English-made, and much bulkier and padded; not comfort- able for the horse or the rider. The proximity between the horse and rider and the balance that his saddles afforded was revolutionary.” It was then that Mr. Lievre unveiled the model called The Practice saddle. I was a bit perplexed, intrigued, and yes, slightly intimidated by this new training option. It had no knee flaps, no blocks, no padding—I wondered if I’d be able to stay on. “The Practice is a tool for teaching riders how to hold the correct position,” explained Mr. Lievre. “Sometimes riders are not so sure if they want to try it but once they do, they immedi- ately feel the correctness in their position.” I’d heard rumors back in the states about this piece of training equipment, as there were whis- pers that it was going to show up at a future clinic and we were sure that George Morris would like it. (Oui, accord- ing to Mr. Lievre, The Practice model is in fact GM approved!)
Above left: Alex stands next to the intimidating “The Practice” saddle. Below is a cabinet of a variety of Butet saddle models. Right: Alex Ladove riding her chestnut Warmblood gelding Beau Van Het Keyershof.
We finished up our tour in the foyer, surrounded by the
Butet offerings for the different disciplines, a few featuring the new color-coordinated piping and stitching that we’d seen in the factory. You can choose from a variety of hues, including a subtle navy, grey, and green, to a bolder red or gold, to an over-the-top hot pink that would make Barbie proud. I have to admit it, I was hooked on the piping and so was
my mom. While I knew that the wilder colors would never fly in the equitation ring, I did think a nice navy would be just the thing to add that winning je-ne-sais-quoi look in the show ring. My trip to France this past summer was truly a joy, mon joie
de vivre. Remembering the young horses at the Cadre Noir, perhaps if they happen to be for sale and my parents and trainers agree, riding one will someday be in my future. At the very least, a girl can dream. Regardless, I left La Loire feeling as light as air—with enough inspiration and admira- tion to perhaps take my own riding to a new level.
30 November/December 2015
ESI / Glen Burgess
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