Saddle up

I have 3 saddles and one horse, 25 years old.  Two of the saddles are older than the horse, and I decided to sell them all.  I guess I'll start with the trail/pleasure saddle with the equitation seat.  So C cleaned it up (no small task in itself) and it is now in my bedroom, the better to keep it clean and cat-less.  If I can find a photo I will post it here.  I look at the saddle and it is bittersweet to think it will go.  It holds a lot of memories of trail rides with my husband and good friends who are gone now.  I can't justify keeping it, time will have its way as years go by and I don't want to see that happen.  But damn, where did the time go?

This, believe it or not, is the same saddle, "before" and "after" the clean up.

I won't include the "before" photo when I post it on eBay!

My farrier would like to buy this saddle, but I know he won't want to pay the $375 price I want for it. I'll have to figure in shipping too, somewhere between $35 and $50 looks like the going rate for shipping.  I'll just take it to the local UPS store and let them figure out boxing and so forth.  I'll include the saddle blanket, it will be good padding under the saddle, which will be shipped upside down and I don't want it scratched.

I've thought about of this a lot.  With my knee in the shape it is, my riding days are done.  Even if I had a rock-steady horse (which I don't) when I tried to dismount, my right knee would buckle and I would fall under the horse, IF I didn't get my left leg tangled as I fell.  The stuff of nightmares.

Anyway,  C'est la vie.