Help/Advice needed - Saddle for ISH eventer and Petite Rider!

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Karlah

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I am looking for some advice from anyone that may be in or have been in my predicament!

I have a 16.2 ISH who although not remotely over weight or ‘chunky’ (as he is currently event fit) he is wide through the shoulder.

He is measuring as a XW and I am struggling to find a suitable jump saddle for the both of us.

I am a petite 5’2 size 6-8 and therefore I can’t have anything too big for me! Although small my legs are longer/it is my body that is short!

I had a changeable Kent & Masters S Series jump for him as a 5 year old (started in the MW plate & Changed to W) that he unfortunately grew out of in every way (A gamble buying a new saddle for a 5 yo I know but no one could have predicted the change in him!) and although fitting perfectly to start with after 9 months it rocked on him like a boat causing me to fall off far too easily!
I sold that and have been getting buy with a friends 30 year old GP but can’t carry on with that forever!

I have an old (2nd hand when I bought it recently) Albion k2 dressage that fits him and me well that is marked as a Wide but we all know that buying second hand it may not be a ‘true’ Wide!

Last week a new WRS Integra MKII Monoflap jump saddle that I ordered over 6 weeks ago arrived and despite fitting him well (no rocking!) I have found the seat/twist far too wide for me. When sat in it I feel like there is nothing in front of me/there is not enough in the rise and that I am sat on quite a wide, flat (& not very comfortable as a small person) seat. It is reminiscent of the old fashioned pony pads you used to put on the fat cobs at my old riding school!

I have been told by the fitter that as he has a wide spine & the muscle either side is beyond it the gullet needs to be wide to accommodate him. I appreciate and agree with this but what I can’t believe is that the seat on top of this needs to be quite so flat and wide? My dressage saddle gullet is exactly the same width as the Integra when you measure it but the seat does not feel so thigh splittingly wide!

I guess what I am asking is has anybody else experienced this? I can’t believe I am the only petite ISH owner/rider out there or that my boy is particularly difficult/different to a large number of the event horses out there. I see far heavier horses than him out competing and I am sure some must have jump saddles not ‘cob’ saddles!!

Thanks in advance for any possible brands/makes or other recommendations!

I am based in Bath therefore any saddle fitter recommendations also gratefully received.

Many thanks,
 
I have a mare with this predicament! I have always used Frank Baines saddles and he made/had a special tree that he used in both my jumping and dressage saddles - he can also make the saddle flaps and blocks to fit you.

I can't recommend them highly enough, I have one jumping saddle that has been altered to fit four different horses now, I send it back regularly with a template to check the fit, yes it costs about £100 each time but I know I don't need to worry about the fit and it is hassle free.
 
I have been in exactly the same predicament as well - had a new saddle made for my horse which fits her perfectly but the twist is too wide. I took the saddle back to the saddler and showed him that it was too wide for my hips and my inner thighs were aching not to mention the stirrup buckles hurting me too.

He was fab and is making me another saddle with a narrower twist using a very slightly different tree. It can be done!!!!
 
Kent & Masters Jump Saddle on the cob tree? (so the standard one, not S-Series). It'll be flatter than the S-Series so shouldn't rock.

Might be worth trying to get hold of the K&M Monoflap Jump (also built on cob tree) to try but they're like golddust as they're not made anymore. They've got a really wide gullet the whole way down.
 
There are a few trees out there suitable for flat wide backs that don't have a wide twist, the rails (the fronto back bits that the stirrup bars are attached to) have to be flat but a little closer together. Many narrow twist saddles will have rails that are too upright for a wide horse, even if the tree points are wide enough.
 
You aren't really asking for the world! Most ISH sport as over generous shoulder and most women prefer a narrow twist for comfort.

I have one bespoke jump saddle made by Ellie Martin. I did have a dressage saddle made by Ellie which I sold as it didn't fit a previous horse. Of course annoyingly it would fit my current horse. Am saving for another now..

But I found Albions good. The SL (mines a wide as well) fits though I would prefer bigger knee rolls. The SLK or Ulitima tree would fit me but not my horse..
 
I am 5'3 and a size 6 (hard to believe!) my horse is a 16.3 ex NH horse & is a chunk. I have a W prestige jump saddle that I used on an old Connemara x tb (notorious for being tables). That saddle is the best saddle I own as it fits anything no matter if they change shape I just change the pad.
It's the ltd edition (special stitching for the life of me can't remember the name) off the peg so wasn't a fortune. It's on him in my post 'horses and wedding dresses'.
 
Sorry I'm at the completely different end of the scale to you! But similar type horse, I was recommended the Style mono flap. Built by Ideal so you would have a great choice of trees and around the £1200 mark new.
I second Chris at wadswick. But there are a few other saddlers with a great selection of saddles.
Oh mine is currently in a wide k2 jump and I love it, have you considered it?
 
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