HELP! Jumping saddles for WIDE nags! + sneaky update

jessamess

jessamess

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Hello,

can anyone help I'm after a jumping saddle for my wideeee (+ no withers) arab

I'm really really struggling, don't have a huge amount to spend so after a decent second hand

In the past I've given up looking- it's just impossible!? I find they are always too narrow on his back mainly? his back is quite flat and he has virtually no withers!!!

17-17.5" don't mind mono flap if that would be more suitable?

I've been jumping/xcing him in a showing saddle which is find but it's my best show saddle and I don't like using it for every day/hunting/xc/hacking/beach things likes that!!!

I appreciate this is terrible photo but to give you an idea of his shape!!!
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Oh quick update while I'm here!!! We got selected to represent performance arabs at Dubai Day @ Newbury Race Course and got to gallop down the track EKKK was amazing shame the weather was SO terrible :(
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+Won the SJ and the Dressage Teams at the nationals earlier in the year :D + won the YR side saddle :D
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So yeah please if you have an suggestions much appreciated!!!

xxxx
 
My new horse is fairly wide, big shoulders and hardly any wither. After trying many saddles I ordered a new Wow saddle 2 weeks ago. Am now awaiting its arrival. Everything else slipped to the side but the wow stayed put!
 
Well done on all your achievements. He's a super horse and you've really made the very most of him.

What do people who jump Arabs in the US use? I know they have specialist brands/outlets for their Breed stuff. I'm trying to think back. . .I think the Arab people I worked for used very wide tree Passier and Stubben saddles but they were also German. :)
 
He is LUSH! No advice re.saddle but what is his breeding and where did you find him? I have always loved Arabs but don't see many true 'performance Arabs' like him - I now want one!
 
I find latex panelled or close contact panels work best on my round mare! Her equipe is fab on her, and would be a good bet I would say...but otherwise don't Fairfax do a cob type saddle that might suit?
 
Love your arab, such a good representative of the breed.

Can second kent and masters all my last saddles have been by them on really tricky to fit horses.

Or if you have a bigger budget solution saddles, they're treeless so fit anything but look like normal saddles. Have just bought a dressage one second hand for my boys and the difference is incredible.
 
Saddle exchange/native pony would be worth a try. I have an old Albion Legend XC saddle as my jumping saddle on my Arab, it's good as has very flexible knee rolls so allow his extra large shoulders to move more freely for jumping.
 
Another one for an Albion K2 jump. The tree is a bit further behind than you think so horses with very big shoulders are not impeded. While my previous horse looked nothing your boy being an ISH ( and veering more towards the ID side) the description of flat backed, little wither and big shoulder is the same. In fact my saddler said he was more like a cob to fit!
 
I have a Barnsby Milton on my wide, flat, lacking withers ponies. I also have an Albion Selecta with dressage flaps on that suits well. You can get jump flaps for them, but IMO the seat is too deep.
 
dominobrown said:
Stubben saddles often tend to be quite narrow. I had a Ryder close contact saddle for my old pony, which was welsh cross so quite 'round' if that helps.
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The older trees have longer points than some other similar saddles, which makes them come up narrower. One of the things that surprised me when I moved here was most of the Stubbens I've come across are 28/29, wheras most of the ones I've used in the past have been 30 or more. I had a 32 which fit a barrel and used it successfully on a range of wide, round horses.

OP, do you want a "good" saddle or just something to jump now and a then in and which will take a beating. The major synthetic brands now all make wide/cob versions specifically for round bodied horses and they aren't awful to ride in. (A friend of mine did a 2* in a Wntec!) You will not fit one to fit you perfectly as you're tall and the synthetics tend to have very middle of the road flaps, but used ones are so cheap it's an option worth looking into.
 
I am a fitter for Native Pony & Cob Saddles Ltd, the makers of Native Pony Saddles (NOT Saddle Exchange, we are in a legal situation with them over their continued production of saddles bearing the Native Pony name) and fit a lot of wide horses as you can imagine. If you had the budget for new it'd not be a problem. As you're looking second hand, the options are of course more limited.

