Saddle fit for unbacked pony

[Z3bby]

Starting to think about saddles for my 3yo.
I have a saddle for him but I’m not convinced on it’s fitting, he isn’t backed, most he’s had is saddle on and girthed up (which he is completely unbothered by).

Is it worth getting a saddle fitter out even though he can’t be fitted ridden?

He is a little chunky coblet so I’m preparing for a lifetime of expense on saddle fittings regardless

Thanks!

 

[J&S]

Personally I think the first saddling/saddled experience should be as good as it can get. You will be sitting on him soon enough so no point having to change again for that. I would suggest a treeless, I think many people start that way, but with a chunky round pony you might get slipping and that will be off putting.

 

[millitiger]

If you aren't confident buying 2nd hand and fitting yourself, definitely get a saddler out, particularly if you aren't sure on current set up.

 

[Z3bby]

If you aren't confident buying 2nd hand and fitting yourself, definitely get a saddler out, particularly if you aren't sure on current set up.

I’m not, I don’t have the experience, I can tell if it doesn’t look right but last thing I want is to damage his back or make his early riding experiences painful or uncomfortable.

This is what I am leaning towards I’m in no rush to get on him so i think I’ll sell the other saddle as it will be way too wide for the other one anyway, spend this summer building up his muscles and loads of groundwork then get a saddle fitter out in autumn/winter.

 

[Caol Ila]

Been there. I was and am reluctant to pay big bucks to fit a saddle to a not backed/newly backed young horse.

Here's what I did. I first backed my youngster in a bareback pad and initially rode her away in it. When I started doing slightly longer hacks, I tried out my other horse's treeless saddle on her. Thought she might appreciate the improved weight distribution of a saddle, if it fitted. Before she was ridden, this saddle didn't look great, but after she had built up a little muscle being ridden in the bareback pad, the saddle was copacetic. It now fits her better than it fits my older horse!

This requires (a) you having some faith that your youngster won't do anything too crazy when you first ride them and (b) you having a bit more faith that your butt is made of velcro should they do anything stupid.

 

[Quigleyandme]

A treeless saddle such as a Solution Smart Saddle should last your pony a lifetime albeit with adjustments to the shimming along the way. They feel like a conventional saddle to ride in. If you do go that route there are accredited fitters all over the UK I believe and second hand freely available.

 

[maya2008]

They change shape A LOT in the first year of being backed and most especially in the first few months. Literally a saddle can fit for only 3-4 weeks at a time before needing adjustment at that stage. I back treeless and ride for the first 6 months at least (usually a few years) in that before getting a treed saddle. Your alternate option would be something with a changeable gullet, but even so they change so much that sometimes it’s a new tree shape you need not a new width!

For now, your best bet is to find a really good saddle fitter locally who charges fees you can afford regularly and has a good selection of second hand saddles (or is happy to recommend a make/model and let you find it on eBay). Also, watch the many videos on YouTube that explain saddle fit, then talk about how to tell when it’s no longer fitting with your saddler, so you can call them to come out before there is a major problem.

 

[sbloom]

I always recommend getting a decent fit from the off, clearly it can only be a static fit, and I'd recommend then having a ridden fit shortly afterwards once the horse is more established in trot and a full ridden fitting can be done. Using a wideish flattish saddle (relative to the shape of horse) and a shim pad is likely to be a good way to go. Some fitters offer remote help for this too.

 

[4Hoofed]

Personally I would have a fitter out.

It needs to fit I think for everyone’s sakes. I was confident enough going the second hand route (have done for years now ) but if I wasn’t it I wasn’t confident it was right I wouldn’t hesitate to get a fitter out.

You don’t want a bad experience for them, but also you want something secure and comfortable for yourself. I backed the big lad in a jumping saddle that fit, I was happy should he take it upon himself to throw any interesting shapes that the saddle wouldn’t be slipping about and I fit the saddle so would be able to sit quietly and ride it out. He didn’t but I do think when your backing you need to set yourself up for success in every aspect

I say this as I’m waiting for his 5th saddle to arrive from ebay as he has rapidly matured and turned into a unit