Long legs, small horse. What saddle? And would a Wow be stupid?

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forever broke

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I'm needing a new saddle for my boy. I'm 5'9 with 34inch legs, he's 14.1, in 6' rugs and welsh D-shaped. He's currently in a 17" Kes wide, but it's too wide, so I'm looking for something second hand that will accomodate my leg without swamping him or blocking his shoulder, with a budget of around £600. Any ideas of good makes and styles to look at? Also, I've seen a few Wows around that price, and I've always loved them, but they look rather bulky. Has anyone used one on a smaller horse or pony? How was it to ride in, are you perched way up off their back? What size Wow headplate is equivalent to a medium and medium wide 'normal' saddle?
 
What sort of saddle. Mine is an Oliver Townend which is the same as a Kentaur performer event saddle. It has floating panels over her shoulders which don't touch her shoulders but I can still get my knees ratcheted right up without running out of room as the knee block is sort of shaped and the excess knee can be coming off the saddle without being a problem, can't quite explain it :D
 
Woops missed that bit off! Mine is a working hunter cut which is beautiful but my knees hang off the front! Was thinking a gp would give me more room but some of them are downright ugly, a jump cut would be pointless as I rarely jump. Dressage cut means I can't reach his sides as my legs hang so low.
I *think* I get what you mean with the knee blocks, so the block is forward cut but not touching the shoulder? It sounds ideal, I'll have a google of those brands thanks
 
I do endurance and flat work in mine, never had such a comfy saddle knee wise. I do have an Acavallo seat saver on it as well now. I am nearly 5ft8 and she is 14hh American Paint Horse.

Think this pic shows it quite well. I had stirrups quite long there for endurance, but can get them 4 holes higher for jumping no problem.

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I have two Welsh Ds. They are very different shapes. I am only short but have a large bottom and a surprisingly long upper leg.

One is in an 18" mw Albian Legend GP (came with another section D I had a few years ago) which is a lovely fit on her, I tried it on my other and it was awful, just wrong everywhere. It is very heavy.

The other has been in a temporary synthetic saddle, it is a 17" maxim gp that is quite straight cut. It is a fraction too narrow for her and I've just changed her to a 17" mw Ideal working hunter. She has big shoulders but is much narrower than the first so needs a straight cut saddle. I've not jumped in it yet but I think there should be enough room for my knees.
 
I love my WOW and don't feel perched at all. I ended up getting one as my horse is very short coupled so he has 16" panels but I have a 17" seat. WOW's are brilliant for mixing and matching stuff like this. I think you'll be lucky to find one for £600 though or is that one of their "Club" saddles where you can't change anything other than their headplate?
 
Ooh ffionwinnie, your horse is gorgeous! Thanks for your replies guys, I'll look into your suggestions. Magic melon, you're right, it would be an absolute bargain if I went for it, just can't decide whether to risk not liking it. It's a completely adjustable one but a few years old I think
 
She is also broken, want her, I will keep the saddle :D

She stood on a stone at that endurance ride, had to lead her home, then she went down in the trailer on the way home (never done that before), ripped her other leg to shreds. Then took spasmodic colic and now has an abscess in the stone foot (well I hope that's all it is). Who would have them!
 
That's a beautiful saddle, just what I had in mind before I found the bargain Wow (which sold before I got in touch with them :( ) and got over excited haha. I'll be getting a fitter out to him but I'm basically looking for ideas so I can tell them what kind of thing I'm looking for, I'll keep that style in mind thanks
 
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