A friend of mine tried this saddle at GAIG last week. Her Devocoux developed a broken tree and the Devocoux she borrowed bridged terribly. I knew Charlie was there so I dragged her to the shop to see him. He explained the design of the saddle which I found intriguing. He then fitted a saddle to the mare. The difference was amazing. The rider took some time to adjust to the seat. I told her that she was in a foreign country from the Devocoux and that she would adapt. She liked it but wanted to try a few more saddles before purchasing.
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Everyone here makes their own out of an old used up soft grass rope that is still stiff enough to stay up, an old Johnson halter back part, cut the front off, as a fiador and plain leather straps for bridle.
Reins can be fancy mohair ones or plain cotton woven ones, that come in many colors.
They sell approximations to those, just be sure the nose piece is not so stiff it may rub a horse’s nose bridge raw.
Here are some of those, this one seems like the nose piece is made from a new nylon rope, may be too stiff to be comfortable for a horse, maybe hammer it around a bit to soften it:
Here is another commercial one that looks to be softer, maybe:
https://www.statelinetack.com/item/mustang-harness-leather-breaking-hackamore/E001297/?&srccode=GPSLT&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpc-oBhCGARIsAH6ote8P3wssj-WaPnHeQGMbBileJh7UZj8il59Ad5Ls--5eod8fY7WxYaAu2hEALw_wcB
@Bluey Ridge Creek makes a lovely loping hackmore with a soft nose. I own 3 now and love them for trails and bareback riding.
Thank you @outerbanks77!
Of course I went down the rabbit hole looking at all the other things I now want! 
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A saddle that actually fits me in addition to the horse is the big one.
I also have a running martingale with rings that clip on and off so you don’t have to unbuckle your reins and it’s easily my favorite piece of tack after my saddle.
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Might try one of those on the pony I’m considering buying. Holding reins in my right hand is getting more difficult…and she neck reins!
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For a particular horse, a thick rubber fixed cheek snaffle. After trying about a hundred different bits on him, I found the magic one for this horse and we’ve made more progress in the past couple of months than in the past couple of years. Best of all, he finishes a schooling session with a drooping lip and soft ears because he’s finally truly relaxed in his work.
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There are three for me…
- Rider specific Pilates - my seat, stability and flexibility have improved immeasurably.
- Wow saddles - supportive for me, shoulder freedom for the horses. Big difference in movement.
- Transcend Bitless Bridles - soft padded double bridle that every horse bar one has relaxed and gone really nicely in, any tension just goes and the soft, supple horse comes out to play.
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Well I’m glad to see this about the WOW saddles. I just purchased one for my four year old. He’s needing to be adjusted badly which is happening in a few days, so I haven’t ridden in it yet, but I’m excited about it.
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Most recently, the correct girth for the horse. My saddle slid back and sideways so badly in my last test I felt like a Western rider readjusting my saddle after a spin 
of course if my body were straighter perhaps it wouldn’t be needed for the sideways part.
My Hufglocken athletico girth came a week later and actually works! I didn’t actually expect it to - I had tried straight girths, County anatomical, asymmetrical, leather, neoprene, you name it. But for her shape, this did it.
Also - Bates style stirrup leathers that hook at the bottom near the stirrup. I won’t go back to regular ones. Not only can I safely change my length, I also love having less bulk under my leg.
It doesn’t quite rise to the “gamechanger” level for me, but I put LeMieux wide stirrup leathers on my jumping saddle, and really like them. They disappear under my leg but add stability along with my Acavallo aluminum safety stirrups, which have a wider cheesegrater tread. I bought them for the safety aspect, but they ride so much better than regular irons!
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I have the Total Saddle Fit “stability stirrup leathers“ - also available through Smartpak and Dover apparently - and the Acavella opera stirrups.
They are both “game changers” because the design enables the rider to position the lower leg at the girth, and helps effortless place the calf and foot with toes pointing forward - no twisting of the leathers! If you lose a stirrup it’s easy to find it pretty much immediately!
I splurged and got them for both my jumping and dressage saddles, and have not looked back. When I ride other horses without these stirrups and leathers I feel like I’m constantly having to reposition my stirrups and grope with my feet. I have horrid feet with bunions and hammer toes, so this has been a godsend as far as comfort is concerned. I have talked a few of my students into getting both the stirrups and the leathers, and I love it when I ride their horses now. 
They too have not looked back 
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I am so bothered by those total saddle fit stability stirrups. My client loves them - they are a game changer for her - but I feel like I can’t effectively use my leg with them…too restrictive. 
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Daily yoga has made a huge difference for me.
In the words of someone watching a sale horse loose his marbles with me “you stayed dead center the whole time!!”
I also bought stability stirrup leathers and cheese grater stirrups. I can feel immediately if my leg is not where it ought to be.
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@Hightale is the rider specific Pilates something you do at home? I would love equestrian specific resources if so!
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Hi @kaya842 yes it is one to do at home.
There’s a few out there if you google, but I use riderpilatesclub.com which is an online subscription, usually with a 3 courses for the price of 2 which gives you 6 months of twice weekly classes & catch up weeks.
I’ve been doing it for a year now and honestly it has made a world of a difference to my seat, position and confidence in the saddle (I have a pretty agile ex pro horse who can be an interesting ride sometimes and I’ve sat some very expressive spins that would have had me off before!)
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Not for riders, but I follow yogawithadriene (just finished 1001 consecutive practices!) - free and on youtube.
A lot of people also like https://dressageridertraining.com/
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A Port Lewis Impression Pad to test saddle fit. There’s no better objective and easy to use way to find pressure points on a saddle.
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I have owned 3 different cheese graters and they have all helped, but somehow the Venice safety ones really seem to click with my legs, lol.
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I’m always refining and experimenting with tack so I was trying to think of something, but really, it’s Pilates. I am finally untwisting my right hip and leg after sixty years. Whole nother world.
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