Saddle fitting question

[ghostie]

Presuming all goes well with the vetting of my potential new boy (fingers crossed) I need to sort out a saddle for him.

I've been offered an old but good condition saddle to see me through until I buy a new one (having blown the budget totally on the horse) but not sure whether it is likely to fit. I will get a saddler out to check, but as it's a bit of a performance to get the saddle (other end of the country) so I was hoping for some opiniosn as to whether people thought there was any chance of it fitting before I call in some favours to get it to me.

New boy is a 16.2hh TB, current owner has him in a medium width 17.5 inch saddle. Saddle I've been offered belonged to a 16.3hh TB, and is a 18 inch medium width. Do you think the extra half inch will be a problem?

Also, if anyone can recommend a good saddler who will serve north east London that would be amazing - particuarly one that stocks good second hand saddles in case this doesn't fit!

 

[smiffyimp]

In answer to the first bit and extra 1/2" can cause all sorts of problems if your new boys back is shorter than the 16.3 theres no real way of telling TBH, depends on back length, wither build etc- TBs come in all shape and sizes. TBH I wouldnt bother with the hassle, if you buy it and it doesnt fit youll have a nightmare getting rid, not many want 18" saddles and they arent selling well.

As for saddler, Martin Wilkinson will cover your area. I think he's great used him for 15+ years. He does have a huge range of second hand saddles in although he probably isnt the cheapest. Youre prob looking at £4-500 for a decent one, or you can buy a new synthetic for less

 

[ghostie]

Thank you for your help. The one I've been offered would be a free permanent loan (friend of the family has it sitting about with no use) so I would normally snap it up and get the saddler in to check with nothing to lose, but it's just that it's a bit of a hassle to get so I didn't want to go to all the trouble if it was really unlikely to fit.

I know his current owner didn't have his saddle fitted to him as she rides all of hers in it, so I don't actually know if he's a genuine 17.5. Tricky...

Thanks so much for the recommendation, that's really useful

 

[sbloom]

It's impossible to know on a number of counts - tree shape (front to back curve, angle of rails, width of headplate at the top), panel shape (which can massively influence balance from front to back) and seat length (different models measure very differently on the horse's back). Definitely get a fitter - if you can easily borrow saddles to try then great, have a fitter assess them, otherwise just go for the stock they have.

 

[nix206]

In answer to the first bit and extra 1/2" can cause all sorts of problems if your new boys back is shorter than the 16.3 theres no real way of telling TBH, depends on back length, wither build etc- TBs come in all shape and sizes. TBH I wouldnt bother with the hassle, if you buy it and it doesnt fit youll have a nightmare getting rid, not many want 18" saddles and they arent selling well.

As for saddler, Martin Wilkinson will cover your area. I think he's great used him for 15+ years. He does have a huge range of second hand saddles in although he probably isnt the cheapest. Youre prob looking at £4-500 for a decent one, or you can buy a new synthetic for less

Sorry to dissagree but Mr Wilkinson came out to my new horse - dismissed a 17in saddle I already had & sold me a 17 &half in saddle - I struggled for 6months only to have two other saddlers come out & tell me the problem was - IT WAS Half in TOO LONG - so totally unfit for purpose - am now trying to get my money back as he should also, under the Door step traders act 2008 given me a notice of cancellation when he sold the saddle to me - he has since said in an email that he doesn't get involved altering saddles which he hasn't supplied - so knew that I could use the 17in, which I am now doing - WITHOUT any alterations at all!!!!!!