RP Saddles

[guest@endurance.net]

Kathy Mayeda kathy.mayeda@att.net
My post last night got bounced from Ridecamp for some reason, but I just
have to put my several cents worth here re: the RP saddle.

I first tried the saddle at a fitting at our barn by Lynne Glazer.  I
promptly ordered one which I got after the convention.  I put it together
myself based on the pictures that Lynne took during our session.  So far
so good.  I was able to finish my first 50 in the saddle which I doubt I
could have without the saddle.  But it did leave a little rub mark on
Beau's left side.

So Carmi swings by my barn the following summer while she was in the area.
She spends a couple of hours fooling around with the fit.  Beau and I are
happy campers, but the velcro was wearing out and the blocks slid out of
place, because my saddle was used as a demo at the convention and the
velcro was a tad worn in a certain spot (but don't worry - not a big
deal).  Carmi gives me velcro, I just slapped it on the saddle and redo
the panels, and we are happy campers and I finish three more 50's last
year.

Lisa Jordon comes on board to the RP gang and offers to check my saddle
fit while at a ride earlier this year.  She checks it, goes over it with a
critical eye.  Beau and I are happier, even though we didn't think that
the fit was too bad before at all! And I finish two more 50's after that
this year, no problem at all.

I spent all last Sunday at a saddle fit session with Lisa.  She checked my
saddle fit AGAIN, and AGAIN, Beau and I are happier even though we didn't
think we were unhappy before.   She also fitted another horse at our barn
(that you might see an RP saddle on his back in some magazine in the
future, I bet...).  She is a total perfectionist in saddle fit.

Customer support is phenomenal for this saddle.  They go waaaayy beyond
the norm to make sure that you are happy with the saddle.  Or better yet,
ECSTATIC about the saddle.  I just realized that ALL my 300 endurance
miles under my belt are with this saddle and with the same horse, and each
ride feels a heck of a lot easier than how I felt after I finished my
first and only LD on another saddle.

Besides, I felt like I made three good friends during the whole fitting
experience.  (Oh, I guess I have to count Truman in this scenario, too,
because of his testimonial even though we haven't met in person.  It seems
like the RP is the only thing T and I agree about nowadays!)

K.