Jumping saddle suggestions - that don't impede shoulder

Wagtail

Wagtail

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I am still on the lookout for a jumping saddle for my mare. She generally hates anything forward cut but went really well in a Harry Dabbs Future jump saddle. Unfortunately, it slips forward on her and didn't really suit me either. Shame because is is the nicest looking saddle I have ever owned, but I'm going to have to sell it. I don't want a working hunter saddle as I already have a dressage saddle and the WH will not be forward cut enough for me. I have long legs but my mare can only take a 17inch saddle, so I need one with a flat seat. She is a medium wide and quite flat backed. I asked my saddler about trying a Fairfax saddle, but she said it definitely wouldn't fit her and they tend to be on the large size. Are there any other saddles that don't impede the shoulder? My budget won't stretch to a Schleese unfortunately. Surely there must be others? Thanks.
 
I have a Fairfax mono, it is rather generous, wish I'd bought a smaller seat, however its great on the shoulder front, and my mare has the flatest back ever and fits well so could be worth a try if you can borrow one? Im a size 10, 5'5ft and have a 17.5" but wish I'd gone for 17".
 
Might you get away with a GP saddle ideal have a large range perhaps something like their GP grandee would do the job .
 
ellie_e said:
I have a Fairfax mono, it is rather generous, wish I'd bought a smaller seat, however its great on the shoulder front, and my mare has the flatest back ever and fits well so could be worth a try if you can borrow one? Im a size 10, 5'5ft and have a 17.5" but wish I'd gone for 17".
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I am most comfortable in a 17.5 seat as am 5ft 9 1/2 tall. However, I ride comfortably in an Ideal Jessica 17 inch which fits my horse well. I am normally okay in 17 inch flat seat jumping saddles. I had a Pessoa which I loved but she hated. My saddler thinks the 17 inch Fairfax would be too big for my mare though. I very much doubt I'd fit into a 16.5 inch :(
 
Following with interest - don't have much to recommend I'm afraid but my ins has said I might be better with a less forward cut, to give him more freedom through the shoulder. I currently have an Albion K2 jump which I like (I'm short and wide!) but which may not be the best for his movement. My ins apparently took a while to find something less forward cut so I will ask her what she uses.

I do wonder however whether any jump is always likely to be too forward cut and potentially interfere with the shoulder, in which case like GS says perhaps a slightly more jump version of a GP is a better route? I've had Ideals in the past and liked them.
 
Goldenstar said:
Might you get away with a GP saddle ideal have a large range perhaps something like their GP grandee would do the job .
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I guess it's worth a punt. I have so far tried a Farrington GP, three Harry Dabbs (she only liked the future one), a pessoa jump saddle and a wintec. Three of them of them fitted reasonably well, and the one that did fit perfectly (the Farrington) she didn't like at all.
 
Bernster said:
Following with interest - don't have much to recommend I'm afraid but my ins has said I might be better with a less forward cut, to give him more freedom through the shoulder. I currently have an Albion K2 jump which I like (I'm short and wide!) but which may not be the best for his movement. My ins apparently took a while to find something less forward cut so I will ask her what she uses.

I do wonder however whether any jump is always likely to be too forward cut and potentially interfere with the shoulder, in which case like GS says perhaps a slightly more jump version of a GP is a better route? I've had Ideals in the past and liked them.
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Good luck in your search and let me know if you find something suitable. It's so frustrating.
 
They are marmite, but I'd look into a wow, they sit completely behind the shoulder and allow you to put a longer seat on short panels easily. The forward cut parts of the jump flaps float over the top in a similar way to the fairfax performance panel. I loved mine for jumping and found my horse moved with more freedom straight away when I tried one.
 
milliepops said:
They are marmite, but I'd look into a wow, they sit completely behind the shoulder and allow you to put a longer seat on short panels easily. The forward cut parts of the jump flaps float over the top in a similar way to the fairfax performance panel. I loved mine for jumping and found my horse moved with more freedom straight away when I tried one.
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Thanks, I will have a look at them.
 
Would second a Wow, lots of different options to choose from, girthing setups, headplates etc and you can make changes along the way as the horse changes shape.

