[QUOTE=La Gringa;6967415]
I have found a new passion, in a western saddle. Ranch sorting! I have ridden english hunter jumpers all my life until about three years ago I converted to western. I am now totally hooked at a great barn that has a lot of cows to play with, and placed 3rd (first placing in a western event) in a little jackpot series we are having on Tuesdays!
What a hoot! I love it, it’s so fun and affordable. I have a little quarter horse cutting bred mare that is teaching me so much!
I have to hang on to the horn a bit because she is so catty with the cows.
Anybody else doing sorting?
:winkgrin:[/QUOTE]
I have done ranch sorting over the years, and when you have a cowy horse, then it becomes way more than fun. :winkgrin: I have sorted on arabians (they love cows), a fjordX (he was so quiet he was great, but not truly as cowy), and now my little bay sportster model of a AQHA mare.
I just did a 2 day sorting clinic this weekend, spendy, but oh so much fun with tons of cow time.
My little mare is so wide that saddle fit has been an adventure, and my new custom wade saddle had such stiff fenders that even with the stirrups turned, made it really hard to get my leg on for support and that wade horn isn’t the best to push back on compared to a cow horse saddle. I ended up riding in a slick seat pleasure saddle, which was doable with chinks, but add super agiliity of my mare, still a challenge.
I got my custom saddle fixed, but I just found a really wide little barrel saddle and that’s going to be my sorting saddle. Super sticky and a horn to push back on if needed. :yes:
Can’t wait until I go again, it was a blast and probably my favorite thing to do with my horse. It is so strange to see my quiet little mare turn into a fire breathing dragon on cows. Damn, she’s fast. The clinician loved her and I got used to her amazing movement. I have had a lot of horses, but never ridden one like her (except for a trained cutter) that will get down and dirty with the cow.
