Backing my 3 year old exmoor in her new saddle!

rowy

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Got Lola a new saddle! Its a treeless torsion and got it for a really good price and it is perfect fit! Was a bit mucky as it was suede but Sharon (Grey Haven) gave me some really good tips so now it looks as good as new!

Lola was so chilled in it and didnt buck at all and sat on her for the first time ever in a saddle and she was so so much better than when I ride her bareback and felt so stable on her. On top of that it is SOOOOOOO comfy!! Round corners when I rode her bareback she would lose a bit of balance but today she just marched around the school like she was on a mission and carried me so easily!

Also, you will notice I have her in a drop noseband. I have found her and Rowan to go so so so well in a drop! If any of you use a flash on your horses, try using a drop as it has made Lola significantly better as before she would open her mouth and chew the bit if i took a slight contact but in this she is much more submissive and even going into a baby outline! Seriously recommend!

A few questions:
a) Do I look way too big for her?
b) Do you think I could get away with this saddle in dressage at low level (intro, prelim)?
c) Can you jump in treeless saddle if its tiny, e.g. below 2ft
d) Could I get away with showing at low level in it?

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For those that don't know- Lola is 3 1/2 years old and currently about 12.1hh (about 12.2hh on the bum) pure bred exmoor. The plan is to get her hacking twice- 3 times a week to try and get her weight down and then turn her away when the frost and snow comes and bring her back into work next year as soon as it leaves. I usually would be all for leaving her till march next year but its more dangerous for me to leave her or allow her to get overweight and just limiting her food is not making her lose it, just maintaing what shes got (seriously- exmoors live off fresh air!).
 

Toffee44

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Please use the proper pads for these saddles. They are designed to bring the saddle off the spine and distribute weight evenly. Robinsons do a roamer one for £40 (PM me I have one)


Have a quick read here http://www.dreamteamproducts.com/torsion-products-treeless_saddle_pads.php
(if it is one I apoligise)

Saddle fit wise looks fine. I cant jump in mine, I end up winding myself. I think you can do unaff dressage in it.

Showing I think will depend on the show and the judge. I have never used mine in a showing class.

No you don;t look too big. Exmoors can carry full grown men.
 
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Phoebe+Sophie

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I don't think you look way too big and obviously too heavy. Don't about competing but if you enough you could probably jump. She look so chilled! I know what you mean about how Exmoors living on fresh air my mares Welsh sec C x Exmoor she just doesnt lose weight!:)
 

rowy

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Please use the proper pads for these saddles. They are designed to bring the saddle off the spine and distribute weight evenly. Robinsons do a roamer one for £40 (PM me I have one)


.

Hi,
The pad underneath is a sheepskin thick pad that is high wither and a prolite on top and i ensured there was space above her spine all the way along the saddle. I will not be doing much riding in this until I buy a proper pad :)
 

bluewhippet

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Can't answer any questions intelligently apart from size-wise you look fine.

Just wanted to say how lovely your pony is. I love Exmoors - always have.
 

splash30

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I think you look fine, I'm 5'11" and we used to have a Exmoor come in for a holiday and I used to ride her with no problems (I was a bit lighter then tho!!) I had great fun on her, I love the breed
 

AFlapjack

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She is lovely :)

No you don't look too big and will look much better once the stirrups take your leg up. I don't think you could get away showing in it unless you do it simply for experience but not sure you would be taken seriously (not trying to make you feel bad but just think this is what most judges would think).
 

SamanthaUK

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Got Lola a new saddle! Its a treeless torsion and got it for a really good price and it is perfect fit! Was a bit mucky as it was suede but Sharon (Grey Haven) gave me some really good tips so now it looks as good as new!

Lola was so chilled in it and didnt buck at all and sat on her for the first time ever in a saddle and she was so so much better than when I ride her bareback and felt so stable on her. On top of that it is SOOOOOOO comfy!! Round corners when I rode her bareback she would lose a bit of balance but today she just marched around the school like she was on a mission and carried me so easily!

Also, you will notice I have her in a drop noseband. I have found her and Rowan to go so so so well in a drop! If any of you use a flash on your horses, try using a drop as it has made Lola significantly better as before she would open her mouth and chew the bit if i took a slight contact but in this she is much more submissive and even going into a baby outline! Seriously recommend!

A few questions:
a) Do I look way too big for her?
b) Do you think I could get away with this saddle in dressage at low level (intro, prelim)?
c) Can you jump in treeless saddle if its tiny, e.g. below 2ft
d) Could I get away with showing at low level in it?

001.jpg

004.jpg

005.jpg

008.jpg

010.jpg

012.jpg

013.jpg


For those that don't know- Lola is 3 1/2 years old and currently about 12.1hh (about 12.2hh on the bum) pure bred exmoor. The plan is to get her hacking twice- 3 times a week to try and get her weight down and then turn her away when the frost and snow comes and bring her back into work next year as soon as it leaves. I usually would be all for leaving her till march next year but its more dangerous for me to leave her or allow her to get overweight and just limiting her food is not making her lose it, just maintaing what shes got (seriously- exmoors live off fresh air!).

Oh my days, what a beauty!! :)
You definately don't look too big for her!! x
 

rowy

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Well ideally I do still want to sell her but think theres no chance of selling her over winter so gonna try again in the spring maybe. Though I am quite enjoying riding her. She's so sensitive to the leg and really forward going. She leg-yields from the slightest touch of my leg and stops pretty much from me just tightening my thighs. So may try and train her up for dressage.
 

Ladyinred

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I think, for a treeless, you might have the saddle a touch too far forward, but it's not easy to judge from photos. She is gorgeous, and low level competition will be fine in a treeless. You can also jump in one, but give yourself time to get comfortable in it first.

I, too, love Exmoors.
 

