pictures of my hard to saddle mare !

I know it is a nightmare isn't it? Joe is pretty good at getting you sorted though, it just takes ages because he talks so much! :D:D Hopefully he'll get something in suitable.:)
 
horseandshoes77 said:
.as this saddle fitting /trying is getting expensive..iv spent nearly 300 on saddle fitters and still have no saddle !! At this rate i wont be able to afford a saddle !
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Seriously I'd try an original Solution then. You can get a saddle fitting done for about £50 to get the feel and find the one you like, and then pick up a second hand one (plenty on ebay) for a fraction of the new price. I source loads of them for clients (I don't work for Solution) and none of them would go back to a treed saddle. Barefoot saddles are nothing like Solution :) They are really cost effective because as your horse develops and changes shape, or even changes with the seasons, you can fit your saddle to suit her.
 
Is there any fitters near me? and what kind of price just looked on ebay at solution saddles and they 800 up ! i,d give anything a go but at min im 300 quid down out of a 700 budget so im beginning to think bareback will shortly be my only option lol
 
Have a look on the Solutions website or better still go on the Facebook "Unofficial Solution Saddles" page where there are lots of people who can offer advice and probably someone near you who can do a fitting, and plenty of people offering 2nd hand saddles for sale. Or if you want any other info or advice feel free to pm me :)
 
I have a similar shaped horse, so am interested in this post. She had an Ideal saddle in her last home but it didn't come with her. So looking for a suitable saddle as well, our saddler is coming soon.
 
Yours has exactly the back conformation that mine has although I have to find even smaller and has been incredibly hard to fit.

Dont go down the barnsby route as the trees are too curved, also harry dabbs, forester, hawk event, the albions i tried, the new gfs are also too curved although the VSD looks okay but cant find a small one.

I have been told that close contacts are best bet for back conformation like yours and mine. I have now found literally the perfect fit saddle but as its a jump im still searching for a gp/wh.

I have ended up with a Townfields CC jump saddle which I had never heard of before but fits like a glove and seems good so far.

Also on some saddles the panels are back from the cantle so the effective area of pressure of the saddle would be less, if you find one like this you may well manage 17.5 which is what has happened with my saddle, as pony only fits 16.5 but has a 17 for this reason.
 
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The Ginger Ninja was a TOTAL nightmare to fit. Nothing worked. I tried The Saddle Company in desperation and they made something to fit his shape and he has gone from strength to strength since I have had it. They are inexpensive, and you can have the tree made to whatever shape you need and they expand to fit your horse. Obviously they will not suit every horse as no saddle will but as they can be made to measure for not alot of money, they are worth a try.

As an idea, my brand new made-to-measure cost me £625 and that included 2 callouts. Its synthetic with leather on top so looks like a normal saddle but weighs about a third of one! Good luck :)
 
i have one in an ideal close contact event it fits her like a glove but she is much wider and flatter than yours looks in your photos.
kent and marshal have been recommended for a welsh c at our yard and your mare looks similar to him, both the saddle fitters i use say they are good saddles for the price (£650)
or as she is young go for a bates cair system that is a good fit now and then sell it on as she matures-one thing that i like about these for the youngsters is that they are so light
if she is only 4 you could look at changing 3-4 times before she finishes growing if you want to be careful with her saddles
 
Close contacts are fine for everyday use ive been but obviously you want to keep a closer eye on them as you have less between you and the horse, wool flocked close contacts especially but the foam ones are good as any saddle produces pressure over the back, the foam allows for good distribution as no lumps/bumps. Also as they are pretty much the only saddles which are a good fit, as she is not wide over the back unlike a native so dosnt fit the typical native saddles.
Bates are no good as said as ive tried one on mine and they are way to curved, having had a look at the saddle company ones I didnt think the panels would be right for mines back but could be for yours.
Even though shes not a native have a look at native pony saddle company as they look like they would do the trick, also look for a narrow seat as wide seated saddles just dont fit.
 
ok barnsby was a much better fit than others but still rocked a little altho saddle borrowed was a little too narrow i could see flatter trees are def better, so are ideal saddles flatter than barnsby or would i be wasting my time,?

also only tried normal thorowgood gp would a cob one maybe be flatter with the extra width ?

oh im starting to despair lol
 
I'd stick with Ideal to be honest, when Joe Thompson saw my mare it was with a lot of sucking at his teeth and raised eyebrows (she is difficult to fit to say the least,) :D He sorted us out no problems although I did buy new, but I'm sure he'll be able to sort you out or at least recommend what will be best.
 
Thanks touchstone...well im ringing tomoz for hopefully a weekday visit now instead of weekend (hes showing weather permitting)... im just hoping hes got something suitable second hand, its just so frustrating, altho popped round on her bareback today just walking and god its 20 years since i rode bareback...iv definately got stiffer and more creaky lol

Out of curiosity does anyone know if gfs are any good and are they flattish treed ?

thanks:)
 
She's just like my daughter's mare - no wither extra wide. My daughter's pony has an extra wide GP Barnsby with more stuffing removed. I hope this helps. A very hard shape to fit. She also uses a limpet pad - to stop slipping and to absorb some impact as the stuffing is so sparse. :)
 
it depends on what model the barnsby was, the more modern ones are much flatter treed generally, mine is the vss jump which is designed for horses with straight backs that slop away.
 
Big brands like Ideal and Barnsby make saddles of all shape and sizes so I think anyone writing them off on the basis of their saddle fitting experience or worse, one saddle thy tried, isn't helpful.

I think you will need a tree that is flat from front to back but not too wide across the seat etc. A saddle that lifts at the back when it is already too narrow (and please assess tree width, not clearance, if you don't know how to do this feel free to come back and ask, clearance is influenced by a number of factors only one of which is width of tree) is definitely too curvy.

I fit for Native Pony & Cob Saddles Ltd and if you're on the hunt second hand then our M&M GP on a pdn tree might work - the pdn should be stamped on the sweat flap, it's flatter than the regular tree, though the regular tree might be worth a try as well. Our saddles are found most often on PreLoved, Horsegossip and ebay in my experience - we hardly get any traded in so I can't help a lot!
 
Rowreach said:
I jump in mine and use them on everything from backers to advanced, which makes treeless a very cost effective way to go. I use Solution saddles (the original ones, not the SMART). They would definitely suit your horse.
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Same. I've hunted in mine, over big hedges in Quorn country and jumpied 1m 40 at home. Never had any issues, I was the biggest cynic, but am converted now. Well worth considering.
 
Thanks sbloom will have a look as still on the search,

ive read up a lot on treeless and tbh its not something i want to do i think its the same as bitless bridles they work for some but not others....not nocking them if they work for you great.

pixie your probably right as it was an older version i tried but sadly only one i could try for free, got one more fitting so hope saddler may have one i can try and see.

Really appreciate all the info :)
 
horseandshoes77 said:
Thanks sbloom will have a look as still on the search,

ive read up a lot on treeless and tbh its not something i want to do i think its the same as bitless bridles they work for some but not others....not nocking them if they work for you great.

pixie your probably right as it was an older version i tried but sadly only one i could try for free, got one more fitting so hope saddler may have one i can try and see.

Really appreciate all the info :)
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Fair enough. I was of very much the same opinion until I ran out of options and agreed to a trial. The difference in my horse was blaringly obvious.
 
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