Dressage Saddle For V High Withered horse

[Vixxy]

Hi All

Well I have bought a new horse

16.1, British Warmblood (will put a post with picture when someone can kindly explain how... I have read the how to on forum but sounds complicated to me

)

Now I need to think about a new saddle, must a have a gullet that can be altered due to the mare being a bit on the poor side, so that when she is built up again I wont have to buy a new one! The mare is very high withered so that must be taken into account.

For me a deep seat and big knee rolls, I also like the type with the built in knee rolls if that makes sense...

Anyone with any ideas?

 

[dany]

Kieffers have a cut back head, so are good for HW's, they can also be adjusted. I was told the wintecs were no good, but the new Thorrowgood uses the same plates and they also do a HW version x

 

[Vixxy]

Thanks Dany, I currently have a older kieffer Master medium but the saddle is a 17.5" and I really need a 18" for my errrm curvatious bottom

I know you can have Kieffers altered but...

Problem I have here in Norway is that my nearest saddle fitter is about a 8 hours drive one way and with petrol here higher than in the UK right now I think I will use this as a great excuse to buy a new one

I really dislike Thorowgood after having 3 for my riding school, although I have not tried the T6 version. Wintec that is under the Bates brand isn't it? So really Bates leather (innova) is out as well then

After hearing so much bad press on here about Albion saddles I am a little reluctant to try one, especially with no back specialist here to help with probs in the future. I love the Ideal Crown but the fixed gullet is the downside.

 

[DougalJ]

Yes the Keiffers or DMC (German make) saddles are great for high withered horses as they have the cut away section to accomodate the wither. The tree can also be altered by a suitable saddle fitter to fit the horse as the tree is plastic.

 

[kerilli]

easiest way to post a pic is to open a free photobucket.com account, upload pics to there, resize on there (use the "edit" bit above every pic, it'll take you to a new page with the image on larger, then resize to stock size, either messageboard or a bit smaller if you want, save changes, overwriting previous image is easiest to save confusion!, go back to album), then click on the 4th line below the image, where it says IMG Code, "copied" will flash up in yellow where you've clicked. then start a post on here, and right click and "paste" the Image URL into place.
easy peasy!

saddles... jeez, best of luck! not easy at all. i love my Ideal Susannah, i had it wool flocked and lined with serge to make it easier for the saddler to adjust, and was prepared to fill in the gaps with fygbagee if necessary till she put the weight on... unnecessary, fortunately!
after getting a dressage saddle fitted to my high-withered tb mare, i've discovered that you really need a saddle with a front gusset, (wider shape to front part of panel under saddle) to enable the saddle to sit on the horse's ribs, not fall into the gap above them - this is the problem with horses with long dorsal spinous processes. hope that makes sense, can post a pic of what i mean if you want!

 

[clairencappelli]

I have a very high witherd TB and i have the ideal suzannah dressage saddle too.

Like kerilli said you need a saddle with a gusset and a deep pannel to accomodate the high back profile .

The biggest problem my saddler said is the tree points! They must be long and give the saddle lift and support from lower down as if you get a saddle thats too narrow with a cut back head it will be too tight and pinch.

this is my horse with hers on

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v410/claireandcappelli/?action=view&current=june1.jpg

and this gives you an idea of just how big and long her withers are.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v410/claireandcappelli/?action=view&current=P2230009.jpg

ask your saddler to bring out different saddle to try.

 

[cpendle]

I have a very high withered British Warmblood too, who's also quite wide. He's in an Albion SLK Ultima and it fits him really well. It's a nice saddle to ride in too, although suits chunkier type IMHO.

 

[Vixxy]

Thank you so much for all of your advice, the photo examples of your horse's withers could be the twin of my horses withers, I compared a photo of mine against yours lol!

Well I have been lusting after an Ideal Suzanna for sometime, so I will find a fitter that can try one on her for me.

Once again thanks for your help, living in Norway it is not so easy to get good advice.

Karen

 

[HollyP]

I have a very high withered ID/TB and my wintec Isabell fits...a saddler fitted it in a narrow and iv had lots of problems, had someone else out and shes now in a wide with some inserts in the front and a prolite until she builds up the muscle either side of her withers!

so wintecs are good saddles and i would defo look into the Isabell!