldn't even keep my feet in the stirrups.

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  9. You weren't doing all that bad, but ZB was trotting more than jogging. If you slow yourself down, she will slow down and you will get a nice jog. Until then, feel free to post. It will save you both.

    I go back and forth between hunt seat, dressage, western and driving. Depends on the day and which of my multiple (7) saddles I feel like using.

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  10. I would just post. She has a bit too much trot to sit comfortably in a western saddle. If you can get her to slow down to more of a jog, just think about sitting on your pockets.

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