Your easiest option is a GP - there are some around that work on wide flat backs. You could try the Arabian Saddle Company, Ideal (certain models like the Highland and Cob, though I find it too curved in the bars for most), GFS Haffie, there are others but I get to see all of these only when they're NOT working, so see mainly their down sides :)

Of the saddles that my boss, Andrea Hicks, designed, that you might find used - the old Comfort 4 Star jump saddle, though most are in a gel-foam panel which she no longer uses for many reasons, plus the Comfort Discovery GP. The Native Pony models that might work include two varations on the M&M GP - one is now called the narrow twist and one the medium twist. If you find one used you can always send us links/pictures to see which tree it is and whether it might work - the narrow twist would be more likely to work from those pics.

Oh and also, your current saddle has a slight lift at the back, hope you dont' mind me saying. It may be simply that your horse is a little leaner at the mo, and could benefit from a thicker pad temporarily. That little lift at the back can cause damage so always best to nip any saddle movement in the bud asap.
 
KatB said:
I find latex panelled or close contact panels work best on my round mare! Her equipe is fab on her, and would be a good bet I would say...but otherwise don't Fairfax do a cob type saddle that might suit?
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^^^^^^
This - ive just had a saddle fitter out to my mare who is flat backed, huge shoulders and virtually no wither and she recommended an equipe (expression) to, rode in one at the nat am SJ Chams for 4 days and much much better than her old saddle :)
 
TarrSteps said:
The older trees have longer points than some other similar saddles, which makes them come up narrower. One of the things that surprised me when I moved here was most of the Stubbens I've come across are 28/29, wheras most of the ones I've used in the past have been 30 or more. I had a 32 which fit a barrel and used it successfully on a range of wide, round horses.
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Yes, I have a 32 tree in my Stübben. It fits my super wide WB but she does have very pointy withers, so very different from OP's horse (who is STUNNING, btw).
 
All makes do different shapes, it's just that Strada call them names related to the shape of horses they'll fit, making it end-user friendly. Most other companies seek to cover a variety of different shapes with different trees, but the model names don't necessarily tell you much. I fit mainly XW and up, but have over 12 models using 6 or 7 trees to choose from and they all do "wide" in a different way.
 
I have just had a very similar problem with jump saddles/gp with a wide pony with little wither and dosnt have a flat back. I use one of the best saddlers around, and he has essentially said gps wont fit her and she has to have a close contact.

Dont look at cob saddles as they wouldn't be right i don't think for your horses build as sounds quite similar to mine, they will be too wide over the back.

I have a Townfields wide cc jump saddle (currently for sale as now a touch not wide enough although it is a wide) and that seems to be the best fit for low withers i have found just need to find a wider version now :( Heres the saddle im talking about but sitting on my 2yr old. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221155085480?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
 
Wow what a fab arab! There is an arab stud near us and they have nothing as super as him!

Cant help on arab saddles. But I have a wide cob. His Dressage saddle is a made to template xxxwide ideal Jessica and his gp is 2nd hand ideal saddle that we were just right time for. We did try kent and masters etc but they wernt wide enough. Ideal do made to template and dont cost a huge amount. guess depends on budget. but it mabe worth talking to a local saddlery. not all shops are thriving at the moment and may do you a deal!
 
Thank you for all the replies!!! haven't had chance to look at all the saddle suggestions yet but really appreciate all your help!!!!

Fornema- Had a quick look at your saddle, that would be too narrow, even just looking at it!!! he's such a difficult shape :(

thanks again peeps, great help!!! hopefully can find something :D

xxx
 
Hi

I am going to seem like a stalker, but after lurking for so long, I couldn't resist posting a snap of Tigers doppleganger.

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She was my 14.2hh Pure Breed Arab horse of a life time, who suffered similar width issues, but I had an amazing Jefferies dressage saddle that worked a treat and so became the saddle of choice for everything from showing, where she won several times at county and the national AHS show, through to dressage, show jumping and eventing even at PC area level.

She is sadly no longer with us, and I think it would be tough to find another horse that could even come close.

PS. the photo is of a familar photo, they just happened to be in a great place and have an expensive camera!
 
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