How much do TBs muscle up?

[Nocturnal]

So I'm looking for a new jump saddle, and have been advised that a narrow width will fit my horse, and I should go for that. My concern is that at the mo he's very much lacking in muscle. As he puts on more muscle, will a narrow saddle not be too restrictive? Is it still likely to fit in 6 months time, or could it actually hamper muscle growth? A narrow/medium fits him with a riser, so I was considering getting a flair/prolite pad to compensate until he's built up a bit more. As I mentioned above, he's a TB, rising 7.

I've been given conflicting advice, and am not sure what to do for the best. All opinions would be greatly received

 

[Cazzah]

I have a TB and he has gone up two sizes from a Narrow to a Medium with a mix of correct schooling and good food! I'd be getting a decent saddle fitter out and prepare to make friends with them as you could be looking at several alterations or new saddles as he changes shape. I have used a prolite pad and a Le Meuix Pro Sorb half pad to tweak the fit but only as a very temporary measure.

 

[flump]

My old tb (now a broodmare) was in a narrow saddle when I first got here at 4. Before she retired she was in a wide (swear someone swopped it for a cob) so Yes be prepared to see your saddle person ALOT!!

 

[kirstyl]

With my last TB I had a 'saddlefitter' come to the yard with various second hand saddles to try on him. He wasn't very well muscled up at the time and she fitted a narrow saddle to his exact size at that time. I was pretty desperate for a saddle as the one I had been using didn't fit well. My physio came to check horse the next day and told me to send saddle straight back - there wasn't any room for him to grow at all! He actually grew to be a 'wide' despite the fact he still had high withers. My current TB who still needs to gain weight and build top line is wearing the same saddle with a Prolite numnah and a polypad underneath, the idea being that as he develops we can take away some of the padding gradually. Obviously the saddle needs to sit well on the horse in the first place. I would find someone whose advice you trust (perhaps your instructor?) and stick with it!

 

[skint1]

When we bought our TB she was quite thin and had just been let down from racing so not overly muscly. We did some research and then got a saddle fitter in, she tried several saddles on her but in the end we went for a Thorowgood because it was easy to adjust, and it has been adjusted several times in the intervening years as she's muscled up and grown.

 

[Nocturnal]

It is as I feared, then! The saddle that fits him well + I've been advised to get is a model that's not made anymore (see sig), and if I want a narrow I'll probably have to order one, with a price tag of about £1200! As you can imagine, I'm not too eager to shell out that sort of money for a saddle that won't fit a few months down the line

 

[skint1]

Would you consider a synthetic one, at least while your horse is growing/changing?

 

[criso]

That's why I always try to get a good secondhand saddle from my saddler. There's no way I would want to invest in a brand new saddle for a horse that is likely to change.
I bought a Black Country from her for 450 inc fitting which has done him with tweaks for two and a bit years but now I may have to change.. If I were
to sell it through my saddle fitter she will take 25% so assuming I keep it in good condition that's cost me £112.50. I thought of it almost like rental.

I have been lucky tho that she had some reasonable secondhand saddles. Failing that the thorowgoods are adjustable and have a tb version or Kent and Masters do a leather version on the same tree.

 

[Nocturnal]

He's got a synthetic thorowgood hi wither dressage saddle that fits him well, but thorowgood don't make those in a jump saddle I've tried jumping in the gp, & it's really not forward cut enough, unfortunately. I would get him a second hand one, but saddles that fit him just don't seem to exist! I guess there's no easy answer, but thanks for all your replies

 

[criso]

Just some thoughts - I think the reason I do well with my saddle fitter is that she has alot of clients with similar horses to mine. She never seems to have much in the way of cob size secondhand saddles but always has a few that fit my Tb, according to my physio he's not an easy horse to fit so I can only think her other clients have similar horses, so bearing that in mind, is it worth trying a few others fitters to keep an eye out in case they come across one that is suitable for your horse.

Or are there other options for adjustable saddles are Kieffers (older ones need to be heat treated to adjust but not the newer ones) and Saddle Company Saddles (heard very mixed opinions on the latter but haven't had any direct experience).