Idiots Guide to Synthetic Saddles Please...

WelshD

WelshD

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I have an 11.2 pony who is four years old and changing shape all the time

It seems practical to go down the synthetic saddle route for schooling and hacking purposes

I've looked at the Thorowgood Pony Club (gullet system) and the Wintec Pony (gullet system plus cair???)

Also I have seen Fish mentioned...

I would get it fitted and checked by a saddler but is it possible to change the gullets yourself?

I did have a very old non adjustable Thorowgood saddle but it was very forward cut and the pony doesnt have much of a front so that was sold on

Apart from that I have no experience of synthetic saddles, they seem bulky, do they mould to the pony eventually?

Any advice and things to consider very much appreciated thanks!
 
My lad changes shape a lot, and he is synthetic and treelees, just to add that into the mix. Mine is Barefoot, Libra is another good one for a pony.

My last treed saddle was a GFS genesis synthetic, great saddle but could not get it to fit. Also had a TG Maxam on my last horse which was great. I really do not do wintecs.
 
The Thorowgood pony club saddles are excellent, we bought one for my cousins pony who was out of work when she bought him, he went through 2 saddles in 3 months where he kept changing shape so opted for the pony club with adjustable gullet system. You can change the gullets yourself very easily. The fish system is the older adjustable version, you have little slots to put the plastic 'fish' in that help to change the width of the saddle, they aren't as adjustable as the gullet system. Saying that my tb is in a thorowgood adjustable t4 & it has the gullet system & slots for the fish. The pony club is great for flat backed ponies & great for kids. I don't know so much about the wintec as I had an older non adjustable type & I didn't like the banana curved shape of the saddle, I've been told the newer winters are better but my saddle fitter reckons the thorowgood a are much better.
 
I would not discount a treeless saddle, in fact that would be a neat solution all round but with a budget of around £400 I think my options would be very limited - the well known make treeless saddles I have seen secondhand seem awfully big and the pony can take a 15'' saddle maximum :(
 
With a £400 budget I would highly recommend a Saddle Company saddle. I have 2 and I love them. Can be adjust over and over again, comfortable, light and really nice to look at. I paid £225 and £300 for mine second hand. Fitter charges £35 and uses the special machine to get the fit perfect.

I previously had a Wintec Wide and hated it. It was a pig to change the gullet, the Cair was rock hard and the saddle was bulky and heavy.
 
I managed to change the gullet on a Wintec myself......... am not teccy minded or good with figuring out stuff, so basically if I can do it then anyone can.....

I'd have a peek on e-bay coz there's usually something synthetic on there!!!! Tho' personally would avoid the ones with CAIR panels - do some research on CAIR on here if you DO decide to get one with it.
 
SCs are good (same shape as a Tgood, made on a similar template so ride very similarly), will second that, they are leather yet adjustable, as are Kent and Masters... out of Thorowgood and Wintec, they fit different shapes of horses, and feel very different to ride in - the Tgood has a very distinctive 'seat' where you sit, whereas the Wintec doesn't. Personally, I felt like I slipped all over the place in a Wintec, but a friend of mine felt very confined in the Tgood so horses for courses....

and yes, you can change the gullets yourself, it is dead easy. I did it regularly. You can get a gullet checker that tells you which gullet your horse should have on which is useful for adapting.
 
I Had an older and newer wintec adjustable. Newr ones are much better. Gullet changing is easy, I can do it. My saddler disliked synthetics, but since riding in a new wintec has changed her mind.
 
Both of my little Sec A's are in Thorowgood pony club saddles 15". Never had a problem with them, they fit perfectly and do not move. One of them I bought new and the other (knowing it fitted from the first one) I bought 2nd hand (almost as new) from ebay for £90.
 
Just never assume that because the headplate is changeable that it will fit anything, far from it. I see plenty on ponies that don't work - they can be bulky and tend to perch which can lead to instability.
 
Ive got a TG Maxam. Cheap as chips bought mine brand new for £150 and i love it, light as anything, hardy and comfortable. Its got the fish system but i got it fitted without them. My saddler swears by them and is gutted they aren't made anymore.
 
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