New & Questions about Pony Saddles

G

globalponymom

New User
Joined
1 March 2015
Messages
5
Visit site
Hello all,

First time visiting and have some questions about UK Pony saddles. I am originally from Canada and I don't recognize a lot of the brands available. Looking for a beginner pony saddle for my girls aged 3 & 5. Couple of considerations: I am out of country (Cambodia actually, looong story) so cannot have them sit in anything in person. Also, since we are in a country where I won't be able to upgrade very easily...we need something that will last us for awhile. I'll get to the shipping question later but my main concern is finding a saddle that sits them properly (or the way I want them to sit) on a horse.

I've scrolled through dozens of photos and see a lot of saddles with a deeper seat and really high pommel and I don't like how this sits little kiddos way back in the back of their saddle with their legs practically sticking straight out in front of them. However, I also don't want something super flat (I know, I'm picky) that offers no stability for young learners (but if I had to choose, I would choose flat over deep). Lastly, I want something with a shorter flap so their little stick legs can actually get contact with the horse once in a while ;)

Any suggestions? I'm ok with synthetic for now but find they can be a little "puffy"..and lastly, I need to be able to ship this to Cambodia :D

I debated on having a family member try to stuff one in a bag when they visit from Canada but I don't know if this is a possibility as I've never checked a saddle. Anyone? Ebay doesn't give shipping quotes to Cambodia and honestly, the postal system is iffy here so sometimes things arrive and sometimes...well, they just don't. I would have to UPS it or something.

Would really appreciate some advice both on the saddle and the means to get it here :)
 
Just don't see how you can get a saddle to fit any horse. Usually it has to fit both horse and rider.
Maybe a treeless saddle or something.
 
selinas spirit said:
Just don't see how you can get a saddle to fit any horse. Usually it has to fit both horse and rider.
Maybe a treeless saddle or something.
Click to expand...

Have never used a treeless saddle - pros/cons?

The kids are 3 & 5 and are mostly walking around so we have to do the best we can or not ride. There are absolutely no resources here for riding and it is a small miracle that we have even found horses that we CAN ride. I understand the ideals but when you are in place where you can't even buy a curry comb, much less hire a saddle fitter...you make do.
 
I know it's tricky as you can't fit it but thorowgood do a lovely adjustable gullet pony saddle. If you wanted leather Kent and masters do the same tree on a leather saddle.
 
If you have enough knowledge to fit it - and it sounds like you do - something with an adjustable gullet would seem ideal. Kokopelli has recommended 2 leather ones. Wintec do a synthetic one which is lighter. Personally I hate synthetic tack - but it might have a distinct advantage to you. I know it sounds odd to peeps in the UK - and quite possibly in Canada too! - but I grew up in Africa and we didn't really fit tack in the same way we do here. (Come to that I don't think we used to fit tack in quite the same way here as we did 30 - 40+ years ago so that might have as much to do with the passage of time as to geography!) Something that more or less fits with a suitable pad is actually fine. Wow do an air flocked saddle you can adjust yourself - it isn't terribly well reviewed but might suit your needs. Several saddler sites do a rough guide to measuring so you can get a rough idea of size. Or you can actually template the pony and send that to the saddler to get a better fit if you want a bespoke.
 
Something like a Thorn saddle pad would suit, they are flat but you can get ones with a supporting kind of cantle, they are getting increasingly popular over here with even adults using them on horses


wintec saddles fit a lot less ponies than Thorowgood because of their curvy tree so maybe a thorowgood Pony Club saddle and a set of the different width gullets is an option if you want a more traditions option
 
We have recently switched both our ponies over to Guy Cantin treeless saddles. One of his jumping saddles and one of his dressage saddles. They are fantastic saddles. He is just outside of Paris but if you email him about shipping (it costs about £12 for him to ship them to the UK).
 
I have just ordered a Thorn saddle pad for a Shetland. The lady makes them to order so could add knee rolls, short flaps, whatever you need really.
 
Well, you've all convinced me - lol - I think we will try a treeless saddle. They fit a lot of my requirements - flat(ish) so kids learn to rely on their balance and not the saddle, light, cheap, & comes in small enough sizes for tiny bums.

I do love the look of the Thorowgood saddle so maybe that one for an upgrade when the time comes.

So now I have one suggestion for Guy Cantin...any other suggestions? The cheap ones on ebay that come from India look...well....cheap. If I'm going to go through the hassle of shipping one here - I don't want the stitching to be coming out or the leathers ripping (and why do they have zippers?)...also, some of the ones I've seen online look really bulky up top. As in, there seems to be too much "stuff" padding, foam whatever between rider and horse.
 
Treeless and pony pads are different - pony pads are a basic saddle with some padding, for lightweight riders and have been used for decades for little kids before progessing to proper saddles (and good treed pony saddles should be fairly flat, I specialise in fitting ponies). Treeless saddles have much more to them and are designed with thicker padding to spread the weight more but can be bulky. Don't touch anything from India with a bargepole.
 
globalponymom said:
Well, you've all convinced me - lol - I think we will try a treeless saddle. They fit a lot of my requirements - flat(ish) so kids learn to rely on their balance and not the saddle, light, cheap, & comes in small enough sizes for tiny bums.

I do love the look of the Thorowgood saddle so maybe that one for an upgrade when the time comes.

So now I have one suggestion for Guy Cantin...any other suggestions? The cheap ones on ebay that come from India look...well....cheap. If I'm going to go through the hassle of shipping one here - I don't want the stitching to be coming out or the leathers ripping (and why do they have zippers?)...also, some of the ones I've seen online look really bulky up top. As in, there seems to be too much "stuff" padding, foam whatever between rider and horse.
Click to expand...

The Barefoot Bellis might be worth a look, Barefoot are good quality treeless (I use the adult version) and they last well.
 
Libra make nice treeless saddles. I used a Polypad Doubler under mine for padding. Treeless saddles do not have their own padding and need something underneath. You cannot mount from the ground because they will slip unless you do the girth up too tight which would hurt the horse so you need a mounting block, or to vault on!

The problem you would have with a treed saddle is if it does not fit the horse it will sit wrong and be likely to tip the rider forwards or backwards. You might also find a problem, unless very well packaged and marked as fragile, with a treed saddle arriving with a broken tree from being thrown about or crushed at the bottom of a big pile by parcel delivery or airline company.
 
Why don't you get a Zoe snape Shetland pad. Use it with no stirrups to develop a good seat. They do them up to adult size and they will fit anything and you could shove it in a bag to take it out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top