Oh my! X 2

I'm really in awe at how much of a difference the right saddle can make. We tried Danny in Cindy's saddle today. Which is ultimately the same saddle as the used one I tried with the medium tree and wider gullet, but it had shoulder gussets and was a half size smaller in the seat. It also had super straight thigh blocks. And Wow! Danny felt amazing! He really was moving so nicely and forward and even round. :) I couldn't stop grinning. And I liked the smaller seat size, at least on him. It felt more like "home". And I really kind of liked the straight knee block as it helped me get my position better and not creep up on them as much. Although I still did, but not as much. It was pretty cool. :)

So.. I think that I'll end up buying a new one rather than finding a used one because then I can get exactly what I want and it's not that much more expensive. Ugh.... ;) 

So then Thursday... we went for a nice ride and I decided to let Dan out for a gallop. We hacked a good bit and he was being great. It was quiet and no one else was around. I thought... let's do it! Then we'll spend the next two weeks or so before Jumping Branch behaving at a normal speed in the XC field so I don't go bonkers at Jumping Branch. :) So we did. 
 
I let him out heading towards the lake after the turn by the trailer parking. I figured this way there was no added incentive and surely I could get him stopped before the lake. He was PERFECT! He kicked it up a notch but I'm not entirely sure he went as fast as he could. But it was definitely a gallop! Wheeeeeee!!! Then he came back pretty nicely too. :) It was a good day.

Eeeeks! Baby horse is pretty fast. He's already faster than Fleck, and I really don't think he was going all out yet. :)