Is this the one?? - And getting more input

Luanne brought my reworked Triumph saddle back, this time the rear panels received soft foam (the rest is still wool flocking). The foam in the rear helps alleviate the pressure from the panels being a tad too long for Remy's more collected frame. As this is a rather short term fix, Luanne also had the 'piece de resistance' in her back pocket, uh, back seat: The limited edition Tribute.

The little voice in my head says "If you ride in this you better ride darn well!"

Luanne left the saddle for a few test rides. Perfect timing as I had a lesson with Judy's friend and fellow professional trainer Roz on Saturday. It was the first time I rode with Roz, I had seen her at shows riding and coaching (she coached her para-equestrian student to the Olympic games), and always liked her approach.


Roz honed in (or should I say try to get it in my thick skull) that Remy needs to be quicker and more responsive to my leg. With her being the third professional pointing it out you would think I'd get it!? Roz had some good exercises to address the problem, such as turn on the forehand to make Remy better listen to my leg: Halt - a few steps turn on the forehand - halt, a few steps, and so on.


In trot and canter we did shoulder in, straight to the center line, back to the wall, shoulder in. When doing the canter half-pass to the change I need to change before the corner, otherwise it all gets muddled. Our initial changes weren't very good or prompt, it all went back to Remy listening (or rather not) to my leg. Roz suggested doing the changes on a straight and short line across the arena and that did the trick. JP noted afterwards that the changes were "large" and clean, and I didn't "let the canter die" right before the change. Good observations from my live-in coach. He definitely earned the delicious fresh morel mushrooms my friend Glenda bestowed upon us!


As for the saddle: Riding in it felt good, and yes, I love the look. Is it THE one? I will give it a few more rides and if indeed it's THE one I might have to take a summer job ... or hire out JP :-)