Looking for the impossible saddle?

dressagelove

dressagelove

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Hi,

I need a GP saddle for my high withered, rising 6yp Dutch warmblood. He's 17.3 and still changing shape and I don't want to spend a fortune.

It needs to fit him, me (5'7) and ideally my boyfriend (6'3).

Any ideas at all? I was thinking maybe a second hand stubben. Could anyone suggest something?
Thanks
 
Maybe go for something with an adjustable gullet if his changing I am not a lover of synthetic but the saddle company do a range which is half leather which look quite smart, bates do adjustable gullet, the 2 stubben saddles I have ridden in were extremely uncomfortable but I suppose that's just me.
 
Seconding saddle fitter :). Is he changing shape because he's growing or just getting fitter etc? My Andy x, Mr C, changes shape just by looking at grass etc so I see the saddler regularly just to keep saddle fitting right, its forever needing to be 'tweeked'but fundamentally fits if that makes sense.

If he's still growing an adjustable might be better, if its just a Mr C type thing then just get checked regularly. I got my leather saddle made to measure by equestrian of Walsall, it was about £800 and is soooo comfy, fitted to me and horse def worth it in the long run.
 
I know you say you don't want to spend 'a fortune' but it might be worth looking into a modular saddle like wow. Yes, if you buy new it's hefty, but I have spent less over the time since my horse has been backed than my friends who backed theirs at the same time.
You can get 2nd hand parts too and build your own with the help of the right fitter so could find yourself with a truly adjustable saddle for the same amount as a 'one size fits all' one.

Either way, you need a good saddle fitter.
 
Solution saddles could help here - adjustable knee blocks so you can reposition them, or even have different knee blocks for different riders, to give more support or more room as required. Also super comfy and your fitter can give you lots of tips to make the saddle work for each of you. Your horse will love it too!
 
You might find it difficult to get a saddle which fits both you and your bf. Unless your bf is really short in the thigh, he is likely to need a bigger seat size than you :)
 
I am 5ft 6 and my husband is 6ft 3 with very long legs. The seat we can both compromise slightly by half (17 and 18 to 17.5). However as Casey76 points out the block set up and thigh length is the issue. If the block is not far enough away it will push your BF up the back of the seat and if it suits him you'll be rattling around with no support. One we had for a young horse who was changing shape was a Bates and the blocks on this saddle were really great and had a lot of range of position which velcro'd in place and the gullet plates are very easy to change yourself. However this horse was fairly flat in the back. If you find a saddle you like a good saddler could stick on velcro front and back to allow you to use velcro moveable blocks.

As for Stubbens, I have two Stubbens and I am selling them as they are a very specific fit and no longer fit any of my horses, and unlike my Bates and Devoucoux I can't adapt the fit enough to justify keeping them. So if you go for one really don't overpay or go brand new as you'll probably need to sell it and change before too long on a new one you'll loose over 50% of the value. If you are fitting a stubben tree yourself the thing to watch with a is the shoulder fit, the tree points are quite long and forward compared to some other saddles and can interfere if the saddle fits too far forward so if your horse has a forward girth groove they probably will impinge the shoulder. Seat-wise to be comfortable you'd have to find a deluxe/extra special/biomex version as the cheaper models are much harder in the seat.
 
Kent & Masters or Thorowgood also have adjustable gullets and knee blocks and the GP version can be generous in flap size. They do high wither versions. As above, I suggest you find a good saddle fitter, though, as despite their claims, the tree shape doesn't suit everyone. I also think the Stubben tree is very banana like and suited to few horses. The new ones are all right but anything older than 2014 is akin to sitting on a brick, I find.
 
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