*hic*

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I think the saddle is too far forward BUT if you put it further back it's far too long. I'd question whether it is, in fact, a perfect fit.
 

Tinypony

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She is really lovely and you're definitely not too big for her!
I have been trained to fit treeles saddles and think you're hitting the problem of finding something the right length for the pony and the right size seat for you. If you look at how you are sitting in the photos your bum is pressing against the cantle. Bearing in mind that is a solid block you need to be really careful about that because your body pushing against it will cause pressure problems long-term. If you're planning to hack 3 times a week I'd keep a really careful eye on that, I wouldn't have been happy selling you a similar saddle (Dartmoor Treefree) with that fit.
You can get a Freeform SB, which is designed for adults riding ponies. SB stands for Short Back, I've found mine quite handy with ponies.
Or... I also had a Sensation saddle made to measure, which has no solid parts so avoids some of the fitting problems that can be encountered with the saddles that have blocks fore and aft.
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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'if' you took her into M&M classes, then the saddle would be a no-no, this does not help to show off her conformation at all.

If going to a local show to just introduce her to sights & sounds - and maybe a ridden non-native class for experience then just wear what fits & works well for you though, safety & comfort is best when taking a baby out the 1st time.

Shame you are a bit of a trot from me - I have 3 exmoor shaped saddles you could test out, all around 15" & sit well on most exmoors for showing.

Good luck in the future :)
 

rowy

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She is really lovely and you're definitely not too big for her!
I have been trained to fit treeles saddles and think you're hitting the problem of finding something the right length for the pony and the right size seat for you. If you look at how you are sitting in the photos your bum is pressing against the cantle. Bearing in mind that is a solid block you need to be really careful about that because your body pushing against it will cause pressure problems long-term. If you're planning to hack 3 times a week I'd keep a really careful eye on that, I wouldn't have been happy selling you a similar saddle (Dartmoor Treefree) with that fit.
You can get a Freeform SB, which is designed for adults riding ponies. SB stands for Short Back, I've found mine quite handy with ponies.
Or... I also had a Sensation saddle made to measure, which has no solid parts so avoids some of the fitting problems that can be encountered with the saddles that have blocks fore and aft.

The cantle isn't a solid block!! Its like stuff which is in a duvet I think like flock or fluff which is really squidgy, otherwise me sitting like that wouldn't have been very comfy lol.
The pommel (sp?) is a wooden block which is removable which I may try taking out so I can sit a bit more forwards in the saddle.
Fit wise, surely it being positioned more forwards or back isnt an issue with a treeless since there is no solid mass dispersing the weight in the wrong places (i.e. her loins or her scapula) and the only weight is being dispersed straight down where im sitting (i.e. the middle of her back. So I could get away with moving it a tiny bit back as long as im not sitting on or anywhere near her loins (and 2bh if I did sit there I think I would know about it- i'd prob end up on the floor lol.)

This saddle is just temporary until she grows some withers. She doesnt even fit in a xxxw saddle that I had made for my other youngster atm so hoping when her front catches up she can move onto this as it is a perfect fit length wise and for me and it is an ordinary treed saddle. Just pondering on whether I could compete in it in case the appearance of withers takes a while to happen!!! Like it is with my 4 year old atm.

Also, I looked at many treeless and treed saddles and decided to go with this as I am not made of money and may only be keeping her temporarily (haven't decided whether to sell her next year). If I was to keep her and had more money I would have invested in a native pony saddle made to measure. The most important thing for me is that she is happy in it (which she definitely was when I was riding and you can see from the pictures) and that i'm comfy and able to ride efficiently for the time being.
 
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Tinypony

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The cantle isn't a solid block!! Its like stuff which is in a duvet I think like flock or fluff which is really squidgy, otherwise me sitting like that wouldn't have been very comfy lol.
The pommel (sp?) is a wooden block which is removable which I may try taking out so I can sit a bit more forwards in the saddle.
Fit wise, surely it being positioned more forwards or back isnt an issue with a treeless since there is no solid mass dispersing the weight in the wrong places (i.e. her loins or her scapula) and the only weight is being dispersed straight down where im sitting (i.e. the middle of her back. So I could get away with moving it a tiny bit back as long as im not sitting on or anywhere near her loins (and 2bh if I did sit there I think I would know about it- i'd prob end up on the floor lol.)

This saddle is just temporary until she grows some withers. She doesnt even fit in a xxxw saddle that I had made for my other youngster atm so hoping when her front catches up she can move onto this as it is a perfect fit length wise and for me and it is an ordinary treed saddle. Just pondering on whether I could compete in it in case the appearance of withers takes a while to happen!!! Like it is with my 4 year old atm.

Also, I looked at many treeless and treed saddles and decided to go with this as I am not made of money and may only be keeping her temporarily (haven't decided whether to sell her next year). If I was to keep her and had more money I would have invested in a native pony saddle made to measure. The most important thing for me is that she is happy in it (which she definitely was when I was riding and you can see from the pictures) and that i'm comfy and able to ride efficiently for the time being.

That's interesting, Torsion saddles certainly used to have solid blocks fore and aft, I wonder if the previous owner replaced the cantle in your saddle? Handy if they have, that was going to be my next suggestion. Torsion do a saddle called a Bora that has no solid parts, but as far as I know the other models are shipped with solid blocks.
If you take the pommel out it will affect lateral stability, that's really what it's in there for.
Backwards or forwards placement of the saddle can have an effect because you need to be sure that the saddle is in the right place to allow proper clearance for the wither and shoulder. And... if the cantle is solid... it can "bounce" or be pushed down by the rider's bum.
A rough guide is to look and see if the seat of the saddle is level when viewed from the side, it appears to be in your photo, which probably means you've got that saddle in the best position it can be.
 
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