Never use your new saddle when the old one will do

I have a new saddle, and an old one. I bought the new one in 1983 and the old one the year I was 22.

I like the new one best; it has round skirts and a good Cheyenne roll, a long seat and fits me well. It has a padded seat and hand tooling all over it. Pretty fancy for a poor feller, but I wanted it and I got it. Now when I ride Snip I let the cinch out to the next hole in the latigo because he has grown. He is 16 hands tall and about 16 hands around. My saddle fits him as good as it does me and we make a pretty good team.

I bought a new hair pad when I purchased the new saddle, and now I have a new pair of reins as of last year. I wanted to let this be a testimony to all the good stuff a feller can accumulate in a few years before I tell you what can happen to all that good stuff.

I let myself be led by the hand into a den of hornets. I was awake, conscious and alert, but I never even saw the wreck coming. I did not hear the sirens of my long life of knowledge going off; I fell for this foolishness, hook, line and sinker!

Danny, the old man who rides at the local -- the localist one -- sale barn, wanted me to ride for him this week. I jumped at the chance to give me and Snip an opportunity to work and look good for a day. We would just set the pens on fire, him dancing the tango, with ears flattened against his neck, and me on the new saddle. I loaded us early on the appointed day, full of a wonderful breakfast of ham, eggs, biscuits and gravy, and headed to the sale barn.

I had Snip slicked up, new shoes on the front and I was wearing a new shirt. We were looking good! We penned cattle for about four hours when the boss man called me to come in for a cup of coffee. It was still a few hours before sale time and I was ready for a little caffeine. One of the young fellers said he would take Snip and give him a drink. I enjoyed the coffee, the visit and I was ready to get back to the sorting.

I walked out through the pens looking for Snip and sure enough, I found him. He was standing there without his bridle, the new saddle dirty and the horn broken, slipped to the left side, and I wanted to cry. Snip was calm, had his right hind foot cocked, resting.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, never ever let someone take care of your horse. Take the time and the effort to do it yourself. Never ever take a bridle off of a sweaty horse and leave the saddle on, because a sweaty horse will roll. Never ever trust a sweaty horse not to roll even with a saddle on his back. Never ever think about using your new saddle when the old one is still good as new. Never ever get so dang proud!

I will have a new saddle by this time next year, unless my close relative needs new shoes or a new apron!

Bill is the pen name of the Gravette author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.