Saddle Fitting an Irish Draft

[Cbffamily]

Hi, I am interested in people's experience finding a saddle that fits their high withered, large shouldered Irish Draft. My current saddle (professionally fitted) seems to move left to right in the seat area, you can see the friction marks on the hair. He has some muscle atrophy behind the wither. I have been advised by a professional fitter who has visited, to try a 17.5' GP kent and masters medium wide. When I look at these they seem to look very much the same as my existing saddle. There seems to be quite a bit of saddle on the knee roll area (I believe called forward cut) which I would imagine could interfere with his shoulder. I am interested in people's experiences. Many thanks.

 

[Birker2020]

Mine has similar conformation to yours by the sounds of it. I've heard quite a few noises about possibly seeking a Kent & Masters for my horse who is very high withered too. I have a saddle fit for him tomorrow so I will see what the saddle fitter has and be guided by him but a number of people have said a K&M would be good fit for mine.

I have asked in another post if a Whittaker GP might be suitable too.

 

[irishdraft]

For my ID with muscle wastage around the wither who also had a very big shoulder & a short back I ended up with a dmk wow saddle . This is a jumping saddle but the panels sit on the back & the flaps float over the shoulder so don't interfere with movement . There are several brands which make these now Fairfax, harry Dabbs are a couple .

 

[Xmasha]

Amerigo are very good for high withered & big shouldered neddies.

 

[Ratface]

Completely off topic, but what a lovely coat your horse has!

 

[onemoretime]

Have a look at the Andrea Hicks saddles. They come in lots of width fittings and are designed for wider horses.

 

[Antw23uk]

I ride my ID in a Balance Equinox and its the widest they will go. I use the pad system during the winter if he drops off from lack of work etc. Anyone who suggests a medium anything for an Irish Draught would not be worth my time!

 

[jenni999]

I have an ISH with exactly the same. High wither and big shoulders. I would recommend something with "flex" in the front (if that makes sense). I have a Stubben Zaria (never thought I'd buy a Stubben again) which is amazing for him. I used to be an Albion fan but my K2 jump just wasn't right. Fairfax also worked for my horse (not quite as well as the Stubben) and they are easily adjustable like K&M.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi, I am interested in people's experience finding a saddle that fits their high withered, large shouldered Irish Draft. My current saddle (professionally fitted) seems to move left to right in the seat area, you can see the friction marks on the hair. He has some muscle atrophy behind the wither. I have been advised by a professional fitter who has visited, to try a 17.5' GP kent and masters medium wide. When I look at these they seem to look very much the same as my existing saddle. There seems to be quite a bit of saddle on the knee roll area (I believe called forward cut) which I would imagine could interfere with his shoulder. I am interested in people's experiences. Many thanks.

I have used Falcons, ideal. KIeffer BLAH horrid Now I have a Kent and Masters which is fine.

 

[dixie]

I also use a Jeffries Falcon on my IDx

In fact it’sa very versatile saddle for various types of horses witha bit of a tweak, luckily.

 

[sbloom]

The biggest issues come from horse and rider not being straight, I'm afraid. Then there are saddles that innately allow the back to move (at T10-13, more important than the front of the saddle) and some that might, if on the right shape of horse. High withers and wide backs aren't the easiest, but often I see that the saddle is being fitted too far forwards anyway, and if further back it wouldn't need to have such a curvy tree.

For muscle atrophy (and if a horse is atrophied it's ALWAYS crooked by definition) the best route is a good rehab/groundwork trainer and put off riding. Then find a good remedial saddle fitter with sympathetic brands which may or may not be the types of brands you find with local fitters and tack shops. Perhaps let us know where you are and people might be able to recommend a good remedial fitter, that is the key.

I fit for AH Saddles, there's a chance one or two models might fit but they're not really for higher withered horses in the main, a used one well shimmed up might be a good option once you're doing ridden rehab, wider flatter trees can be really useful for that, and in your situation a remedial temporary saddle would be a good option. He's going to change shape a lot, and if he doesn't then you're not improving him (obv )

I should also say that it's nigh on impossible for a non-saddle fitter, even sometimes a fitter, to really know what shape a saddle is and therefore to decide two saddles are basically the same. A forwards flap isn't half the problem people think it is, but with a crooked horse it can make slipping worse. Get him straight and well muscled, and use a saddle that truly gives him space to move under the stirrup bars. Not all do.

We've had discussions on K&M on here many times, have a read through from the search function top right.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I can't imagine an Irish draught fits into a medium wide anything, I would say AH saddles, black country, Lavinia Mitchell or Heritage all have worked on my Arab's who are a xwide and an xxwide.

My flat backed big shouldered arab has to have the saddle girthed up on a point strap and the back strap with a non elastic girth or a girth with elastic both ends, I currently use a flexi girth which works well girths with elastic one end just make the saddle move from side to side.

I really don't like Kent and masters saddles both I have ridden in made me feel perched and not comfortable at all.

I have used ideal saddles and farrington on wide horses both work well and are lovely to ride in.

 

[Birker2020]

Completely off topic, but what a lovely coat your horse has!

Thank you, yes it is very shiny, must be something in the Healthy Hoof and Happy Hoof I alternate between.

 

[Spottyappy]

Ours is in an old Amerigo jumping saddle, too. It was the only one of many we had fitted/tried which was a good fit. The down side of it is, that it cant be adjusted. We do have our Saddler look at it fairly often, to just ensure it is still ok.

 

[TotalMadgeness]

I would suggest Ideal is a make worth investigating too.

