Lots of opinions pls

[ihatework]

Honestly it depends so much on your own conformation in addition to the horses!

Based on pure comfort for me the Albion K2 jump would be my go to for time in the saddle ie hacking/hunting - it just works for me. Quite possibly not right for the horse you describe.

Close second was a double flap devocoux a friend had, utterly divine- again probably not suitable for what your horse shape.

One to add to list for your horse would be Black Country, I like the quantum.

The Voltaire are an instrument of torture for my delicate derrier!
But I do like my prestige x-breath, but wouldn’t have it for hours in the saddle

 

[Barton Bounty]

You sound like your describing BB

Ideal deal is by far my comfiest and fits him like a glove

 

[Zoeypxo]

Albion saddles the most comfortable and have to agree stubbens the least comfortable
Have to say i also find k&m hard and gives me a sore bum.

 

[teddy_]

Another vote for Albion K2 if you don't want to spend a fortune. However, the comfiest event / jump saddle I have ever sat in has to be my Childéric CFSP !

 

[dottylottie]

lily has a pony cob and horse saddle - round barrel of a pony with a forward girth groove who’s croup high. i find it incredibly comfy, but the wintec she came with was surprisingly comfy aswell, and i despise them usually!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Hated my Albion, hated at first then loved an old Ideal Impala but then hated the new ones when I tried one on my current horse.
Everything is so different and one saddle can feel different on two horses.
I currently have a Fairfax and im really happy with it.

 

[AandK]

Albion K2; had the GP and changed for a jump last year, both v comfy for me. My late gelding had a Humphries and Swain holistic jump saddle for about 13 of his working years, it was very comfy too.

 

[Goldie's mum]

I'm going to cheat.
The horse's way of going plays such a huge part in this that I'm going to vote for my all-time most comfortable combination of horse and saddle , which was Welsh D x TB, (built like a brick outhouse), in a Barnsby GP with very deep seat.
I know what you're thinking - "not very helpful GM! " , but honestly there are so many variables I don't think anyone can help much, sorry.

 

[sassandbells]

So interesting to see the variables!

My favourite was a Farrington International Event saddle, closely followed by GFS Monarch.

I currently have an Ideal Impala which is fine, but nowhere near as comfy as the above!

ETA I really wanted an Albion but found them so uncomfortable and couldn’t get into the right position - definitely worth trying a few and seeing what suits you.

 

[saddlesore]

My Ideal. Really buttery leather

 

[Sossigpoker]

My cob is probably quite similarly shaped to yours and he has a Lavinia Mitchell jump saddle (more like a GP) that fits me very well and I find it very comfortable.
Comfort is an individual thing as what fits one person might not fit you.
I've ridden in some really comfy Kent and Masters , Monarch and Albion Saddles too.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Devoucoux all the way.
Not cheap though...
No idea on what shape they fit though I have to admit.

 

[Maesfen]

I always wondered if you eventually get used to them. They used to be really popular.

I know my bum just shudders when it sees one even years later. Have a friend who swears by them, thinks I'm strange - I wonder why!

 

[GoldenWillow]

I loved my Hawk event, kept it for years just in case it ever fitted current cob but sadly never did. With him, huge shoulders, forward girth groove and some wither he has an AH saddle which fits me perfectly and is super comfortable but it is a dressage.

I know my bum just shudders when it sees one even years later. Have a friend who swears by them, thinks I'm strange - I wonder why!

This made me laugh, I used to ride a horse who had a Stubben and I also shudder at the thought of ever sitting in one like it again.

 

[Meredith]

Albion's are awful for me and every yard seems to have one when I'm trying a horse to buy !

The comfiest for me are the Black Country Wexford, my GFS Monarch and Jeffries F1 jump.

Yes, Albions are excruciatingly painful.
My Jeffries F1 Jump is wonderful but it doesn’t fit F and is sitting in the back room as I search for a new owner for it.

 

[TheMule]

I also have a flat backed round one and my beloved close contact mono flap saddles don’t have a chance of fitting (Presitge, Butet, Devoucoux etc)
He's in an Ideal. I need to upgrade it to a jump model.

