Almost Unscathed

I very nearly made it through Black Friday and the aftermath unscathed.  I bought a blanket for the poor pastured pony - which I was already committed to doing, was just waiting for the right blanket at the right price, and picked up a new bit at the local tack store for 10% off so that Trainer K could have hers back.  I did a lot of online watching, and added things to my cart a few times (Majyk Equipe XC boots, someday you will be mine!), but ultimately my extra income is meant to go towards a saddle, and so I was able to talk myself out of just about everything.

Weatherbeeta stock photo.  Should be here soon, and hopefully this one fits!
Late Monday night, I was in bed perusing the end of the Cyber Monday deals on my phone, and I somehow ended up on Dover's website.  In the saddle listings of the Closeouts section, I found something unexpected - an Ovation San Diego, lightly used, and marked down 20% - which put it almost exactly at the amount of money that I had saved up so far for a saddle.  And it was pretty.

Dover Saddlery stock photo.
Ovation is one of the brands on my list of saddles I could reasonably afford that I wouldn't mind owning.  As much as I am dying for a Black Country monoflap, I really can't justify spending more money on a saddle than I did on my car.  And this was a Really Good Deal.  Even if it was from, well, Dover. 

Swan impression.
 I went back and forth about it for a while.  It's a brown saddle, my jump bridle is black.  It might not fit Leo, but it has the exchangeable gullet plates.  It's used and there are no photos of it as-is, just the stock one. Etc. Eventually, I decided to order it...and the website crashed.  So I took that as a sign to sleep on it, and if I still wanted it in the morning, and it was still at that bargain price, then I would buy it.

I spent the entire night dreaming about the damn saddle.  First thing when I woke up, I went back online to order it.  And it was no longer 20% off.  Hopes. Crushed.  I didn't have the extra money to afford that extra 20%.  But then I noticed something at the top of the screen - Dover's big Cyber Monday banner, announcing that all sales had been extended until Wednesday night.  Apparently the saddle listing hadn't gotten the memo.  So I steeled myself, and decided to call Dover's Customer Service line.

I was on the phone for probably an hour total.  The incredibly kind lady that I spoke with apologized repeatedly for the wait.  And according to her, it took 3 managers and a supervisor - but they finally decided to sell me the saddle at the discounted price!  Allegedly, it will be here on Monday.  I am so, so, so ridiculously excited!  Fingers crossed this saddle works out better than the dressage saddle (which is now on consignment) did!

Sneak preview of exciting things that happened on Sunday.

Comments

  1. EventingSaddlebredStyleDecember 1, 2016 at 2:38 AM

    Fingers crossed that the saddle will fit! And I love that last photo :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. TrainwreckInTealDecember 1, 2016 at 5:16 AM

    Wheeeeee new saddle! And that photo 😍

    ReplyDelete
  3. LoveLaughRideDecember 1, 2016 at 6:19 AM

    That photo is great! I've got my fingers crossed the saddle works for you

    ReplyDelete

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