Norton Synthetic Saddles- Yay or Neigh?

sidesaddlegirl

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My OH has expressed an interest in having a plod on my mare when he gets down to 14 stone (which won't be long). Now, my mare is def up to carrying that weight as she carries 13 stone me with my heavy side saddle tack and my OH won't be doing anything other than walking as he is scared of horses! If he wants to do more, then he will have to get his own as I'm not sharing :D

My Barnsby saddle fits me but will be too short for my OH (he'll need 18" as he's taller than me and my saddle is 17 1/2") and wanted to get a cheapy synthetic saddle for him to knock about in it. Wintecs and Thorowgoods do not fit my TB at all (even the Thorowgood TB model) and it's taken me AGES to find a leather saddle that will work for Hattie. The Barnsby one we have, you can't find 2nd hand especially in the budget I'm looking at.

I found this one on ebay and it seems like it would fit my weird shaped TB as it seems to have the flattish panels that she needs yet has a high cutback pommel to clear her high withers. It kind of seems a cross between a cob and a TB saddle which I need! I find most "TB" model saddles are too curved and banana shaped on Hattie and rock but this doesn't seem so curved.

Are they rubbish and unsafe (don't want my OH falling off due to something breaking off) or are they fine for light hacking?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexi-tre...ipment&var=&hash=item7914610af1#ht_3295wt_952
 

jalapeno

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No thankyou. They are Indian if I am not mistaken, I personally wouldn't touch with a barge pole. If you google some reviews I believe there are a couple on here... saying the same kind of thing. That being said, the work is often shoddy but if you were to get it checked by a saddler then perhaps it may be usable.
 

s4sugar

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Has he tried your saddle on a try-horse?

There is not a lot of difference between a 17.5" & an 18" and a friend who is 5'9" & her boyfriend at 6'5" can both ride in the same dressage saddle. Male derrières often fit in shorter seats than you might expect.
 

BringoutheBest

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I've been teaching a girl who had one for her pony and refused to let them ride in it - horrible shaped things and I really have no idea how they are designed to fit any horse?! Maybe a camel :eek:
I rode in it the once and it was the most awful uncomfortable thing ever.
just YUCK
 

sidesaddlegirl

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Oh right, I guess no Norton for us! I've not tried my OH in my saddle as I don't have anything for him to sit in it except for putting it on my mare. I'm 5'9" and can get a hand between the cantle and my bum and a hand at the front of me and the pommel so I guess he may just fit in it as he's about 2-3" taller than me and his butt is definitely smaller than mine, lol.
 

sbloom

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If he's only walking he'll probably be fine, much better to stick with a good quality well fitting saddle than go for some risky cheap saddle tbh. Do check the horizontal balance - a heavier and/or taller rider is likely to sit "on" the cantle, so a rear riser may be needed, all the weight on the cantle, even in walk, can really do damage.
 

cremedemonthe

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These Norton saddles are older version of Hi Lite saddles, same saddle maker made these as the newer ones sold by Shires Equestrian see here

http://www.shiresequestrian.co.uk/shop/product.php?productid=851&cat=699&page=1

but these are re badged Norton, all made in India as someone else has said. Cheap and cheerful, fit very few horses well.
I have fitted and flocked these type of saddles to horses that had riders around 9 stone, I certainly wouldn't allow anybody heavier on one.
They are a false economy
Oz :)
 

cremedemonthe

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Thanks Oz, I did wonder about the "squidginess" of the flocking with anyone heavier than a leaf!!

Even if it DID fit my horse, my OH has now seen this thread and stated to me today that he "didn't want to ride in a cheap Indian saddle."

Barnsby it is!!

You can't go wrong with a Barnsby,whilst training we always looked at the Barnsby saddle on display in our class room wishing we'd made one as good as that!
Oz :)
 
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