 

[irishdraft]

My favourite is an old style monarch which had good knee blocks and was so comfortable & kept me secure on my prone to swerving out jumps ID. Atm I've got a gfs xch which is also comfortable.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I have ridden my ponies in Ideal saddles. They seem a good fit for them too.

 

[silv]

My WOWs are the comfiest I have ever sat on!

This , and all my friends who have ridden my horses say the same. But my old trainer who was a size 8 hated it. Myself and friends are all size 12/14 .
I have a dressage on one horse and a GP on the other.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Chunky Monkey
Ideal Heritage

Both VSD and both used on a barrel of a horse. He was happy in the ideal but his shoulders got too big for it and there was a clear difference in his way of going when he tried the chunky Monkey.

 

[Abacus]

I have always struggled to like any Albions or Stubbens. On the whole I find Ideals comfy but not the MOST comfy. That award goes to a friend’s butet from about 15 years ago - she had it made very specifically for her but it also worked for me - something about it was just incredibly right.

For a more budget option I have, for the cob without a job, a lovely oldish barnsby GP which is super comfy. Short backed low withered Welsh D, if that’s of relevance.

 

[Flame_]

Come to think of it my GFS was super comfy too. This was one of the GP ones made about 10 years ago.

I had a fieldhouse converted to flair airbags, this was the comfiest I remember having for my dodgy back. It didn't do my horse's back any good though and has made me scared of airbags ever since.

 

[Fransurrey]

What is the comfiest saddle you’ve ever sat in, ideally modern. I appreciate that it has to fit the horse (short backed and round barrel shape and has a mattes u shaped girth, small whithers, huge shoulders).

It has to be either a gp or jump/event saddle as I’m going to be doing far more hacking and some hunting this coming season but i need to be very comfortable. That’s not me being a princess it’s just I’ve not sat in a saddle and thought wow for a good few years now and would like to. And I’m going to do second hand (he currently has a gp so no rush).

So what saddles are you in that make you happy? Cheers

For me it was my friend's Black Country. I also found the Ideal that I tried exceptionally comfortable, but the seat seemed longer than its measured 17.5" and my arse got lost in it. So, I bought a BC Event. Not quite as comfy as friend's (think hers is a gel seat), but pretty plush.

 

[marmalade76]

Ideal Impala, Gazelle and the cob one, think it's called H & C, all lovely comfy saddles.

 

[Sealine]

I loved the Ideal saddle I had custom made for my mare. I sold it to a friend when the mare was PTS but it was subsequently stolen. My gelding came with an Albion K2 GP. It fitted him really well but I always used a seat saver as it didn't agree with my seat bones. When that was stolen I replaced it with a Kieffer which I do find comfortable but I don't think it puts me in a great position.

 

[hock]

I had a GP by Patrick Wilkinson and would have another in a heartbeat if I needed one!

I looked at one of these the other day and thought how comfy they looked!

 

[hock]

Ideal Impala, Gazelle and the cob one, think it's called H & C, all lovely comfy saddles.

I sold a mare last year with the h&c ideal and I regretted it! Especially because I only let it go with her as knew she would have a fitted saddle .. which they swapped to a winged. Hmm

 

[hock]

I'm going to cheat.
The horse's way of going plays such a huge part in this that I'm going to vote for my all-time most comfortable combination of horse and saddle , which was Welsh D x TB, (built like a brick outhouse), in a Barnsby GP with very deep seat.
I know what you're thinking - "not very helpful GM! " , but honestly there are so many variables I don't think anyone can help much, sorry.

Actually this has been really helpful for me!

 

[dorsetladette]

I love my kings working hunter saddle (I know its not within criteria, but close). After B died I've kept it in the hopes Reggie will grow into it. I could ride all day in it! everyone thats ridden in it has commented how nice it is too. (some of that could of been B as he had a fan club)

I really do not rate the HM saddles. The stirrup bars are to far back and hurt my inner thigh. I've refused to ride my friends ponies due to her saddle choice. She's now bought a cheap wintec for when I rock up to ride!

 

[JBM]

Ideal 100%