Saddle fit

[Cluelessblonde]

Hi all,

I am in the back of beyonds with a 3 year old Irish draught.

I can't travel atm to saddle fit but I have watched a lot of fitting videos. I am aware that saddle fitting should be done by a professional. Disclaimer out of the way.

I have measured my 3 year old with thorowgood however she's in the largest width size with a regular wither. Should I go ahead or do u think I should look at other options that I could get a wider gullet with in the future? I don't have loads of cash to burn getting a new saddle every 3 months so trying my best here to have a comfy horse and be able to keep food on the table. Advice greatly appreciatd.

 

[Equi]

I’ve always found saddlers generally come to me I’ve never had to travel to one.

3yo will change shape and size considerably over the next few years. It’s very likely they will get wider when the muscles start to build up so I don’t think getting a saddle you can’t go any larger on will suit, but the shape of the tree is just as important as the gullet width and TG may not suit her back shape.

 

[Cluelessblonde]

I’ve always found saddlers generally come to me I’ve never had to travel to one.

3yo will change shape and size considerably over the next few years. It’s very likely they will get wider when the muscles start to build up so I don’t think getting a saddle you can’t go any larger on will suit, but the shape of the tree is just as important as the gullet width and TG may not suit her back shape.

I'm think the monarch may suit better. Saddle fit is definitely the worse bit of a young horse imo. I plan on buying from a saddle shop with a trial so I can check everything else too but ideas on brand that generally fit is the starting point. I don't mind buying new but I just need a good starting point.

 

[Goldenstar]

Get a saddle fitter to come to you .
I would choose one who sells used as well as new saddles and I would try to get one with an adjustable gullet .
I think that trading in saddles in almost inequitable when you start with an unpacked horse .
So what you need is a saddle that fits you both that you can trade back in if necessary without losing a fortune .
I would be looking at a GP saddle that allows you to get into a stable jumping position that should keep you going for a while .

 

[asmp]

Or find a master saddler like ours, who will come on look and measure your horse and tell you what make, model and size needed to fit you and your horse to (Without selling you one that they happen to have in their van). Once you’ve managed to find one, they’ll then come back out and adjust to fit.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Or find a master saddler like ours, who will come on look and measure your horse and tell you what make, model and size needed to fit you and your horse to (Without selling you one that they happen to have in their van). Once you’ve managed to find one, they’ll then come back out and adjust to fit.

Is that an ok thing to do? I’m always so tempted but a bit scared to ask incase it’s rude!!

 

[Cluelessblonde]

Or find a master saddler like ours, who will come on look and measure your horse and tell you what make, model and size needed to fit you and your horse to (Without selling you one that they happen to have in their van). Once you’ve managed to find one, they’ll then come back out and adjust to fit.

Master saddle fitter is 4 hours away. Travel costs are 300 euro. I can't bring her to them at the moment so that's why I completely nerded up 5 hours of saddle fitting videos and discussed at length with them what they would suggest. They suggested a thorowgood but she's is at the widest setting per the website

 

[Cluelessblonde]

Is that an ok thing to do? I’m always so tempted but a bit scared to ask incase it’s rude!!

You pay them to look.

 

[poiuytrewq]

You pay them to look.

Yeah I supposed that, I was just always a bit nervous to ask. My local saddler has a good supply but they are a good third more expensive than I could get elsewhere so I’ve always been tempted.
Thanks

 

[Lou27]

Is that an ok thing to do? I’m always so tempted but a bit scared to ask incase it’s rude!!

Same ?

 

[Cluelessblonde]

Yeah I supposed that, I was just always a bit nervous to ask. My local saddler has a good supply but they are a good third more expensive than I could get elsewhere so I’ve always been tempted.
Thanks

Nah I'd ask is it something they do? Worse they say is no

 

[asmp]

Yeah I supposed that, I was just always a bit nervous to ask. My local saddler has a good supply but they are a good third more expensive than I could get elsewhere so I’ve always been tempted.
Thanks

Ours doesn’t sell many second hand saddles so that is why she’s happy to do it. And yes, it is the normal call out price.

 

[ecb89]

I wouldn’t be putting a saddle on a 3 year old ID

 

[irishdraft]

It's difficult to suggest anything without seeing your horse, I'm assuming you want a saddle for backing , when I backed my chunky IDs I use a 2000 wintec on wide red gullet with a prolite pad underneath . This combo lastest for a couple of years but the horses were only doing light work so not on them for long periods of time . Once they were about 6 I had saddles fitted to to them .

 

[sbloom]

Or find a master saddler like ours, who will come on look and measure your horse and tell you what make, model and size needed to fit you and your horse to (Without selling you one that they happen to have in their van). Once you’ve managed to find one, they’ll then come back out and adjust to fit.

Master Saddlers are highly qualified to make saddles, some are qualified in both, and some may be brilliant at fitting saddles even though they have no qualification fitting saddles, but it is not a saddle fitting qualification, though you see "fitted by master saddler" all the time so I know plenty don't realise the difference.

It all depends if you trust the advice you've been given, some people are very experienced at advising from photos, know their saddles inside and out, and the advice will be good, but in all reality a changeable headplate doesn't offer you much more guarantee as the tree and panel shape can't be altered, and any marginally significant change in shape may mean these are now completely wrong. Personally I'd advise a used wooden treed saddles in most cases, I much prefer the choice available, which means a bigger variety in tree shape, and the nature of the panels being a bit more close contact. The feel is very different, with the plastic trees requiring more foam in the seat which means a more remote feel and sometimes perching and rolling.

And yes some fitters will be happy to advise on looking on your own, I certainly do, and charge for the service, some will, some won't, but if you ask then you can't offend.

 

[Cluelessblonde]

Thanks for the suggestions.