The Mongol Derby HQ reached out to us riders a little while back, and asked if we could have our saddles shipped directly to our homes, and for us to then travel with them to Mongolia. Freight is abnormally slow and problematic lately, so to ensure safe arrival of this critical piece of equipment, shipping them to riders made the most sense.

I got a big box delivered yesterday and got to put my very own derby saddle together straight away! I rode for a short while yesterday. Then today, I took my saddle out for a longer ride. I think we went out for just over 3.5 hours. I’m really feeling comfortable in it! I think more than I expected after my first impression yesterday. The wider twist was easier to get used to after shortening my stirrups a bit. I also really like where the fenders lay, they naturally allow my leg to stay underneath me, but also have a wide range of swing movement, forward and back, as needed. I still want to find an alternate to the Velcro pouch on the pommel. I ride a lot of green horses, and having a quick grab onto the pommel is critical for me to anchor down when things get western. The Velcro ripping sound would likely send the bugger even more crazed if I were to grab for the pommel and instead tear off the pouch. 😉

https://youtube.com/shorts/j3bLdNie4oY?feature=share