Does any adult compete/ride in a pony sized saddle?

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almrc

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Hi All

Just interested in your experiences. Does anyone compete in a pony sized saddle? What saddle do you use? I currently have a 16" saddle on my horse and would like to compete but just looking at your experiences, any pros/cons/what saddle do you use? Pics please would be a bonus - thank you :)
 
I've competed my 17hh in a 16" dressage saddle :o And ride the ponies in saddles down to 15", at home and competing :o For the horse, he justg decided he prefered it to his 17.5" the day before dressage, so I went with it! And the ponies so it fits them, and I kinda fit, maybe!
 
Me! I'm 5'4 and I have a 16 inch. I'll POP a photo on tomorrow. I'm on my phone so can't copy paste easily. Mine is a working hunter cut with a flattish seat.
 
Yep ride several ponies in 15' saddles, never had a problem, have photos of me jumping in one but not going to post in nl as I'll get lynced by the anti pony squashing mob.
 
I know but I think I would get shot for posting pics of me riding an 11.2 welshie over his first jumps ;)

I pony 'squish' my 14.2 every day :D
 
I ride mine in a 16.5". Ridden/squashed a few ponies in 15" ones too without any probs. Also ridden briefly in a safari cub, doubt I could have jumped in it though!
 
Ridden in a safari cub? Hell, ok I don't feel so worried now - I'm glad there are some of you taht ride in smaller saddles than me, its good to hear!
 
I didn't go out competing in it! It just happened to be wearing one & playing up its small child rider so I hopped on quickly.
 
I'm 5'10 with long legs, scrawny bum so fit just fine, if jumping ideally need more forward cut / bigger flaps than on most small saddles. But at my height have my stirrups ridiculously short jumping anything that's in a 15" saddle anyway, so a bit of overhanging knee is the least of my problems lookwise!
 
I'm 5'2! Are there any pony saddles that have more/larger knee rolls? Also do they do pony jumping/eventing saddles? Sorry probably stupid question!
 
There are lots of pony eventing and jump saddles but I have found them to be more expensive then normal saddles.

Kent and Masters (leather version of thorowgood) and Bates (leather version of Wintec) do small saddles at a reasonable price.

I've found that finding a small and reasonably priced brown dressage saddle impossible.
 
I fit lots of adults on ponies, ie larger riders into slightly smaller saddles :D and say that if you fit in it at home, no reason not to compete. The saddle should not extend beyond the last rib, your horse can only take the length of saddle it can take. The most common problem is that the relatively larger rider ends up sitting too far back and the cantle sinks, letting all the weight go to the back, making the saddle out of balance, and it may or may not then move forwards as well. The solution to this is usually a deeper rear panel if the adult is the only rider, if a child is the more usual rider then a rear riser may be a better bet, otherwise the saddle may be pommel low for the child!

Yes there are jump/XC pony saddles, I fit several specialist pony saddles. The Bates/Wintec ones can work, but on the ponies I've seen they tend to perch and be unstable. The TG Pony Club isn't a bad saddle but obviously not specialist jump/XC. Some "pony" saddles that I get to see are simply scaled down horse saddles - wide panels don't always work on smaller ponies and that is what I often see when out and about.
 
I evented my 15.2 in a 16" Pessoa jump saddle with piddly knee-rolls in quite happily. We also open teamchased and hunt over all terrain with no difficulty. He is very close coupled and we really struggled to find a saddle to fit him; if anything was even a smidge too far back from his comfort zone he soon let you know :eek:

I am roughly 5'8 with lanky legs and a short upper body; so I did look a bit like grasshopper crammed onto him; but we managed and didnt look too tremendously unstylish over a fence so I wouldn't worry about competing if you are comfortable at home! The biggest concern for me was keeping my upper body back which is a little difficult when trying to cram knees forward to allow your bum to perch; drop fences were not your friend!!:o
 
Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced 15", 15.5" or 16" saddle? New 14.2hh Welsh x Arab pony will not be able to take one bigger than this - rider is 5' 4" and weights approx 10 stones.
 
Bertolie said:
Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced 15", 15.5" or 16" saddle? New 14.2hh Welsh x Arab pony will not be able to take one bigger than this - rider is 5' 4" and weights approx 10 stones.
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try a Barnsby PC saddle - I currently have 15", 16" and 17" versions as they fit my 2 x connies & NF really well. I ride in all of them and am 5'4". I don't feel as though I have quite as much knee roll as I might like as they seem to be quite straight cut (but sit behind a big shoulder well), but happily jump & hunt in them.
 
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