Kieffer saddles & High withers

[vicm2509]

I have been recently trying to find a saddle for my high withered horse and after a post on here it was reccomended I try the thorowgood High Wither, I have looked at the T6 version and really like it.

But after a look on ebay it seems most of the Kieffer saddles have cut back pommels, so does anyone have one of these on a high withered horse and does it suit them?

I am looking at this model
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/kieffer-Aachen-Sad...1QQcmdZViewItem
I plan to get a second hand one as I would if possible prefer a leather to synthetic.

Feel free to comment even if you havent got one - do cut back heads usually suit high withers?

 

[Sparklet]

I have owned two high withered horses and despite having a good saddlers nearby who has 100's good second hand saddles in stock I was unable to find one to fit. The biggest problem is that you need wither clearance which doesnt tip the saddle back.

Among the saddles tried were several cut back types but I cant remember the name of them - sorry.

I ended up having to purchase a new saddle and have it adjusted to a dropped template. Its a medium fit and works really well with a sheepskin pad but would still be too wide if used without any pads. I hate narrow saddles with a vengence because they pinch the wither so would always err on the wide side.

 

[Evil_Cookie]

My mare has a t6, it's a lovely saddle, she's medium to high withered, they look even higher at the moment due to winter weight loss. I've spent years having saddle problems with her, she's very sensitive so tells you when something isn't right, we've found the thorowgoods excellent though, cheapest saddle I've bought fits the best.... typical

The t6 feels lovely more leatherlike than the wintecs that I've had before. The knee rolls and seat are lovely.
I don't know much about kieffer sadles so can't comment on them, one thing I would say about thorowgood is in may -ish time they're updating the saddles so you can choose the high wither option with different panels or something like that, and a new gullet change system aswell as the fish and theyre going to bring out a leather model too, at about £600 I believe.

 

[berry]

We use a keiffer om a high withered horse at our riding school, could'nt find anything else that fitted him so brought one of ebay the same as the one you showed but black.
It fits him like a glove and its really comfy.

 

[lillie07]

Only think to add about Kieffer saddles is they are really really heavy! I had a jumping one and it was really comfy and fitted the horse well but the weight was a big negative. Probably would'nt have another.

Albions do a cut back pommel.

 

[miller]

OH has a Garmisch and a Ulla Rusty Kieffer for his high withered mare - both cut back heads and fine on her.

Definitely not heavy though - I'm always amazed how light they are aqfter my Barnsby's

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

My old boy had withers more like a camel hump they were so high! the saddler found it a real challenge to find a saddle to fit him and in the end we went for Albion with a prolite pad. Worked really well and a beutiful saddle. I cried when I sold it!!

x

 

[Governor]

I had a Kieffer Munchen GP for my chap.

I got it when he was 3 1/2 years old and sold it two years later, in that time I had it ajusted from a NNM to a MW.

They're good saddles and fitted him nicely as a razorblade withered, skinny baby.

 

[faerie666]

I have a Norbert Koof jumping saddle to hunt my point-to pointer in and it was the only one i could find to fit on his extremely high withers, still fits now he's racefit and it's very comfortable and not heavy. It's also got Flair pannels, so it could be adjusted if needed. Can highly recommend.

 

[Horse_mad07]

I have two kieffer saddles a dreassage and gp and both are fantastic. They are great quality, light and wear well and my horse loves them. Also they have a fully adjusable tree which most saddlers can adjust so thats a bonus. Also the seller you are looking at on ebay are very good. both myself and my friend have bought from them and have not been dissapointed.

 

[clairencappelli]

After a long discussion with my saddler about my horses long high withers i ended up with a ideal wide seat intl event saddle. Its on a medium tree ( she had alays had wintecs in the narrow yellow gullet fitted by another saddler ) these combined with the fact this saddler missed a broken tree crippeled my poor horse.

The reason we went to this ideal saddle was the tree has long points which is very important with high withers to get the lift at the frount over a wider area ( narrow saddles can look to fit but dont have sufficiently long enought points to spead the weight over a bigger area ). We had to have a special saddle made using the medium tree but had special tb pannels made with gutts that ran down the frount and gave her plenty of spinal clearance while being well supported at the frount.

I did ask about keiffer saddles but he said the trees have shorter points and while they can fit they can create sore point behind the shoulders because of the lack of area over which the weight is spead.

Talk to your saddler. My horses saddle doesnt have a cut back head but its a super fit and she is soooo different now and goes so nicely in it.

If you want me to post a pic of how shocking my horses withers are and the fit of her saddle on her back i can do, that way you could compare