SADDLE REVIEW
Amerigo Classic Diane thought she was forever doomed to ride in an uncomfortable saddle – but my, how times have changed!
D
iane Lilburne lives in Seaspray, a small coastal town in Victoria. Originally from New
Zealand, she began riding as a child, the youngest of four in a horse loving family. Her father, himself a keen horseman, was of the opinion that if you had a
Kiftsgate, a 16hh Warmblood mare – and
change – at which point she began
up until recently, she also had a saddle
doing some research and realised that
that although fine for her horses, was
her saddle was the problem, and that
not a good match for her.
there were better options available.
However, things came to a head after
Which is when she discovered The
a medical intervention: “I’d had surgery followed by three months off riding, so I
saddle that fitted the horse, then, come
was very unfit by the time I got back on my
what may, you rode with that saddle.
horses. I also have a little arthritis in my hip
And, as with many perceptions that
– so I thought the discomfort I felt when I
become embedded in our minds as
rode was due to health issues rather than
children, Diane carried that idea with her
a saddle that wasn’t right for me.”
as an adult.
However, the discomfort was such that
Diane has two horses - Mac, a 17.2hh
Diane recognised that if she was going
Warmblood cross gelding, and Northern
to continue to ride, something had to
Diane and Northern Kiftsgate enjoying the comfort and freedom of movement that comes from a properly fitted saddle.
Saddle Hub: “Living in a fairly remote region is a lovely lifestyle, but when it comes to fitting a saddle it’s very hard. So the fact that The Saddle Hub delivers to your door and that you can try saddles and send them back if they don’t fit is amazing!” And she’s similarly enthusiastic about the service she received. “Shae at The Saddle Hub was so wonderful to deal with. I explained what my problems were and she recommended an Amerigo Classic. We discussed other saddles and she measured them all and suggested several others which she then sent to me. But in the end, I settled for the Amerigo.” But Diane is not only delighted with her entire Saddle Hub experience, she is also over the moon with the end result. “The outcome from all of this is that my hip hardly gives me any problems at all. I cannot believe that there’s such a difference, and even my horses are going better. I’m loving riding now – it’s all pleasure and no pain.” The Equestrian Hub has a wide variety of second-hand saddles, so be sure to visit www.equestrianhub.com.au and browse through their fantastic range. All saddles come with a two-week trial, finance options, and a courier right to your door.
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