Saturday, April 24, 2010

I Recant...

My previous endorsement of Leather CPR!

Not entirely, because it does make your leather buttery soft.

However...It also makes the leather as slippery as frozen snot.

As I found out today. In the most unfortunate way...Coming out of first barrel at Mac speed...




It was the start of a beautiful run. Moon was spot on coming in the gate and really running for 1st. When he set and turned it, I remember thinking..."This is gonna be awesome".

The next stride, I was thinking, "Oh Shit, Oh Shit, Oh Shit!!!!!!!".

About 3/4ths of the way around the barrel, I realized I was slipping in the saddle and when Moon powered out of that first barrel, it felt like I was sitting on a sheet of ice and he left me hanging out the back of the saddle. By the next stride, I had blown my left stirrup and was off balance, hanging off the to right of the saddle.

Poor Moon, I was hanging on with everything I had, to the horn, on the reins, and gripping as tight as I could with my legs. I was trying to slow him down, but squeezing like I was with my legs told him to GO!!!!!

I about fell off coming out of second, still struggling to get back into the saddle, lost my other stirrup and when we rounded 3rd, all I could do was clutch onto the saddle with both hands until we got lined out and could get him shut down.

Moon didn't actually hit the 3rd barrel, I did while trying not to fall off.


I can honestly say, I was darn neared scared by the time we got to that 2nd barrel. I couldn't get back in the saddle and couldn't get Moon to slow down. That had to have been the most horrible, out of control run I have ever experienced.

I can't blame Moon for not slowing down. It's not like I was actually able to ask him to stop in any way he would have recognized. I was just hanging on for dear life.

Now, you may ask how come I didn't notice how slippery the saddle was before I ran?

Well...I was going to use the new Hereford saddle, but when I rode it during warm-up I did notice that one felt slippery. So I switched back to my old standby the roping saddle. I trotted, I loped, I stopped and turned him around and it didn't feel slippery at all.

But when Moon is running...that horse is a freaking powerhouse and what didn't feel like anything at 'normal' speeds, turned into a slippery slope when he opened up.

So there's your warning...if you use Leather CPR on the fenders of your saddle, make sure to sand them a bit and apply something a little more 'sticky' afterwards if you are going to be doing anything other than casual riding.

Looks like Meg and I will be unloading all of the saddles again and doing just that.

Poor Moon, he was so freaking spot on today. I feel really bad that it got messed up. He still tried like hell. Hard to do when you have a 135 lbs. flopping and sliding around on your back and hauling on your mouth. I'm just glad I didn't end up in the dirt. That really would have been embarrassing-LOL.

15 comments:

GoLightly said...

Yup, get out the old rosin.

HUGE bummer, BEC. I had that happen to me with a set of reins,thank dog it wasn't a saddle I was slipping on!
That would have been scary, kudos for surviving!

That's why I always preferred suede out chaps..

Lotswism is word verf.
Lotsa wisms out there! be careful:)

Unknown said...

I know the feeling. I had that happen once when jumping. I went to sit back after a jump riding my friends mare. She just cleaned her saddle and I just about slid right off the back of it and I had 4 more jumps in a grid to go! I don't know how the hell I stayed on.
I bet leather CPR has silicon in it, I try to stay away from leather cleaners that have silicon in them.

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Yikes! Glad it wasn't worse

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

I know one of the products they offered us to test was something that would make the leather soft, rough and sticky instead of slippery, and I requested some, but they couldn't provide me with it for some reason. I've learned not to spray my horses' bodies with Shine On before I ride, because the saddle will slip right down their sides. I'm glad you were able to stay on. You've got skills!

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

LOL-GL, My mom said the same thing(about getting out the rosin;)

Sydney-Leather CPR does not list it's ingredients. I looked after I got home because the same thing crossed my mind about the silicone.

NM-The skill of pure desperation-LOL.

City girl turned Country Girl said...

Oh my goodness girl!! He was hauling a** to! He is a freaking powerhouse! Well kudos to you regardless of how you managed staying on!! MAN that was gonna be a beautiful run too!!

Mrs. Mom said...

Holy Crap woman... we are too old to be Dirt Darts. Knock it off already! ;)

CPR does have stickum stuff.... since I ride bareback, I didn't ask for any. But it available.

Rub Moon from us. He sure wanted to work for ya.

Leah Fry said...

LMAO - "the skill of pure desperation" — that's what I have!!

Fantastyk Voyager said...

That's tough luck. It's sure not not the time to find out about the slipperiness of the product!

The Equestrian Vagabond said...

eeek!

Leather CPR followed by duct tape!
- The Equestrian Vagabond

Mikey said...

Oh dang girl! That looked beautiful, I was thinking first barrel didn't look bad, second a little off, third, ouch. I bet that hurt. Poor Moon, he was ready to go, lol. I will take your warning to heart, as I was going to use CPR on my saddles soon... now I'm glad I know, cause I would come right off. I ran Quinn last night and opened him up home, then realized the eye didn't leave me much stopping room. Wade said it looked like he was gathering to jump the fence. I was hanging onto horn and pulling up for all I had. Still came way too far out of the saddle..
ahhh, you gotta love it though :)

Dena said...

Glad you are okay. I like plain ols Lexol cleaner in the spray bottle.
It gives the "sticky."

Andrea said...

Girl I would have been out of it and on the ground after that first barrel!! Good for you for hanging on!!!

kestrel said...

Girl, you are so good you make a wreck look okay! What a beautiful horse!

Cut-N-Jump said...

Live and learn... the saddle wipes are similar too. Leave a beautiful shine and a slicker than snot gloss to go with it. No thanks. I just get out the bottle of neatsfoot oil a small tub and a paint brush. Coat that stuff well and wipe of the excess with a rag. The leather wil absorb what it needs and leave the rest on the surface.

Trumbull Mountain Tack also has a Black Hills something or other leather care product. She recently blogged about it.

Word verif is tardis, because it too knows I am late for the party.