18 inch saddle on a pony.

rhino said:
What, you think she should ride the saddler instead:

women_riding_02.jpg


Takes all sorts I suppose :rolleyes: :eek:
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Tut tut, where's your hat? ;)
 
Our 14.3 gypsy cob used to wear an 18" extra wide saddle, fitted and sold by local saddler, only reason she stopped wearing it was that she retired from work (she is now 30 years old, with no back problems)
See I can be grown up and helpful :p :D
 
Mmm, if it's a really short backed pony you should be ok, the saddle will just end up with the cantle resting on top of the rump, thereby putting no pressure on the loins. You might need a riser pad on the withers though, just to level it all out. Rider might feel a bit perched but she'll get used to it. ;)
 
It's fine as long as the numnah is matchy matchy with the bandages :D (or contrasty contrasty, although this isn't as good for the horse's welfare)
 
Rhino I do hope that you never have to take you computer in for repairs. One look at your 'hmm hmm' hard drive and the indecency squad will be taking you away........
 
Each horse and pony is different but going by average sizing is say no the saddle would be too long.

But get it checked properly by someone qualifief.

Is the saddle treeless?
Just a though because these look longer than that acually are when the ride sit on the saddle and it mould into shape.
Also are you measuring the saddle correctly?
 
No saddle should go beyond the last floating rib and onto the loins as there is no supporting structure underneath to carry the load and can but not always, damage to the horses kidneys etc
HOWEVER I have seen saddles flat as pancakes on the horses withers, broken trees, over flocked saddles rolling around, too wide, too narrow, too long and falling apart with no ill effects or discomfort to the horse underneath it. I have also seen stocky strong ponies and horses with a saddle that fitted perfectly but still reacted to it, so really even though we fit saddles as well as we are able to the best saddle fitters in the world are the horses and ponies carrying them, they WILL tell you if they don’t like it for whatever reason!

Years ago (about 15) I went to look at a saddle at a yard locally, the owner of the “pony” “educated” me about her pony and I have never forgotten it as she made such an impression. She was a 6 foot 4 inch German lady who owned a Icelandic pony which she kept drumming into me was called a horse even though he was 13 hands. When she rode him in her 19 inch saddle her feet were nearly dragging along the ground which she assured me was perfectly normal.
She told me she had to show the Farrier how to shoe him as “he’s an Icelandic HORSE and is different from other horses”, she was even trying to get different shoes in from abroad for the Farrier to shoe him with, the Farrier wasn’t impressed I heard.
She told me that the 19 inch saddle (specially made)that was swamping him was normal as “he’s an Icelandic HORSE and they are different from other horses”
She had the girth done up right back on the horse’s ribs stopping him breathing properly instead of on the sternum but when I pointed it out, she boomed at me, yes you’ve guessed “But he’s an Icelandic HORSE and that’s perfectly normal”
I begged to differ as no, I am not knowledgeable on Icelandic’s at all but going on what I had been trained to do, everything about this little 13 hand pony, SORRY HORSE, was screaming at me it was wrong.
By now I had given up and was tempted to lift the “horse’s” tail to see if I could see the sun shining out of his arse, I left the yard thoroughly defeated as I really couldn’t help her as she wouldn’t accept what I was saying but I heard later from another livery there that every time she approached the HORSE with the 19 inch saddle the horse wouldn’t let her anywhere near him and was seen lecturing some poor woman trying to lead her youngster in from the field who was using a chifney to stop him rearing, the German woman told her how cruel it was, the response from the lady leading the horse was “well if you want to try it without a chifney be my guest” the German woman left the yard not long after, so horse’s for courses, some horses can carry the worst ill fitting or too long, too short, too narrow etc saddles, some can’t!
Oz :)
 
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Totally agree with CDM. If this is a serious post then I can't imagine for the life of me that a sub 14hh pony could take an 18" saddle. I fit mainly ponies and I have only two 14.2 ponies, one a Highland and one a Highland cross, that can take 18" saddles. It matters not if the pony "seems ok" in the saddle, if it goes beyond the last rib then it is not okay.
 
jhoward said:
my little mare is a broad sort, about 13.3/14hh the kid riding her is a bit chubby, the saddle i have is 18 inches, forward cut and seems to fit her well, for short times would it be ok for the pony to use it??

child is about 14 stone not tall but very chubby. and the saddle also accomodates her butt well.
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JH :D LOL :D

Some people who have posted on this thread appear to take themselves far too seriously and should make rediscovering their sense of humour a priority for 2012...

JH, if you're mare's a (whispers) COB, then I'm sure it will be fine...
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
My 14.2 well built Haffie can only take a 16 inch saddle and shes a mare who are often longer than geldings.

Def def would need a qualified saddle fitter to say that an 18 inch could poss fit a pony that size, its the size my heavy hunter of 17 hands takes.

Personally I would say for 90% of ponies that side it would not be comfy for them.

If the rider needs an 18 inch saddle rather than the pony, they might be too big for the pony.....
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My 14.1 haffie takes a 17.5" wintec wide, but she is quite a long old fashioned drafty type.
 
A very heavy child on a pony with a saddle that's too long...... (Is this a serious question or have I missed something?)
 
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