More saddles! Different short-backed pony, this time!

spookypony

spookypony

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Hello all, I'm back with yet more saddle questions! :D My table-top-backed mare is now very happy with her HM FlexEE dressage saddle, so we're all sorted on that front. However, I'm suspecting that the Spooky Pony's saddle is causing a bit of trouble! Saddler is already booked, but I want to be sure that I have a full set of good questions to ask.

Quick recap about me: I'm 5'5.5", not heavy, and have silly long legs. My thigh measurements suggest I should be riding in an 18", but in a straight-cut saddle, riding long, I can happily ride in a shorter saddle.

The pony is 14.1, short-coupled with a very short pelvis, and has an oddly dipped shape to his back that previous saddlers have suggested is a bit thoroughbredy. His rib cage is enormous. He's a bit bum-high, too! He does Endurance, and we're currently trying to negotiate the step up to 80km rides, so he needs to be comfortable for going many hours at good speed over varied terrain.

He's currently in a 17" Wintec Pro Dressage. I've previously been told he's one of those horses that suits the Wintec banana shape, but that the same saddle in the endurance model would have panels just too fat for him. He currently has a trigger spot on his near side about where the back of the panel rests. I'm concerned that the saddle is still too long, or (despite appearances) doesn't quite suit him. I've been working a great deal on slight lateral imbalances in my seat with my instructor, and am told by outside observers that I'm not sitting lopsided on him.

I'm happy to hear about saddles that might suit an oddly-shaped pony like him!
 
Thanks! That looks very interesting. The saddler has been, and is off to research different models now. There's also Podium Saddles, Setzi Saddles, and the massively expensive ReactorPanel...it seems a real minefield! For the moment, I'm to stop using the Wintec Pro, and ride him in the HM, which is much shorter. We have a month of homework of poles and muscle-building, are going to limit ourselves to short rides, and we will reassess in 6 weeks. Then we can try a variety of saddles. We're planning to assess him out in the forest, as he's a nervous ball of tension in the paddock, and it's tricky to get any sort of real idea out of that! Who knows, maybe he will end up with a HM too...
 
It is a complete minefield. Let us know what you go for. :)

The Setzi is unconventional with the gap on the seat - it claims that it's very comfortable though. I couldn't work out if it came in different widths, or if it's flexible?
 
I can't quite work it out either. There seems to be a "narrow", "medium", and "tall" (??) option (I wonder if that's a mistranslation?). I can't work out if there are various lengths, either. Though the idea of having a blue saddle appeals, I do want to make sure it's right for us, first!
 
I do endurance in a Black Country WH saddle. My pony sounds a very similar shape to yours. My saddler sent me out to find something (second hand) with an 'open front arch' and this is what I came up with. Pony and I just love it and I can jump in it too as although it is reasonably straight cut it has a decent knee roll.
 
It's interesting how many of these different saddles claim to be modern technological reboots of ancient solutions...of course, we don't have any data about how the backs of horses "ridden for days" coped with this, or how long the average working lifespan was. Received wisdom suggests that treeless for endurance is not a good idea because of uneven weight distribution, but I also don't know what treeless (or semi-treed, or flexible-treed) saddles were used in those studies, if indeed there ever were actual studies!

ARGH! It's the middle of the season, and all I really know is that I dare not aim at an 80k before he's got something that he's comfortable in!
 
With curvy wide backs I tend to fit flattish trees and a very upswept rear panel with no gussets. If you fit a curvier tree it can be unstable when they lift and flatten thair back in work, and those models do tend to have large rear gussets which as you've found upset the balance and can cause pressure points and even bridging. If the fit is slightly off even mild asymmetry can show up as major twist in a saddle, if there is a sore point to one side then your current saddle is almost certainly sitting askew.

In a flat seat you'd probably fit even in a 16.5 and a well fitting shorter seated/panelled saddle is always better than a poorly fitting saddle with long generous panels, especially with that shape of back, but this is true even for endurance.
 
Interesting thread (but do totally feel your pain OP).

