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A Mother & Daughter Story

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Imagine a saddle that can be adjusted easily to allow for not only a growing horse, but a growing rider as well…Sound too good to be true? Well, don’t just take it from us.
Veronica and Maeve, a mother/daughter duo from Southern California, shared their fun and uplifting story with us about finding their dream horses and saddles to fit VERY different-sized bodies! Enjoy this light-hearted read and discover how you too could have just such a delightful experience!

“Our family discovered Natural Horseman Saddles when I purchased my heart horse, Axle (AR Axle Rod Down) several years ago.  Axle is a big, stocky foundation-type Quarter Horse, and at age 5 he is still incredibly playful. Our trainer primarily rides in Natural Horseman Saddles, and Axle had been started and always ridden in one. He has a lovely topline and goes so nicely under saddle that I believed it was important enough to invest in an NHS for the two of us and keep that positivity moving forward. I used the ‘free Saddle Fit Evaluation’ from the NHS website and ended up choosing the Durango Deep Seat. It was love at first ride! The saddle fits Axle so well and he always seems to be very comfortable, even during long clinics and rides where he is saddled nearly all day.

 

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Veronica and her horse Foundation-Type Quarter Horse Axle.

While my daughter, Maeve, has always loved horses, it was the COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions that showed our family that she was ready for her own horse.  Once school became something that our nation now did at home and all recreational things were shut down, I made sure to take her to the barn with me every day.  I didn’t have a horse for her to ride because Axle still seemed a bit young at 5 and not to mention, huge for a small seven-year-old.  Maeve did everything else that she could possibly do.  She mucked stalls, cleaned and filled water buckets, carried hay and grain, groomed, and led Axle around. I let her ride a few times but all in all, she did end up with the raw end of the deal.  She stuck it out and asked to go to the barn every single day, rain or shine, hot or cold.

Near the end of 2020, we decided that she had earned her own horse and started looking for something special.  I asked my trainer and she said that she was looking to rehome her personal horse, QT. We went out and I couldn’t believe how well the two got along.  We were able to take QT home, yet keep her purchase a secret from Maeve, telling her that QT was only ours on trial.  Christmas Eve came, and Maeve got a big surprise on QT’s pen–a tag saying that QT was hers forever!

 

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Here we can see a ‘tummy tickle’ being performed on QT during the Saddle Fit Evaluation Process. This simulates how the back will ‘lift and widen’ during motion and helps establish which Versafit shims/interface are needed.

I knew right away that I wanted a quality saddle for Maeve and QT.  A young rider learning to ride and balance on a horse can really benefit from a well-made saddle, and at age 15, a mature horse like QT deserves a nice saddle on her back. It can be a hard sell to purchase something as expensive as a new saddle for a young rider, but I was able to look at this big purchase from several different angles.
Again, we used the online ‘free Saddle Fit Evaluation’ to make sure that we got the right fit for both Maeve and QT.  We had a few saddle-size options but decided to go with the Durango Deep Seat Light and added buck rolls for security and stability.  This ensured she can ride for quite some time with only a few changes as she grows.  As far as QT goes, the saddle fits her beautifully.

 

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The Deep Seat Light Saddle That Has Changed The Game For Maeve and QT


Buckrolls

Buckrolls adds security and stabilty and can be added to any western saddle.

She seems very comfortable during every ride and with some shimming advice from the folks at NHS, we have been able to improve her topline!
Since purchasing Maeve’s saddle, her riding has really taken off!  She always looks so relaxed and assured, and it shows in her riding as she learns new things every day.  As a young rider, just learning, Maeve’s saddle gives her a lot of confidence.  She has come such a long way, learning to canter has been a near breeze and so much of that confidence comes from having the ideal saddle.

We are so thankful for Natural Horseman Saddles; I think they make a huge difference in the comfort and soundness of our horses as well as providing confidence and even security for the humans. This Mom and daughter duo love our saddles!”
Sincerely,
Veronica & Maeve

Take advantage of our Free Saddle Fit Evaluation and put our specialists to work for you. Test Ride our system (Test Rides currently available only in the USA) and you will feel the changes you can create in a single ride.

We mentioned how our saddle system can be adjusted to fit a growing horse and growing rider, didn’t we?
Good. That’s an important money-saving tip right there!

Check out our Deep Seat Light & Durango Deep Seat Saddles. CLICK HERE
Check out our Versafit Saddle Pads and Shims CLICK HERE