Pony saddle for small child (6yr) recommendation

[Horses24-7]

Hi all

Can anyone recommend a good reasonably priced pony saddle for my daughters 11'2 pony, the prob I've got us she likes to ride quite long and her current saddle seems to have the stirrup bars too far forward. Without stirrups she rides beautifully but as soon as she takes them up it forced her into an arm chair position. Her current one is a Walsall made gp. Obviously I will have it fitted etc but just want to have a look at some makes etc.

Thanks all

 

[Bryndu]

Hi,
Have a look at the Ideal working hunter.....fits all types of pone...I have one ona a Sec A and you can ride long or short.....very comfy for horse and rider.
Best of luck
Bryndu

 

[Littlelegs]

Pony pad? They're great for position. We have an 11.1, who is a 14.5 max & has no withers at all. I found all the saddles that didn't cost a fortune & fitted pony had awful placed stirrup bars. So we've stuck with the pony pad. We have an old saddle we use for when pony pad against rules, but tbh except for jumping it doesn't fit daughter to my standards. Assuming child is average weight for age ponypads are fine for jumping & galloping in too.

 

[sbloom]

I specialise in fitting ponies and would say that you need to start with a selection of saddles that will fit the pony - there is so little choice, and even less that fits WELL. Are you sure it's not a saddle fit issue like the saddle being too low at the back? Too many pony saddles are either wholly perched, or, if close contact, too low at the back, look at so many little showing riders sitting in chair seats!

A WH may work but I find that actually a good GP will put the child in a decent position if the right saddle for the pony - you will need to have a few to try and see what helps her sit best but I'd put money on it being more about how it fits the pony, Welsh As can be tricky.

 

[Littlelegs]

I see what you're saying sbloom re saddle fitting properly. But I find quite often with my daughter its simply that the deepest part of the saddle is too far back for a slightly built young child. So saddle can be perfect for an average 9yr old, or a stockier 6/7yr old. But for a slight one, they can be too big, even at 14.5". And I know all too well 14" ones to fit witherless ponies are like hens teeth!

 

[Shay]

Start with a saddler with a good range for small ponies - you should be able to get reccommendations on here. Make sure they are able to attend with at least 3 or 5, if not more, of more or less the right size. The saddle needs to fit the pony slightly more than it needs to fit the child!

From personal experience - Barnsby Pony Club Range are good. but that was for my sets of small ponies - not yours!

 

[Pinkvboots]

Op I have pmd you

 

[sbloom]

I see what you're saying sbloom re saddle fitting properly. But I find quite often with my daughter its simply that the deepest part of the saddle is too far back for a slightly built young child. So saddle can be perfect for an average 9yr old, or a stockier 6/7yr old. But for a slight one, they can be too big, even at 14.5". And I know all too well 14" ones to fit witherless ponies are like hens teeth!

I have seen what you mean, I find a certain brand of part synthetic saddle has the deepest part of the seat weirdly far back, and so many showing saddles are that way. We nearly always have at least a couple of 14" saddles in stock though I more commonly fit 15" and up, I fit a few 14" a year and indeed custom made a 13" WH for a tricky, croup high Shettie last month. We now have to find a solution for the rider's other bigger pony - the 15" GP is just too long in the flaps for this 6 year old so we're currently deciding between a smaller jump saddle or a slightly smaller GP with custom shorter flaps.

Start with a saddler with a good range for small ponies - you should be able to get reccommendations on here. Make sure they are able to attend with at least 3 or 5, if not more, of more or less the right size. The saddle needs to fit the pony slightly more than it needs to fit the child!

From personal experience - Barnsby Pony Club Range are good. but that was for my sets of small ponies - not yours!

I belive there is just one Pony Club saddle so only one tree as standard, though obviously as a bench made saddle they could put it on different trees in theory. They fit some ponies but not all. And even I could not bring out 5 saddles for every 14-15" fit though some may warrant it, but I never need to. We fit almost all ponies with a range of two trees over 7 models - 1 jump, 1 WH, 3 GPs and 2 show saddles, so you can see how I'd not end up bringing that many out unless the owner really didn't care what style of saddle it was . Even 14" saddles is such a small market that we don't hold that much stock and will commonly bring out mainly 15"s and go from there.