I have similar measurements to you, and by rights should be riding in an 18" if I did "what the book says". However, my older mare is rather unique special shape (big shoulders, mid withers, A-frame and deep through body with an ever increasing dip to her back) - and I can't put more than 17" on her. My youngster is pure arab and a 17" is just a tad to long for her - just about do-able, but I was uneasy with it. I have now got her in a 16" dressage saddle - I have to say I was dubious that I would fit in it, but I am finding it incredibly comfortable so far, and so is she. The saddle is straight cut, very slim knee rolls and moderate seat on the saddle, I have plenty of room - to be honest with the shape of the seat on it, I wouldn't have an issue even if I bumped up the knee rolls a bit.

So don't rule out 16.5" saddle for your pony! FWIW, my older mare uses a Flexee, and I suspect in the long term, my youngster will go into a Flexee too - but I'm not doing anything like the riding you are doing ;)
 
Depends how much you want to spend but I really rate my WOW. The horse I got it for was very short coupled so he got 16" panels with a 17" seat on top for me. Works really well, and it doesn't look odd at all. They do various seat / shapes etc. as they're modular so you can get build your own saddle basically to fit you and the horse.
 
Another vote for WOW. I bought the bits of mine individually as i am long legged (short bodied!) 5ft8 and so need an 18inch seat, but am riding a short coupled 15.2 conne x, so went for an 18inch flat seat with 17inch panels and vsd flaps. Its an interesting looking saddle but suits my requirements! : )
 
sbloom said:
With curvy wide backs I tend to fit flattish trees and a very upswept rear panel with no gussets. If you fit a curvier tree it can be unstable when they lift and flatten thair back in work, and those models do tend to have large rear gussets which as you've found upset the balance and can cause pressure points and even bridging. If the fit is slightly off even mild asymmetry can show up as major twist in a saddle, if there is a sore point to one side then your current saddle is almost certainly sitting askew.

In a flat seat you'd probably fit even in a 16.5 and a well fitting shorter seated/panelled saddle is always better than a poorly fitting saddle with long generous panels, especially with that shape of back, but this is true even for endurance.
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sbloom, what you are saying makes total sense to me. We looked at some pictures of him in action in the current saddle, and the saddler said something very similar. I'll attach a picture for good measure (pic is posted with permission):

10478556_10153427022783714_6493632227728057028_n.jpg


My HM dressage saddle is only a 16", and it's just fine for me. But in a 17" GP, I feel like a grasshopper.
 
dianchi said:
strada :)
you know you want to!!!!!
Click to expand...

Haha :D I know a certain Strada agent/FEI endurance rider that wants me to! :D I think it, like the ReactorPanel, are a bit out of my price range at the moment. But I'm trying to keep all options open until we've really cracked this. Undoubtedly, the saddle fit issues are contributing to his occasional slightly-lame-at-the-end-of-a-ride-but-sound-by-next-morning thing. What a headache (backache, for him)!
 
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I have a similar horse who fitted a Wintec Pro well and now goes very happily in a Barefoot or Freeform treeless. But Setzi, Pandora and Mackinder (dunno if you'll get that in the UK) all seem to work well for these types too. The Specialized are also good.
Pandora and Holmbros are very space age looking but very easily shimmed to fit individuals.
http://www.mackinderendurance.com/
http://pandorasaddles.com/
 
OwnedbyJoe said:
I have a similar horse who fitted a Wintec Pro well and now goes very happily in a Barefoot or Freeform treeless. But Setzi, Pandora and Mackinder (dunno if you'll get that in the UK) all seem to work well for these types too. The Specialized are also good.
Pandora and Holmbros are very space age looking but very easily shimmed to fit individuals.
http://www.mackinderendurance.com/
http://pandorasaddles.com/
Click to expand...

OMG even more weird and wonderful saddles to look at! :D Will add those and the WOWs to the investigation list...

I am curious how he will do in the next month or two with the HM. He needs his own saddle though, not just for customisation of fit, but because I don't want to get my lovely leather dressage saddle wet!
 
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