Otherwise - she's a native is she? You could try one of the specialist native pony companies
 
We've got one in a Style saddle, which seems to meet with his approval. He's very short coupled, with big shoulders, and an opinion about everything. Rider needs the forward flaps for security, but it wasn't easy to find something that didn't interfere with his shoulders. The Style is very light, and doesn't get in his way at all.
 
milliepops said:
They are marmite, but I'd look into a wow, they sit completely behind the shoulder and allow you to put a longer seat on short panels easily. The forward cut parts of the jump flaps float over the top in a similar way to the fairfax performance panel. I loved mine for jumping and found my horse moved with more freedom straight away when I tried one.
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This was the solution for my friends horse however it did nothing for her riding this sort of thing is so frustrating.
 
Auslander said:
We've got one in a Style saddle, which seems to meet with his approval. He's very short coupled, with big shoulders, and an opinion about everything. Rider needs the forward flaps for security, but it wasn't easy to find something that didn't interfere with his shoulders. The Style is very light, and doesn't get in his way at all.
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Thanks. I hadn't heard of them before. I'll look them up.

HappyHorses:) said:
Also following as I'm on the look out as well.
Is the Harry a complete no for your mare?
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At the moment, yes, unless she changes shape.

Goldenstar said:
This was the solution for my friends horse however it did nothing for her riding this sort of thing is so frustrating.
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I like the idea of them, and it could well work for us but I'd be looking at close to £3000 with no guarantee it wouldn't slip forward on her. I can't believe she's so difficult to fit as she doesn't look an unusual shape.
 
Goldenstar said:
This was the solution for my friends horse however it did nothing for her riding this sort of thing is so frustrating.
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it's so personal isn't it, mine was an instant fix for my issues and was the only saddle that put me in balance over a fence. FWIW wagtail some fitters will help you put together something second hand , I've bought several over the years in the £500 range but I do know what I'm looking for having been through the process with a proper fitter.
 
WOW? Ive used on 2 horses who have quite decent shoulder action, their shoulders just slide underneath which is ideal. I also have a 17" seat (for me) on 16" panels (for the short backed horses) so that would work if you had long legs and you could have any seat you wanted. People seem to either love or hate WOW's, I love mine anyway!
 
milliepops said:
it's so personal isn't it, mine was an instant fix for my issues and was the only saddle that put me in balance over a fence. FWIW wagtail some fitters will help you put together something second hand , I've bought several over the years in the £500 range but I do know what I'm looking for having been through the process with a proper fitter.
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MagicMelon said:
WOW? Ive used on 2 horses who have quite decent shoulder action, their shoulders just slide underneath which is ideal. I also have a 17" seat (for me) on 16" panels (for the short backed horses) so that would work if you had long legs and you could have any seat you wanted. People seem to either love or hate WOW's, I love mine anyway!
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Thank you. Would it be hard getting a Wow fitter if you didn't want to buy new?
 
It depends on the fitter - call your local ones and be up front about what you want to do.

Most charge for their time / demo, some charge additional for putting together a prescription. I would not advise getting even a 2nd hand one without trying one first. You will prob need to work with a fitter to get your flair panels adjusted correctly at first although you can learn to do them yourself if you wish
 
Wheels said:
It depends on the fitter - call your local ones and be up front about what you want to do.

Most charge for their time / demo, some charge additional for putting together a prescription. I would not advise getting even a 2nd hand one without trying one first. You will prob need to work with a fitter to get your flair panels adjusted correctly at first although you can learn to do them yourself if you wish
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great advice. Thank you.
 
I had a wow fitting and while it was quite expensive, I did get a “prescription” so I could buy the right bits, and I could have then paid her to come back and build it for me / do the flair etc. I tried a lot of saddle set ups while she was there too. I didn’t buy one in the end but I think second hand you’d be unlikely to lose much if anything.
 
Jumping on post, but are you selling the Harry Dabbs saddle? I'm in exactly the same situation, need a saddle that's 17' but can take a decent length of leg, and to give the horse a bit of space in his shoulders.
 
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