Deflated Saddle Fitting Experience for a flat backed cob

[starbucker]

I've been having an absolute saddle fitting nightmare.. for my flat backed low wither, big shouldered cob.

I had a thorowgood T4 cob saddle which my horse went reasonably well in upon reflection. She is between bars and were making do with a wider setting with half pad, so thought Id try find something with a better fit and I wanted something nicer leather etc. so I bought another one from a saddle fitter. The next week she went awful reluctant to canter, saddle slipping, had the saddle fitter back out, they tweaked it still no better. I asked for my old saddle back and in the meantime the saddle fitter had sold my old saddle, and Ive returned the new one. The fitter didn't seem to have alot of other options to try and Im obviously quite upset to be left saddleless - do I just try a different fitter?, or I hear people speak highly of chunky monkey but prices start at £1700 and Im reluctant to go to a fitter with only 1 brand, when the tree to Wintec, bates, K&M gfs all didnt work apparently. Not sure which direction to jump feeling really deflated upset and money down the drain.

Spent £400 getting the same saddle back as an intermediate measure so back with a scruffy second hand T4 (at an additional cost to what I got for the 1 year old T4 which I wanted back! )

Is it meant to be this hard?

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I’m surprised nothing suited from the Wintec, Bates, Kent & Masters supplier..we ve always found something that worked..Bates for my Friesian..Kent &Masters for Welsh cross, Wintec for podgey cob… it was Grange Saddlery West Lothian I think who supplied and fitted ours.

 

[cremedemonthe]

In the past when fitting to cobs and nothing fitted that I had at the time, I tried fitting a Haflinger saddle, it worked well!
Have you tried one of those?
I used to sell the GFS range, they did a Haflinger saddle
Oz

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Have you considered a Smart Solutions saddle? They are technically 'treeless' but actually have a leather tree so aren't like the pillow style ones that can press on the horses spine. They look almost exactly like a traditional tree'd saddle and I've done everything in mine including jumping. It is possible to find them secondhand for not too bad prices, and a few of they fitters sell/fit second hand ones too. I have them for all mine, all flat backed natives appart from my traditional cob who bizarrely wears the ones designed for elite sports horses

 

[Fire sign]

Trying to find a saddle for a wide cob is a horrible lottery and you have to be very determined to find a solution for the sake of your horse’s back and your own riding position …

Myself and a friend both own lovely cobs and have each been on a ridiculous saddle fitting journey in the last 2.5 years …

She has tried 2 fitters and I have stuck with the one but we have both had problems with saddles slipping sideways. We have invested in multiple saddle fitting visits, everyone on the yard thinks we are fussing over nothing and we now own an impressive range of special numnahs prolite pads, shims and specialised girths.

We have each bought 4 saddles… so far !

Thankfully the girls seem comfortable at the moment !

All I can suggest is to be determined and don’t think it’s just you ..

 

[southerncomfort]

I was exactly the same with my Fell pony. We reached a point where he was no longer comfortable in his TG pony club saddle, and he didn't like any of the other saddles I tried.

I now have him in a Ghost saddle and he's like a different pony. He moves with so much more freedom and exuberance!

 

[Cowpony]

Have you tried AH Saddles? They have some second hand, and will send them on approval. Speak to Andrea. She'll be able to advise.

 

[teach]

I have a flat backed highland. He is in the chunky monkey limpet saddle. I love it, he loves it.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I was in your boat, I got Grange saddlery West Lothian to do my boy and she found me a fabulous Black Country WH on a euro tree and it’s been amazing!

Now with him a sports cob I’m going to have to change sadddles as his isn’t perfectly suiting his changed shape but it looks like we are changing to a narrower version of the same saddle in a freedom tree so I’m a happy bunny.

She spent two hours almost with us and tried on ten different saddles before sourcing me the BC to try and I honestly love it.

 

[HopOnTrot]

Have you tried AH Saddles? They have some second hand, and will send them on approval. Speak to Andrea. She'll be able to advise.

That’s useful to know! I was recommended AH saddles but wasn’t ready to change, now I’m ready to change my fitter, who I really liked, has ghosted me

 

[dottylottie]

I have a pony cob and horse, and an AH saddle, on my flat backed wide welshies. Because i was quite specific in what i wanted, i found it easier to have the fitter out to tell me what i needed, and then double check any with her first. I knew what brands i was looking at generally so could ask what tree i needed to look for.

I will say i took an absolute gamble on the pony cob & horse, didn’t know the tree or the width and it’s not needed adjusting at all! the AH saddle i rang her and asked if the tree in it would be suited to a sec C and she advised it was pretty much the only tree she’d use on one - PC&H were so incredibly helpful despite not even selling saddles anymore, i text the number on the saddle and he was so lovely!

 

[Equi]

Not at all helpful but I love my chunky monkey and think it was worth it

 

[SEL]

AH, Ghost should work but I have WOW on both my cobs and the mare is as wide as she is tall (plus croup high, no withers, sprung rib cage & forward girth groove)

 

[marmalade76]

I've found show & WH saddles work well on cobs, they sit nicely behind the shoulder and don't slip like a lot of other types do. A good girth can make a lot of difference too.

