Fuming! I hate Thorowgoods and saddles in general now

Ellietotz

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Bought an expensive second hand fairly new T8, label said it was 17" and I even checked with Thorowgood that the serial number was correct with the information etc. Tried it on, far too long so I decided to measure it and it's an 18"!! So why on earth would they label it as a 17"?!

I give up!
 

eggs

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Where did you measure it from? Centre of the front stud to the centre of the cantle should give you the true measurement.
 

Equi

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TG are a weird make. On a nice good leather saddle, i take a 17.5 or 18" dressage. With TG 18" GP had me riding on my belly button.
 

Leo Walker

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My fitter hates them. She says they come up long and quite often have one panel longer than the other, or a slight twist to them etc. She said when your making that many saddles you shouldnt be making those sorts of mistakes
 

Queenbee

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pays to do research about the type of saddle you are buying before you buy it.

TG are not the only company who's sizes are like this. Its no different to different interpretations of womens clothing sizes in the high street.

Not TG's fault - lesson learnt, re-sell it and do your research or buy through a saddle fitter and get the saddle fitted by a professional next time
 

Ellietotz

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pays to do research about the type of saddle you are buying before you buy it.

TG are not the only company who's sizes are like this. Its no different to different interpretations of womens clothing sizes in the high street.

Not TG's fault - lesson learnt, re-sell it and do your research or buy through a saddle fitter and get the saddle fitted by a professional next time

It's not really like fitting clothes, a size small could be different sizes yes but I'm pretty sure inches are the same wherever you go. If it says 17", I don't expect to get anything but. I did my research and plenty of it. Trying to resell it but just annoyed. If I wanted an 18" I would have bought one.
 

Pinkvboots

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I know it won't help you now but it's worth asking for a photo of the seat being measured if your buying unseen, but this kind of thing is why I only buy saddles I can go and see before I buy I just won't take the risk, have you tried buying from saddle companies that sell second hand it gives you a better chance of getting exactly what you want.
 

Equi

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I know it won't help you now but it's worth asking for a photo of the seat being measured if your buying unseen, but this kind of thing is why I only buy saddles I can go and see before I buy I just won't take the risk, have you tried buying from saddle companies that sell second hand it gives you a better chance of getting exactly what you want.

I think the point is that the official label on the saddle says 17" but it actually measured 18"

You expect the manufacturers label to be correct im sure.
 

catroo

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It's not really like fitting clothes, a size small could be different sizes yes but I'm pretty sure inches are the same wherever you go. If it says 17", I don't expect to get anything but. I did my research and plenty of it. Trying to resell it but just annoyed. If I wanted an 18" I would have bought one.

It is like clothes, I find a size 10 in next is generally smaller than a size 10 in M&S for example.

Same with rugs, different brands of 6ft rugs will come up different lengths.

Different brands of saddles will be the same. Do your research and you'll be able to work out which brands come up large and the ones that come up small
 

Pinkvboots

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I think the point is that the official label on the saddle says 17" but it actually measured 18"

You expect the manufacturers label to be correct im sure.

yeah I know you would think! but buying unseen you can't take the chance one reason why I don't.
 

teddypops

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I have an Albion saddle which is stamped 17.5" but measures 18". My saddler said it is quite a common occurrence.
 

SatansLittleHelper

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My Saddle fitter cannot praise Thorowgoods enough. She hates Wintecs and their fit but each to their own I guess. I have a T4 and it's my most favourite Saddle I've ever owned.
 

Ellietotz

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My Saddle fitter cannot praise Thorowgoods enough. She hates Wintecs and their fit but each to their own I guess. I have a T4 and it's my most favourite Saddle I've ever owned.

I love the T8, I'm just so mad that it's not the size it's labelled as. :( Now need to try and sell the damn thing!
 

tristar

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the trees in tgs cannot be warped, as suggested earlier, they are made all true be the manufacturing process
 

Leo Walker

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the trees in tgs cannot be warped, as suggested earlier, they are made all true be the manufacturing process

Its not the tree thats the issue, its the panels. They arent uniform in size and very often have one panel longer/wider than the other. The size varies hugely as well, even in the so called compact ones.
 

southerncomfort

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I have a T4 cob for my welsh cob and I really like it. Fits her shape nicely and pretty comfy for a synthetic. It's a 17" and I'd say that's right.

Only thing I hate is changing the gullet. The language that comes out of my mouth! Feel like I can conquer anything when I've changed the gullet in a TG saddle!
 

Queenbee

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It's not really like fitting clothes, a size small could be different sizes yes but I'm pretty sure inches are the same wherever you go. If it says 17", I don't expect to get anything but. I did my research and plenty of it. Trying to resell it but just annoyed. If I wanted an 18" I would have bought one.


Actually it is - a size 10 in New Look fits differently to a size 10 from M&S or Top Shop... its the way of the world.

Absolutely no different to rug sizes - PE for example are very generous in sizing if your horse is a 6ft 3 you need a 6ft in PE.

It's just how it is, stick it on Ebay - it will sell. But do not sell it as your measurement -state on the advert that it is TG sizing, or else you will have someone come back to you and complain that you sold and 18" to them that was stamped as a 17"

Out if interest, you did your research but did you have anyone come to measure your horse (your really quirky horse) to see if a TG would even fit?
 

Queenbee

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It is like clothes, I find a size 10 in next is generally smaller than a size 10 in M&S for example.

Same with rugs, different brands of 6ft rugs will come up different lengths.

Different brands of saddles will be the same. Do your research and you'll be able to work out which brands come up large and the ones that come up small

ahahaha... I just wrote exactly the same thing then read this! Great minds and all that!!
 

dulcie_dustyxx

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This is really interesting because I'm having saddle issues atm and I have a TG. My saddler came out and said change the gullet, but when she went to the measure Dusty and measure for the right one it came up as the gullet it already had in it. Having to get her out again now as the saddle rubbing either side under her withers. Also the 16" came up way too short and I had to change to a 17"!

I know the saddler is very trustworthy and my instructor (who is very well recommended in and around my area) suggested her to me, and most of my friends use her too.
 

Ellietotz

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I spoke to Thorowgood ages ago and was told that the stud is put in afterwards and bears no relation to the stud in a normal leather saddle. So measuring stud to cantle doesn't really tell you anything.

Where would they get the 17" measurement from then?
 

DabDab

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I measured it from the tree as well and it comes up as 16.5". Never mind

Well it would be hard to get at the tree to measure it properly without dismantling the saddle unfortunately.....but it doesn't really matter what measurement you can manage to get - if it's too long then it's too long, so sell and try again.
Have you tried looking at saddles direct? You can trial saddles before buying so that you can get a fitter to come and take a look at 3 at once. Useful if struggling to find a saddle fitter with a variety of second hand saddles to try
 

Frumpoon

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Surely you can dismantle the thorowgood to change the gullet so she can measure from the tree

Ellie, is it actually too long for your horse, can you show us a picture
 

sbloom

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Trees are manufactured in certain sizes, in a hand made saddle as opposed to the TG type you can extend the cantle, but even then, the saddle is sized as the tree size and stamped as such. The nail head can indeed be put on in slightly different places, and then add in the fact that actually you can easily lose or gain 1/4" on a well padded cantle depending on exactly where you decide the highest spot it and you can see how measurements will vary.

However I would expect that this is a manufacturing fault in this case.
 
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