Jumping saddle- foam panels/latex panels...

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Llanali

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Morning all- afraid there's only jam and toast on offer, as it's Friday, I need to go shopping and I'm too lazy to brave Asda at 5am....

Right, I am in need of a new jumping saddle. I currently have a Wintec CC which I don't massively like, but has done the trick whilst Portia was growing, and I have had it years as my 'breaking/backing' saddle- read that as 'I'm not too bothered if it's trashed'.

Now that she's grown up, and I am jumping her BS, it is becoming apparent that whilst the saddle 'fits her', there would be far better fits....similarly, for me, she has an athletic jump and I'm not getting enough support from the spindly blocks the Wintec offers.

So, I'd like your advice please on jumping saddles with foam/latex/other 'alternative' fillings....I'm not keen on flock to be honest.

She's fairly flat backed, and has a Medium wide Albion dressage saddle, with a MW gullet in the jump saddle. Not much wither to speak of either.

Thanks all!
 
With the foam/latex type panels you tend to get a better close contact feeling. The other benefit of them is that they don't get that uneven/lumpy tendancy that wool flocked saddles do.

Downsides are that they are more limited on the adjustability side.

Latex is a firmer panel that tends to warm up and mould to the horse. Foam tends to be a little 'springier'

Many of the jumping saddles now have mechanisms by which the tree can be relatively easily remoulded slightly, eg prestige & whittakers so that there are things that can be done to adjust fit slightly.

I've got the pessoa legacy xps which is a useful saddle. The panel is foam base layer with room to flock above (for adjustability) and also has a changeable gullet system and comes with different sized moveable/adjustable blocks
 
I've got a Prestige Meredith Saddle and have to say that it is very comfy to ride in & looks very smart too. The Meredith has latex panels and a nylon tree.
 
Thanks for those replies.

Ihatework,

Exactly- I can't stand the lumps flocked saddles get/often have, especially second hand. I am OCD about level adn equal on both sides, and so often they just aren't.

I had a Pessoa for a previous horse and I loved it- muppet features sold it with the horse...


My Wintec is Cair, which I quite like as does horse, but I'd rather foam/latex. Interesting to know how thre trees are adjustible. Are Whitaker saddles also foam/latex?


MissParis- that sounds lovely, too. More things to think about! What are the benefits to a nylon tree, or is it just a different option?
 
With a flat backed horse, you need to make sure the panels are wide and flat, and also have a nice broad gullet :) My mare is exactly that shape, and I struggled with a john whitake and prestige because the panels "perched" on her too much due to narrow gullets.

She is in a Equipe now, which is latex panelled, and has a fab broad gullet. She loves it, it's one of few saddles she "tolerated" and it fits her beautifully as the panels have moulded to her shape brilliantly. They are also adjustable if necessary, but seem to fit everything :)
 
Thanks Kat.

I think our mares are probably of similar stamp. If I'm right in where you bought your mare, I think you'd understand if I said David's mares are usually all of a similar stamp....

That's definitely something to look into. Am I right in think the brand Equipe is part of another brand? Or have I made that up??
 
Honestly, the best way to work it out is to try her in saddles with different types of flocking- I've honestly seen horses choose between different types.

You might not like them, but sometimes wool is the way to go- our TB had the option of wool, wool/foam and foam, and he absolutely hated anything other than pure wool. He humped his back, was tense and absolutely miserable in them! (And just to clarify, these saddles were identical in every respect except for the types of flocking) Getting it right for the horse can make a huge difference to the way of going.
 
Hmm, possibly on the same page as you in regards to where she came from... PM me though to clarify ;) :p

Equipe come out of the same factory as Amerigo saddles. We had 4 "competition" horses on the yard, and every single one had an equipe jump saddle in various widths as they fit so well. I also know a couple of eventers locally to us that use nothing but the Equipes :)
 
I like the concept of latex but have found that its hard to get wide enough panels. One of the interesting things was watching Oliver Townend demo - neither his nor Geoff Billingtons saddles fitted and part of that was I felt that the panels were far too narrow. The both rose off the horses back all the time.

I ended up with flock as all my horses are MW and so the panels tend to be a little wider.
 
i have a whitaker with latex panels and love it to bits. gives a much more close contact feel than flock and really frees up the back muscles, but did take some getting used to (i couldn't sit to the canter at first!). have to say mine did give me some back pain initially as i was having to absorb a lot more movement through my lower back. as said though the lack of adjustability can be an issue with some horses. i use mine with a square of gamgee underneath to slightly raise and stabilise the back end.
 
Thanks all so much for your replies.

I don't think the panels on my WIntec are very wide, and this may be part of the issue perhaps.

My dressage saddle panels are wide and it has a massively broad gullet. Partly why I like it?


Thanks for the clarification, Kat. I'll PM you....
 
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