-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject:     Re: your post
Date:     Tue, 10 Jul 2018 18:57:15 -0400
From:     Tom Rajala <tomrajala@gmail.com>
To:     Ann Bozanich <ann@bozsaddlery.com>





First ride in the new Boz Race/Trainer! Being a gear head from my cycling days, I love trying out new stuff.
First impression, it’s pretty sweet. It’s streamlined minimalist version of the Boz Saddle. The saddle still boasts has the polymer springflex tree, gone is the big sheep skin seat replaced with a cushioned leather seat. The new seat design reminds me of a cross between bicycle racing saddle and a hard tail chopper seat.
The saddle exposes all the detailed work that goes into this handmade rugged saddle, the stitching and copper rivets that hold the true saddle leather to the tree. Exposed is also the craftwork of hand stamped leatherwork. The underside of the Race/Trainer uses leather wrapped sponge bars are intended the intent of not needing a saddle pad.
I’ll say ditching the saddle pad was the hardest part of trying this saddle for the first time. The saddle pads are like the ying to the saddles yang. Everyone uses saddle pads. John Bozanich <https://www.facebook.com/john.bozanich.33?fref=mentions> said no pad needed, going to find out if he’s right.
Tacking up is pretty much the same as my Boz trail saddle, except I did not have to lift the big sheep skin seat panels out of the way. Boz uses a western rigging with the biggest difference being he integrates the front dee into the saddletree and skirting and eliminates the big metal ring. That allows the latigo to be routed with minimal bulk.
Time to test this no pad small seat saddle out.
Mounting up into the race seat makes me feel like I was sitting in an F16 seat. I went with a smooth out leather seat. Other options where sheep skin and rough out. The rough out is the rough side of the leather out, and smooth out is smooth side of the leather out.

  The new seat really takes the pressure off from the twist of the tree.
Moving down the trail it feels like my other Boz saddles with the exception of the seat. Honestly I liked the cut back seat. The cushion in the seat actually relieved more pressure from the twist then the standard sheepskin wool seat on my trail saddle.

Like all Boz saddles, the riding position is right in the riders groove of the horse for perfect balance no mater what the horse is doing. Trust me, I have been spun around a few times and amazingly I have stayed on!
After a few hours in the intense heat of the southeast my horse and I were pretty sweaty. But he seemed very happy not to have the pad under the saddle. Way more surface area for him to cool.
Pulling off the saddle made me a believer. I was expecting tack galls all over from no pad. But I found the exact opposite the outline of the bars and that was it.
Cleanup was just a wet cloth to wipe down the leather.
The new race trainer from Boz is sweet. Same great craftsmanship of a hand crafted piece of artwork, built to last. A great addition to the tack room.
Looking forward to more riding tomorrow.