Firewell
Well-Known Member
I am having SUCH a saddle nightmare at the moment in the land of no saddle fitters.
I have sold my two Kieffers which fitted my horse pretty well. I'd had them two years and the high withered/big shouldered beast has always gone well in them.
They both started to need flocking as hadn't been flocked for two years. It costs $300 to do a reflock here. One was a Garmisch and the other an Ulla Rusty dressage saddle. The Garmish just wasn't forward enough to do higher jumps in. I have a long hip to thigh and I couldn't get my stirrups short enough without my knee going over the front. I never much noticed a problem over 80cm but once we got to 1m jump offs I felt like I was being chucked everywhere and my lower leg was flying back (it likes to fly back anyway naughty leg).
The dressage saddle was very deep seated and it always felt a bit too much saddle for me as I'm fairly slight. So instead of forking out for reflocks I decided to move them on (at a profit I might add yippeee) and get ones more comfy.
I made a disastrous decision with a Barnsby Shockemohle foam CC saddle. It's not right for my boy and doesn't sit nicely on his back, it rocks. After riding in the Kieffers I felt like I was sitting on a plate and my legs just want to swing around and stick forward.
I think I have decided to buy a new Kieffer jump saddle instead. I feel better the devil you know sort of thing and the panels and tree really suit my horse. They slot onto his back like a missing piece of jigsaw puzzle.
The only thing is my new trainer and lady who rides my horse now I'm pregnant hates them. She says the leather is not good quality and that they are so bulky and make it hard to feel the horse and ride properly. She wants me to get a made to measure equipe or something like that.
Now I'm all confused! I've been down the m2m Route before (twice) and both times the saddle stopped fitting my horse and I had to sell for a wacking great loss. Also what if my horse doesn't fit equipes??
The only fitters I can get to come out are reps for brands. Equipe rep, a bliss rep, a cwd rep, a stubben rep ect ect. They just want to sell you their brand.
My horse isn't easy to fit. I don't really want to get a saddle my trainer loathes but I do know my horse likes Kieffers. It's still a risk though as to get a jump Kieffer I have to import new from Europe. Or should I do what my trainer/rider says... after all I do respect her opinion?
I have sold my two Kieffers which fitted my horse pretty well. I'd had them two years and the high withered/big shouldered beast has always gone well in them.
They both started to need flocking as hadn't been flocked for two years. It costs $300 to do a reflock here. One was a Garmisch and the other an Ulla Rusty dressage saddle. The Garmish just wasn't forward enough to do higher jumps in. I have a long hip to thigh and I couldn't get my stirrups short enough without my knee going over the front. I never much noticed a problem over 80cm but once we got to 1m jump offs I felt like I was being chucked everywhere and my lower leg was flying back (it likes to fly back anyway naughty leg).
The dressage saddle was very deep seated and it always felt a bit too much saddle for me as I'm fairly slight. So instead of forking out for reflocks I decided to move them on (at a profit I might add yippeee) and get ones more comfy.
I made a disastrous decision with a Barnsby Shockemohle foam CC saddle. It's not right for my boy and doesn't sit nicely on his back, it rocks. After riding in the Kieffers I felt like I was sitting on a plate and my legs just want to swing around and stick forward.
I think I have decided to buy a new Kieffer jump saddle instead. I feel better the devil you know sort of thing and the panels and tree really suit my horse. They slot onto his back like a missing piece of jigsaw puzzle.
The only thing is my new trainer and lady who rides my horse now I'm pregnant hates them. She says the leather is not good quality and that they are so bulky and make it hard to feel the horse and ride properly. She wants me to get a made to measure equipe or something like that.
Now I'm all confused! I've been down the m2m Route before (twice) and both times the saddle stopped fitting my horse and I had to sell for a wacking great loss. Also what if my horse doesn't fit equipes??
The only fitters I can get to come out are reps for brands. Equipe rep, a bliss rep, a cwd rep, a stubben rep ect ect. They just want to sell you their brand.
My horse isn't easy to fit. I don't really want to get a saddle my trainer loathes but I do know my horse likes Kieffers. It's still a risk though as to get a jump Kieffer I have to import new from Europe. Or should I do what my trainer/rider says... after all I do respect her opinion?
, so she would recommend them BUT I have also heard brilliant things about them and PS you are the 3rd person who has said they suit J's shape. I also haven't tried one... I should probably try one before making a decision!
