Last week I went to my local tack shop and bought a new saddle pad blanket combo and a new cinch since the one I was using is about 4 years old now and he has put on some weight over the past couple of years not mention grown at least another hand tall. The pad had thicker padding where the bars rest againt my horses back and I thought it might provide a little more pressure relief for him.

Sooooo, I saddled him up for the test drive and we walked out to the fenced padock for our first ride with the new pad and cinch. I walked him around for few minutes and then readjusted the new cinch before putting my foot in the stirup.

Just as I was bringing my right leg over the cantle the whole rig stared to slide !! I tried to force my leg over the cantle and into the right side stirup so I could push the rig back over his side. No luck whatsoever and I couldn't get my left boot out of the stirup either !! So down I went flat on my back with my boot still in the stirup !!

I thought for sure he is going to spook and take off dragging me along. But lo and behold he just stood there looking at me. I'm sure he thought I was a damn fool. I got my boot out of the stirup slowly and carefully. I took everything off and saddled him up again. But when I put my weight in the stirup the rig started to slide again. This happend several more times and I said the HELL with it.

I walked him back to the barn and re-saddled him using the old saddle blanket and pad combo and it worked just fine. Go figure. Anyway I'll try the new setup again in a few more days. You see, even though I thought I hadn't hurt anything, my left side lower rib area has gotten more sore all week long so I figure I bruised a rib or two. And at my age it takes awhile longer to get right again. Happy Trails.

Oldcowboy