For anyone who's switched from a Kent & Masters saddle...

[Sprogladite01]

...what saddle did you switch to? My mare is young and still growing/developing muscle so I think I'd lean more towards something with an adjustable gullet. My K&M saddle fits my mare well but I feel like it tips me forward. I've had a couple of bad falls recently and really feel like this tipping thing is not helping my riding (or confidence) at all.

 

[Sandstone1]

...what saddle did you switch to? My mare is young and still growing/developing muscle so I think I'd lean more towards something with an adjustable gullet. My K&M saddle fits my mare well but I feel like it tips me forward. I've had a couple of bad falls recently and really feel like this tipping thing is not helping my riding (or confidence) at all.

I am pretty much in same position with my kent and masters saddle.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think alot of people have the same problem I've ridden in 2 and didn't like either of them.

 

[tda]

Not used one myself, but have heard plenty of the same issue, feeling tipped forward

 

[MereChristmas]

My pony has changed shape and the K & M no longer fits. Like yours it tipped me forward.
We are using a Jeffries F1 jump at the moment. It’s a huge amount better for him, much more comfortable than the K & M for me but not better enough to purchase as it also tips me forward a bit.
I am still searching.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I had one for sometime and always felt I was tipping forward slightly, I just put it down to old age lack of core muscle strength. Then I got my last horse and bought him an Ideal saddle and it felt fabulous and really sat nicely in it in all paces.

Out of interest I tried it (the Ideal) on my retired mare who owned the Kent & Masters and I no longer had the slight tipping sensation. So definitely the K&M rather than change of horse that was the issue.

 

[greasedweasel]

I swapped the new forest into a Cavaletti saddle, cheaper end of the market but very comfortable and the two week free trial worked perfectly with no catches or extra costs. So far I’m very pleased with it.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I‘m a Smart Saddle convert. The saddles are treeless but you really wouldn’t know. They are adjusted to fit using shims and can last a horse for its entire ridden career or if you have two or more horses in work you only need one saddle between them. My overgrown four year old ID is trail hunting in one and has gone from soft to hard condition with no issues. I initially bought one because there is no culture of saddle fitting in Ireland even though I was at heart a traditionalist for whom the words Velcro and shims in relation to saddles gave me the itch. My youngsters returned from professional backing sore, sour, tense and nappy and I knew I had to do better. If you’re in the UK you can try before you buy.

 

[Sprogladite01]

I think alot of people have the same problem I've ridden in 2 and didn't like either of them.

Yes that's becoming quite apparent as I've been reading up about saddles and associated issues! Very much seems a marmite type of saddle - you either love them or they tip you

I had one for sometime and always felt I was tipping forward slightly, I just put it down to old age lack of core muscle strength. Then I got my last horse and bought him an Ideal saddle and it felt fabulous and really sat nicely in it in all paces.

Out of interest I tried it (the Ideal) on my retired mare who owned the Kent & Masters and I no longer had the slight tipping sensation. So definitely the K&M rather than change of horse that was the issue.

Yes I don't think it's my mare, although she is very heavy on the forehand at the moment (she is very green) - but the tipping sensation is there even when she's balanced and working beautifully. Plus I don't feel tipped if I ride other horses/in other saddles!

I swapped the new forest into a Cavaletti saddle, cheaper end of the market but very comfortable and the two week free trial worked perfectly with no catches or extra costs. So far I’m very pleased with it.

Trust me at the moment...cheaper is music to my ears haha! To be honest I just want something we are both comfortable in, I'm willing to spend a reasonable amount but if it happens to be at the lower end of the price range that's a nice bonus

I‘m a Smart Saddle convert. The saddles are treeless but you really wouldn’t know. They are adjusted to fit using shims and can last a horse for its entire ridden career or if you have two or more horses in work you only need one saddle between them. My overgrown four year old ID is trail hunting in one and has gone from soft to hard condition with no issues. I initially bought one because there is no culture of saddle fitting in Ireland even though I was at heart a traditionalist for whom the words Velcro and shims in relation to saddles gave me the itch. My youngsters returned from professional backing sore, sour, tense and nappy and I knew I had to do better. If you’re in the UK you can try before you buy.

I haven't heard of these before, will look into them - thank you

 

[poiuytrewq]

I had one years ago and got rid of it as I felt exactly the same.

 

[SpotsandBays]

Trying to sell one of my s-series K&Ms as it just wasn’t any good for my position (I blamed my posture/fitness for ages before I realised it was actually the saddle! Also felt tipped forward too).
Now riding that horse in a T4 and feel so much better.
Got another older (non s-series) K&M in a different shape for my other horse and i don’t feel tipped but it’s quite hard and still not right for my legs. Not a long term solution for that horse so I’ll be looking for something different in the spring.
I’d be interested to hear what people with long legs swapped to? I’ve got a very long hip to knee but small bum so it’s not easy!
I like the look of cavalettis

 

[holeymoley]

Back to an Ideal. Which is really old in comparison to my K&M but I couldn’t take any more of the pain! Interesting to hear about Cavaletti, I thought they looked quite smart. The Ideal is incredibly comfy in comparison to K&M.

