New Wings for Allison and Ellie
Thank you to Allison and her spicy little pony named Ellie for sharing their heart-warming story with us, and allowing us to spread the good vibes far and wide.
"My little mare and I, we have a story to tell. Her name is Ellie and I am Allison, the one lucky enough to be chosen by her.
"I used to ride at the highest levels of Eventing. A traumatic brain injury and some lingering issues said it was time for me to retire. I was 18. Years later I met a spicy little red-head Morgan pony. She was not what I was looking for but she was what I needed. She had opinions. She had ideas. She had heart.
"So bold and so brave she gave me back my wings. I might not run around a 4 star ever again but she made me believe.
We had one tiny problem: Ellie HATED tack.
She didn't like bits or saddles or anything aside from a rope around her neck and felt the best way to let you know her feelings was by bucking. A lot. Lots of bucking. Sometimes she wouldn't even take a step forward. Mares. Anyways, thus began the Great Saddle Hunt (GSH). We tried it all. I spent enough money to buy a small island. Maybe two. The saddle that got the closest was custom laser fit to her back. It only took 2 years to get to this point.
"So why am I talking to Wintec right? Well, here it comes... I needed (not really but hey, I'm a tack snob) another saddle. The other saddle is a jump saddle and I needed (wanted) a dressage saddle. I went to my amazing dressage guru buddy for a lesson. As any good guru does she looked at my jump saddle, shook her wise head and went to get a dressage saddle. I tried to explain. I really did. This wasn't going to work. I mean I owned the original princess and the pea with this horse. Out of her tack shed the guru presents me with a Wintec 250 Dressage saddle.
"Now, I was sure I was going to die and my lovely mare would not speak to me for a week. (We had just gotten over a week long hunger strike because I changed her grain to poison, read: diet, horse food).
"I didn't die. Nope. Instead I had this incredible little dressage pony bloom underneath me. Just blow me over with a whisper. Seriously?! I have enough tack to make Queen Elizabeth jealous and this is the answer?
"Fast forward a year and now we own three. Still not anywhere close to the cost of the custom saddle that now just sits in my barn because the picky plucky pony prefers all things Wintec. I went trail riding over the weekend to celebrate my birthday. It's hers as well. Enjoy the photos across 57 miles of rough terrain. In our favourite Wintec 250 Dressage saddle.
"Go figure and long live opinionated chestnut pony Morgan mares, and God bless Wintec saddles."