 

[Ali27]

I had a nightmare with a Thorrowgood T4 which was recommended for my 4 year old very flat backed ID x Welsh mare. She started having horrible bucking episodes and it slipped forwards! Turned her away for the Winter and now have her in a Total Contact Saddle until she muscles up and then will look for an AH saddle for her

 

[IrishMilo]

Sometimes it's easier if they are flat backed (and I'm reading that as fat, sorry!) is to get them to a good weight. Lots more options!

 

[SEL]

Sometimes it's easier if they are flat backed (and I'm reading that as fat, sorry!) is to get them to a good weight. Lots more options!

My little cob was still flat backed with ribs easily visible! She's proper leg at each corner type designed to pull.

 

[Stenners]

Saddles are a nightmare! I'm on my 3rd saddle in 12 months, I feel your pain! Mine is also fairly flat backed - I had a new saddle fitted for him on Monday.

 

[pistolpete]

Fiona cork on my wide flat highland. He loved it.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Not at all helpful but I love my chunky monkey and think it was worth it

Same, watching the way my huge shouldered horse just immediately went better with a CM saddle was game changing (and his old saddle was wide and fitted as well as any non specialist saddle could)

CM have a Facebook page for selling second hand so you can find some bargains there. It might be worth having an appt with CM or AH (mentioned upthread) and then looking for something suitable second hand.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I was exactly the same with my Fell pony. We reached a point where he was no longer comfortable in his TG pony club saddle, and he didn't like any of the other saddles I tried.

I now have him in a Ghost saddle and he's like a different pony. He moves with so much more freedom and exuberance!

I'm thinking of getting a ghost saddle for my Fell but theres so much choice of styles etc and I'm rubbish at decision making!
What size did you get for yours? I'm worried that I'll get the wrong size and it will be to long. Hopefully I'll be able to trial one before buying though just to make sure we're both happy.

 

[Widgeon]

I now have him in a Ghost saddle and he's like a different pony. He moves with so much more freedom and exuberance!

I have a Ghost arriving today - I'm waiting for the FedEx van. I hacked out (only a short walk hack) the other day in my current saddle and still have a bruised pelvis so I am very excited about the prospect of being able to ride without being constantly slightly braced and in pain.

 

[ester]

Wintec and bates are the same tree and it’s curvy so wouldn’t fit a flat backed beast. The more ‘bespoke’ brands/saddlers will likely have more than one tree they can put on the same saddle so it suits. I do think buying second hand is more complicated now as fewer saddlers have them at all let alone stock a range but understand you being cautious of initial outlay though in hindsight I wish I’d bought my saddle sooner.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Have you considered a Smart Solutions saddle? They are technically 'treeless' but actually have a leather tree so aren't like the pillow style ones that can press on the horses spine. They look almost exactly like a traditional tree'd saddle and I've done everything in mine including jumping. It is possible to find them secondhand for not too bad prices, and a few of they fitters sell/fit second hand ones too. I have them for all mine, all flat backed natives appart from my traditional cob who bizarrely wears the ones designed for elite sports horses

This. My Westphalian Kaltblut, who was built like a 16hh Shetland pony, short legs, a huge barrel and absolutely massive shoulders, liked and went best in the Solution saddle, while the slim build, show pony-like Apoaloisa liked hers too. I would certainly arrange to try one.

 

[starbucker]

Id not heard of ghost or AH before so will do some research on those and the others suggested, chunky monkey is still front runner, if I can convince the OH its justified use of £1700 ! With ref to flat being synonymous with fat - she is weighed regularly and is a healthy weight for her height, you can feel her ribs, shes worked 3-5 times a week not fat, its her shape

 

[starbucker]

I have a Ghost arriving today - I'm waiting for the FedEx van. I hacked out (only a short walk hack) the other day in my current saddle and still have a bruised pelvis so I am very excited about the prospect of being able to ride without being constantly slightly braced and in pain.

Fingers crossed- Feel free to report back how it goes !

 

[Dave's Mam]

I have a Heather Moffett Flexee for Dave, who has minimal wither & a flat back. He seems to like it & he wears his heart on his sleeve about saddle comfort. If it's not right, you're off.

 

[Equi]

Id not heard of ghost or AH before so will do some research on those and the others suggested, chunky monkey is still front runner, if I can convince the OH its justified use of £1700 ! With ref to flat being synonymous with fat - she is weighed regularly and is a healthy weight for her height, you can feel her ribs, shes worked 3-5 times a week not fat, its her shape

They tend to hold their value well, so explain that to him lol

 

[southerncomfort]

I'm thinking of getting a ghost saddle for my Fell but theres so much choice of styles etc and I'm rubbish at decision making!
What size did you get for yours? I'm worried that I'll get the wrong size and it will be to long. Hopefully I'll be able to trial one before buying though just to make sure we're both happy.

@sbloom on here now stocks them, and she's currently covering quite a big area.

I went for the Torino, but you can mix and match the base too, so you can get exactly the right fit for you and the pony.

I can't remember what size it was off the top of my head, but he is very short backed and it's definitely not to long for him.

 

[southerncomfort]

I have a Ghost arriving today - I'm waiting for the FedEx van. I hacked out (only a short walk hack) the other day in my current saddle and still have a bruised pelvis so I am very excited about the prospect of being able to ride without being constantly slightly braced and in pain.

I think you'll definitely find the Ghost an improvement!