 

[asmp]

We put our Appy in an Ideal H&C after his K&M

 

[Quigleyandme]

Trying to sell one of my s-series K&Ms as it just wasn’t any good for my position (I blamed my posture/fitness for ages before I realised it was actually the saddle! Also felt tipped forward too).
Now riding that horse in a T4 and feel so much better.
Got another older (non s-series) K&M in a different shape for my other horse and i don’t feel tipped but it’s quite hard and still not right for my legs. Not a long term solution for that horse so I’ll be looking for something different in the spring.
I’d be interested to hear what people with long legs swapped to? I’ve got a very long hip to knee but small bum so it’s not easy!
I like the look of cavalettis

Steph Bloom specialises in rider/saddle fit.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Yes that's becoming quite apparent as I've been reading up about saddles and associated issues! Very much seems a marmite type of saddle - you either love them or they tip you



Yes I don't think it's my mare, although she is very heavy on the forehand at the moment (she is very green) - but the tipping sensation is there even when she's balanced and working beautifully. Plus I don't feel tipped if I ride other horses/in other saddles!

Trust me at the moment...cheaper is music to my ears haha! To be honest I just want something we are both comfortable in, I'm willing to spend a reasonable amount but if it happens to be at the lower end of the price range that's a nice bonus


I haven't heard of these before, will look into them - thank you

It's funny as you get older I can just look at a saddle and know if it will be comfortable or not and the comfort is so much more important now, when I was younger it never crossed my mind I just rode on any old saddle looking back they were like sitting on bricks some of them

 

[sassandbells]

Another here with an Ideal H&C! The K&M was “fine” but I didn’t feel like it suited me particularly well, the ideal is pretty much perfect for us!

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I also had tipping in a K&M but since changing to an Albion it sat me up & into the saddle, made the world of difference.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

It's funny as you get older I can just look at a saddle and know if it will be comfortable or not and the comfort is so much more important now, when I was younger it never crossed my mind I just rode on any old saddle looking back they were like sitting on bricks some of them

Yes for sure, if it doesn't comfortably and gently support the ageing derriere it just doesn't cut the mustard.

I remember back in the 70's and 80's it was quite the thing to ride in a Stubben, I had a couple of them and they were like sitting on a concrete slab! But that didn't matter, I was just happy to be seen riding my horses in my torturous but popular leather plank!

 

[m1stify]

I went from a K&M dressage saddle to an ideal Roella dressage saddle

 

[spoo]

I just recently switched to an ideal T and T, wish I’d of switched months ago

 

[Hormonal Filly]

We put our Appy in an Ideal H&C after his K&M

Me to

 

[sbloom]

The seat shape needs to suit your pelvis, and to really help you and the horse it's a very specific fit: to support your pelvis in neutral so your spine can stack above it. This means support under your pubic arch and actually sitting on it, not using your front line to pull it up.

Then the twist, waist and flaps need to let your leg inwardly rotate, your knee to drop and, in the case of flatwork, for your heel to come back under your hip.

It's a high bar but worth it, though on very wide ribcages it can be even trickier to achieve this, especially if you have narrower hips. K&M are notorious for tipping riders forwards as you're finding, I need to have a close look at the seats, I know the slope to cantle.on them can be problematic but I suspect they're not supporting the common wide, short pelvis shape.

 

[Goldenstar]

There’s nothing worse than trying to ride in a saddle that does not suit you .
Any investment you make in learning what you need will make a huge difference , and it’s there Forever we used to have joke that I picked horses who suited the saddles I like but it’s not far wrong I simple don’t buy types that would get us into the suits the horses but does not suit me thing .
I think when a saddle fit is good for you you know as soon the horse moves .

 

[TheHairyOne]

I have 2 ideals for my horse.

Had a very interesting ride a few years ago with a k&m saddle. My yard had a fitter who I used to ride demo saddles for as I was quite good at articulating what I was felling with them and had 2 similar profile horses to ride.

That k&m was one of the worst things I had ever sat in (the absolute worst was a harry dabbs minimalist saddle!) on one horse, and felt great on the other. If I hadnt watched them being swapped between the 2 I would never have believed they were the same saddle based on how they felt.

 

[sbloom]

Yes, from sitting on a stand, to sitting in it on horse A, to then horse B, all three can feel completely different.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Yes for sure, if it doesn't comfortably and gently support the ageing derriere it just doesn't cut the mustard.

I remember back in the 70's and 80's it was quite the thing to ride in a Stubben, I had a couple of them and they were like sitting on a concrete slab! But that didn't matter, I was just happy to be seen riding my horses in my torturous but popular leather plank!

Stubben saddles are so uncomfortable

 

[sbloom]

Stubben saddles are so uncomfortable

I think they've improved a lot (just from dealing with some very Facebook-active Stubben fitters in the US), equally being mid to forward balance it may be that many are fitted to the rider incorrectly. They fit horse and rider very differently to a traditional British style saddle. The older ones are like 2x4s for sure!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think they've improved a lot (just from dealing with some very Facebook-active Stubben fitters in the US), equally being mid to forward balance it may be that many are fitted to the rider incorrectly. They fit horse and rider very differently to a traditional British style saddle. The older ones are like 2x4s for sure!

I've only ridden in the old type and I just remember having very sore bruised seat bones, I have to have a very padded seat as I'm a skinny wretch so not got much meat on my bones

 

[mustardsmum]

Ditched a K&M after less than three months, it nearly ruined my pony who hated it because I was so tipped forward and I felt perched and insecure because it was so flat. Pony hated it as much as I did, became nappy and one day he went to bite me as I lifted it on so I took it off and sold it a week later. Quite honestly the worse saddle I have ever used. Happily riding back in my old (reflocked) Ideal…..

 

[marmalade76]

Have to say Ideals are the most comfortable saddles I've ever ridden in, dressage, jump and GP.

A friend bought a new K&M for her daughter probably getting on for 10 years ago now, I had a good look at it and decided that I could never be tempted to buy one.