Recently I've been accepted to university! Yay! In all my excitement, I've failed to consider what the heck I'm going to do with my rather large roping saddle (and the rest of my tack) while I'm in a wee dorm room. I'm doubting it will fit in the dorm, but I don't want to put it in storage or at a relative's house for fear of it getting moldy/broken/what have you.
Any ideas?? I really don't want to sell it; I've had it since the very beginning and it fits me like a dream.
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Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Set it on a really solid saddle stand and use it as a desk chair. It will keep your posture band mind more active during study, remind you there's more to life than studying, and give you that good feelling you get from riding.
Most university dorm rooms don't begin to have enough space for a saddle, especially one of the western persuasion, so I understand your quandary. You haven't mentioned whether or not you'll have a roomie, but most first year students do have room-mates, so the available space becoms even smaller...
Do you have a friend with a personal tack room where you might be able to store it in a saddle bag? As long as the tack room is heated, insulated, and rodent free you should have no worries. I understand your concerns about keeping the saddle in good shape, but taking it to school will just drive you crazy and it's more likely to get damaged in your incredibly tiny dorm room!