Dilemmas - Aren't Those All I Have?

As usual, I have a few dilemmas. Don't I always?

Dilemma number 1 has to do with my laziness/indifference. Frankly, I'm running out of motivation to work my horse - or at least work him on a lunge line.

Painted my nails.
Julie told me it would never last at the barn.
She was right of course.

I feel like its somewhat of a waste of our time. I don't mean to discount ground manners because believe me when I say that I'm sure every horse could use a refresher in that now and again.

The fact of the matter is that I was only lunging him to prepare him for work. He is no longer a lunatic with excess energy, and I'm mildly impressed with his relatively crisp transitions. They leave a lot to be desired but they are WAY better than they used to be, even before he was sick. Although he still pulls a few moves on me that make me ugly, like rapid spins on the haunches instead of moving out on the line or lunging in a square/rectangle/oval/starfish as opposed to a circle, I've been having some good luck beating lunging manners back into his brain. 

But he is still stiff and simple lunging is not improving that.  I know that every moment you are with your horse is a moment you can be training him and that I should be appreciating the fact that I can do something with him, but frankly, I spent a lot of "moments" with him while he was sick.  My main goal now is to have a healthy, not-so-stiff pony that I can ride, and this is the only reason I want to lunge him.  So now my motivation to work him has decreased to nil and so I just go through the motions pointlessly to do right by him.  Sigh.  The masseuse is coming tomorrow, thank god.  I intend to pounce on her with ideas.

I took a drive to the Bay of Fundy this weekend
which boasts the highest tides in the world.
When the tide comes in, it covers these rocks up to
the treetops and fills the caves.  

Dilemma number 2 has to do with saddles.

I researched and researched and researched saddles. I calculated numbers, counted my pennies, and planned out costs. I FINALLY convinced myself that maybe I'll just try a Bates saddle (despite their mixed reviews) when my "saddle fitter"/masseuse tells me that she really doesn't recommend them and she's not 100% sure it would even fit my wonky QH. Well thanks a million.

Now for context, she is not an actual saddle fitter, but she has all the rigs and the knowledge, without perhaps the qualifications and the corporate backing. This is as good as it gets where I live. I didn't expect to even find her.

She has two wintecs/bates, even though she says neither fits either of her two horses.  Why would you buy two ill-fitting saddles, you ask?  I will be asking her that very question while I say to her, "What exactly makes these saddles ill-suited to Walker?"  She wants me to do tracings and send them away to a tack shop in Ontario who can then send me a used saddle from their extensive collection.

Dipping my toes

I don't want a used saddle.  Perhaps I am being childish, but Walker and I have had a hard couple of months.  Then I uprooted him and moved him to a new city away from his friends.  I took my WP QH and told him I wanted him to forget all his training and be a happy little English pony.  He tries, despite himself.  I don't think it's so unreasonable to want a brand new saddle that actually fits to reward us for all of our hard work and our new lease on life.

Dear Saddle Fairy,

If you can't fit Walker's new saddle under the pillow, feel free to leave it by the bedside table.  I will find it just fine.  

Yours truly,
Natalie