Plus sized Connemara saddle advice needed!

[grhands]

Hi everyone. Long time no see!

Yesterday I put a holding deposit down on the most beautiful 15.3hh Connemara gelding. He’s a stunning lad and 5 years old.

He comes with no tack and obviously he’s a native breed with quite wide shoulders. I’ll be getting him fitted properly for his saddle but I wondered if any experienced owners could recommend something that may be universally better for this breed at this height? He’s still got a bit of filling out to do and muscle to develop over his back, but he seems to have quite high withers as well as being wide over his back and shoulders.

I’ve been out of the saddle for two years due to a cancer diagnosis and losing my last horse in a freak accident. He was a Dutch Warmblood so a very different horse altogether, but my priorities have changed now and safety and fun are more important! I have no experience with buying saddles for this breed and was wondering if one with and adjustable gullet would be the best option or something different altogether.

Any advice would be super appreciated!

Thank-you.

 

[Abacus]

Obviously your saddle fitter will look at the particular horse. For my 15.1 Connemara I have a very simple but comfortable barnsby gp (17”, medium wide) - the sort that seems to fit many horses. I bought it as a stopgap but it has always suited him.

 

[First Frost]

My plus size connie has huge shoulders. He wears a black country GP now that he has retired to just hacking - he's 20. Used to have black country jump and dressage. It is very important to get the right tree if you go that route. Mine has the freedom tree - the native tree didn't work at all. my other connie also wore a black country.

 

[HelenBack]

My Connie is retired now but he looks to be a similar shape to the one you're buying form what I can tell from the photos. I had quite a lot of fun trying to find a saddle that fit him!

His issue was the big shoulders and decent wither but actually not that wide a fit. Lots of saddlers couldn't see that and we ended up with quite a few saddles that were too wide for him. After much trial and error I finished up with a Wow for him and we never looked back. The Wow was actually a fairly straightforward fit so I suspect it might have been more the fitter that did the trick and he could have fitted into other traditional saddles but I'm a Wow convert now anyway.

I did plonk a Thorowgood GP compact on his back last year and to my untrained eye that seemed fine so that could be an option if you want something fairly cheap while he grows up and changes shape.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Not got a Connie but have wide Arab's one is similar to a native in shape, I use Lavinia Mitchell saddles on mine both dressage one is x wide the other is xx wide lovely saddles and work.

I have previously had Black country and Herritage saddles that also worked.

AH saddles are aimed at natives might be worth a look.

 

[Love]

My connie has huge shoulders. The best for him was a Kent and masters cob GP. The tree shape of the cob version is better suited to these types apparently and its more straight cut so no shoulder interference. You can tell if its the cob GP as it has the straight cantle at the back. Knee rolls are removable too so I can whip them out for showing or move them for jumping etc.

 

[sbloom]

I think so much is about the fitter too - there are definitely brands that offer more options, whole ranges for wider/flatter horses, and they're the best place to start for sure, but the fitter needs to be good too. Some fitters who have more experience with natives etc may get great results from more mainstream brands. All depends who you can get out to you.

I will also add this https://stephaniebloomsaddlefitter.co.uk/blog-and-resources/why-cant-saddle-fitters-agree - I would argue that big shoulders often aren't big shoulders, and we need to ask why they're big. If the horse has a lack of muscle behind the saddle, and the top part of the shoulder blade is really pushing up/out, then yes, you may need a straight cut saddle, as a more forward flap has to come OUT away from the horse in order to go forwards. A half pad may be enough to help this but can cause other issues and the saddle must be adjusted to accommodate it. However, this issue is not conformation, it's posture, and we should therefore be looking to improve the horse....in which case they're going to change shape and probably need a different saddle. So choosing a straight cut to benefit the horse should, in so many cases, be part of a temporary/rehab approach to fitting the horse.

 

[moorhillhorses]

we have ours in a bates saddle (there’s a wide range usually for cobs) very smart looking saddle, fits absolutely perfect! He’s very comfy since we got it. It’s adjustable too which is great as he tightens up a bit when we event.
He’s such a broad back and no withers and it doesn’t not move !!

 

[ditsyponies]

Take a look at Fiona Cork Saddles, I bought one for my very wide and flat backed connie two years ago and they are custom made but also adjustable so good for youngsters who are still growing! They have many different styles event/showing/dressage/gp, and are specialist for the wider/native pony. I had three separate saddle fitters out beforehand with many brands of second hand saddles and they either didn't go wide enough, slipped to the side, or rocked due to her flat back. Best of luck with your new horse!

 

[M1lbie]

I have an over height Connie and he has an AH saddle which we are both very happy with. Well worth having a look at them

 

[gallopingby]

Either Fiona Cork or Native Pony would be my first port of call.

 

[Ceriann]

I’m taking delivery of a Fiona Cork GP tomorrow for my overheight Connie. She is smaller than yours and has a more typical low wither, big shoulders and flatish back but I’ve struggled to get a saddle to suit. As with you, her shape is a new challenge so did lots of research on what might suit her better.

 

[Ceriann]

I’m taking delivery of a Fiona Cork GP tomorrow for my overheight Connie. She is smaller than yours and has a more typical low wither, big shoulders and flatish back but I’ve struggled to get a saddle to suit. As with you, her shape is a new challenge so did lots of research on what might suit her better.

Delivered and I can’t explain how much better she moves in it. She’d got sticky to canter and even shooting off in trot (despite original saddle being balanced) - lovely relaxed transitions. I’m sold!

 

[sbloom]

I have an over height Connie and he has an AH saddle which we are both very happy with. Well worth having a look at them

Happy to answer any questions on them, fitted them for 15 years.

 

[smiggy]

Another vote for Fiona cork. I have had three for natives and they are fabulous
Fully m 2 m , fit well and lovely to ride in

 

[whizzer]

Another one advising Fiona Cork, I had a custom made dressage saddle last year for my connie cross. Fabulous saddle & excellent service from them.