 

[ecb89]

I can't imagine an Irish draught fits into a medium wide anything, I would say AH saddles, black country, Lavinia Mitchell or Heritage all have worked on my Arab's who are a xwide and an xxwide.

My flat backed big shouldered arab has to have the saddle girthed up on a point strap and the back strap with a non elastic girth or a girth with elastic both ends, I currently use a flexi girth which works well girths with elastic one end just make the saddle move from side to side.

I really don't like Kent and masters saddles both I have ridden in made me feel perched and not comfortable at all.

I have used ideal saddles and farrington on wide horses both work well and are lovely to ride in.

My ID is a medium width. He has a wide barrel but not a wide back.

 

[Sossigpoker]

If your saddle has been professionally fitted yet it moves and even causes rub marks on the horse , I would urgently seek another professional!

 

[Annagain]

I would suggest Ideal is a make worth investigating too.

Me too. Archie (ID we think but unregistered) and Monty (not ID but very similar build) both had Ideal Events and we've been really lucky that they both fit Charlie (ID) and M's owner's new boy (ID x cob) too.

 

[Cbffamily]

Mine has similar conformation to yours by the sounds of it. I've heard quite a few noises about possibly seeking a Kent & Masters for my horse who is very high withered too. I have a saddle fit for him tomorrow so I will see what the saddle fitter has and be guided by him but a number of people have said a K&M would be good fit for mine.

I have asked in another post if a Whittaker GP might be suitable too.

View attachment 86869

Thank you, yes K&M has been recommended for my boy. Good luck

 

[Cbffamily]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I am in Hampshire, can anyone recommend a remedial saddle fitter for an Irish Draft. The recent advice I have from a professional who has seen him is a Kent & Masters medium wide. I am questioning that width now after your replies.

 

[windand rain]

My livery was recommended a kent and masters too it neither hit nor missed when tried on it was dreadful the flaps stuck out from the shoulder, She has had a different fitter and now has a black country a highland pony so wide but no wither

 

[Cbffamily]

The biggest issues come from horse and rider not being straight, I'm afraid. Then there are saddles that innately allow the back to move (at T10-13, more important than the front of the saddle) and some that might, if on the right shape of horse. High withers and wide backs aren't the easiest, but often I see that the saddle is being fitted too far forwards anyway, and if further back it wouldn't need to have such a curvy tree.

For muscle atrophy (and if a horse is atrophied it's ALWAYS crooked by definition) the best route is a good rehab/groundwork trainer and put off riding. Then find a good remedial saddle fitter with sympathetic brands which may or may not be the types of brands you find with local fitters and tack shops. Perhaps let us know where you are and people might be able to recommend a good remedial fitter, that is the key.

I fit for AH Saddles, there's a chance one or two models might fit but they're not really for higher withered horses in the main, a used one well shimmed up might be a good option once you're doing ridden rehab, wider flatter trees can be really useful for that, and in your situation a remedial temporary saddle would be a good option. He's going to change shape a lot, and if he doesn't then you're not improving him (obv )

I should also say that it's nigh on impossible for a non-saddle fitter, even sometimes a fitter, to really know what shape a saddle is and therefore to decide two saddles are basically the same. A forwards flap isn't half the problem people think it is, but with a crooked horse it can make slipping worse. Get him straight and well muscled, and use a saddle that truly gives him space to move under the stirrup bars. Not all do.

We've had discussions on K&M on here many times, have a read through from the search function top right.

Thank you SBloom, yes indeed we are both crooked! I am in Hampshire, so have asked if anyone can make a recommendation for a fitter for an ID. I am sure things aren't right, even though two professional fitters have said the saddle fits. He bronked me twice last summer, hence why I had a second opinion since.

 

[sbloom]

Thank you SBloom, yes indeed we are both crooked! I am in Hampshire, so have asked if anyone can make a recommendation for a fitter for an ID. I am sure things aren't right, even though two professional fitters have said the saddle fits. He bronked me twice last summer, hence why I had a second opinion since.

Are you working on both of you? Something like groundwork for the horse (easier without carrying the weight of a rider) and a dedicated off-horse programme for you, a Pilates class once a week is better than nothing but doesn't make much difference.

Otherwise the next saddle fitter has the same challenge. Crooked horses are much more likely to break, and without a straight rider a horse will always be crooked

 

[Tiddlypom]

The ID breeder and HHOer that I bought my IDx from had a range of saddles to fit her numerous horses. A fair few were MW fit. IIRC most were Albions.

The saddle fitter that I now use is extremely highly qualified and well thought of, but is in N.Wales, so too far for the OP. My IDx, who is built like a brick outhouse, is a genuine MW. Her Fairfax classic GPD fits her like a dream, and much better than her former Ideal event GP. What she does have is a wide backbone - so many saddles have too narrow a channel to accommodate this.

Excuse my numnah, which wasn't the best shape for this saddle and has since been changed, but this was taken on the day the Fairfax was supplied and fitted in MW. It's a 17.5", which is all she can take but it fits me too, although I'm tall. Most importantly, the horse is super happy in it.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I am in Hampshire, can anyone recommend a remedial saddle fitter for an Irish Draft. The recent advice I have from a professional who has seen him is a Kent & Masters medium wide. I am questioning that width now after your replies.

I've messaged you

 

[Cecilrides]

I've messaged you

hi, sorry to jump on this post, but I am also in Hampshire with a draughty ISH and am struggling to find a saddle for him, would be interested to hear a fitter recommendation if possible please.

 

[Sossigpoker]

hi, sorry to jump on this post, but I am also in Hampshire with a draughty ISH and am struggling to find a saddle for him, would be interested to hear a fitter recommendation if possible please.

Hi I messaged you too