Ideal saddles - do they hold stock or make to order?

[ElleSkywalker]

Just a quick one, my horse is coming back into work after 5 years off and a foal so she is going to get saddle checked & possibly re-flocked next week but due to the time off & her changing shape after foal there is a good chance that there might be a saddle out there that fits her better than her current one.

She is very short backed and one make suggested by the saddle fitter was Ideal as they apparently have quite short panels.

Have had a look on website & in saddlery & quite like the look of the Ideal event saddle but the tack shop don't have one in stock so was wondering if anyone out there in HHO land knows if Ideal hold stock or if its likely to be MTO and if so how long it might take?

Used to work for a saddler who was always so busy that it took 6-8 weeks for orders to be made, so just want to see if its likely to be that long!

**Obviously the Ideal event might not have the correct shaped tree for my horse so may not be this model I get, just wondering about leadtimes!**

 

[M_G]

I adore ideal saddles but I think most are made to order i know mine was (3 years ago now)

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Thanks M_G, can u remember roughly how long it took from order to arriving?

 

[sbloom]

As far as I know it totally depends on your fitter. I can't imagine Ideal themselves hold stock but some retailers/fitters will hold stock. I always recommend buying from stock if you can - saves all sorts of potential issues.

 

[Hippona]

Rideaway at York hold stock of Ideal saddles.

www.rideaway.co.uk

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Would much rather buy from stock as you say sbloom, with MTO as with MTM by the time the saddle comes the horse may be a totally different shape! :s

Am just limited with what I can have for her as 16 1/2" is the longest her back can take but she has a decent wither but not a flat cobby back and most smaller saddles are designed for flat backed natives, hence not being able to get one from old employer

Anyone know of any other brands that cater for short backed TB types?!

 

[brown tack]

Just bear in mind that if she has been out if work for so long it is very likely that when she does start work her shape will change loads. So a saddle that you have ordered may not even fit in a few weeks time.

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Yup, its a mine field!

I think I will end up with a prolite multi-riser for the short term with whatever saddle as fitting her current shape may stop her developing a topline, at least with a multi-riser can reduce the extra shims till she is in better/fitter/more muscled shape.

Will probably get fit checked more often than usual anyway as it has been such a long time off!

 

[Fairytale]

I've got an Ideal VSD International Event saddle for sale

Wide fit, black, NEW never been used (long story) but its a 17"..........

Bargain price!!

 

[ElleSkywalker]

If only it were 1/2 smaller!! A 17" would swamp her little short back

 

[sbloom]

If you need to buy a pad then I'd recommend a Mattes Correction pad - much more stable and finely tunable than anything else - I use them for all my remedial fits.

I only fit Native Pony and Phoenix but we could easily do a 16.5 tree with an extended cantle if you needed more room (though of course that takes you to MTO again!) - some NP saddles are fine for moderate withers, otherwise the Phoenix range offers curvier options . If you can both cope with 16.5 then our panels are pretty short.