Before you cast judgment my way, just hear me out.
I’ve been low-key in the market for a new saddle. OK, maybe that’s not totally true. There’s nothing wrong with the saddle I’m riding in now. I bought it new a few years ago and it’s still in great shape. It fits my horse well, but not perfectly. It’s also not the most comfortable saddle I’ve ever ridden in – sometimes I feel like it’s working against me – but it gets the job done and I feel fairly secure in it.
I’ve dreamed of splurging on a high-end saddle brand for myself for years. My finicky Thoroughbred has been difficult to fit, so I bought my current middle-of-the-road (cost-wise) saddle as an “in between” to get us through those first couple of body changing, muscle building, green years. And in that regard, this saddle has done its job.
“When it comes to horses, I’m really good at talking myself into making purchases that fit my wants moreso than my needs.”
Every so often, I peruse tack seller websites, eBay and Facebook just to see what’s out there. I mull over prices on used CWD, Antarès and Prestige. But I’ve never taken the plunge to buy one… well, until now, because I’ve always had a dozen rational, sound-of-mind, adulting reasons why I shouldn’t splurge on a new expensive piece of equipment.
My current saddle doesn’t impede my horse’s ability. Plus, it’s paid off. Do I really need an outstanding credit card bill in my life? What else could I be putting a couple thousand dollars toward – a European vacation with my husband, for one. I could sock that money away in preparation for future vet bills, or potential car trouble or unexpected homeowner expenses.
Now, I’m not advocating that horse people put themselves into debt for shiny, new things. I swear to you that I am, for the most part, a responsible and functioning adult. But when it comes to horses, I’m really good at talking myself into making purchases that fit my wants moreso than my needs.
Maybe all my friends from the barn are bad influences, because they all supported me in this decision. Or maybe they’re just familiar with this universal dilemma of giving in to impulse… It’s all about making life better for the horse, right?!?
My husband, thankfully, is a naive but wonderfully supportive enabler. He didn’t bat an eye when I came home with a horse trailer. When I told him I put a bid on the jump saddle of my dreams the other night – while he was away on a work trip – and the seller accepted, he told me I deserved it.
“You spend more than half of your time at the barn, in the saddle,” he told me. “It’s an investment in something you love. So it’s worth it.”