Saddle for a TB - recommendations please

[BronsonNutter]

For if Wibbles doesn't sell, which is looking likely, especially after his toad impressions of today...

Anyway, his saddle doesn't seem to fit him anymore. I've tried various arrangements of pads, but he just isn't happy with it - without the riser it sits too low and slides forward, but with it it is too tight. His back is fine as far as I can tell before riding, but is tighter round the withers after riding. No bucking/broncing etc, but doesn't want to loosen up over his back Flocking can't be adjusted because it has latex panels...

So we're back to using Bronson's ancient wonder-saddle (complete with 15.5-16" seat ) but that's not ideal either, especially seeing as Mum may be taking him on and it's a bit small for her

So does anyone have any recommendations of a 16.5-17" saddle? Either dressage or CC, cannot stand GPs 'His' saddle is a medium and I think Bronson's is either a MN or a N, he has some wither (but not masses of it) but the main problem seems to be that his back slopes slightly upwards, which causes the majority of saddles to push down behind his withers.

 

[JANANI]

For my small TB I use a medium 17'' Ideal Suzannah dressage saddle which I love and a 17'' medium Albion SLK jumping saddle.

HTH

 

[soloequestrian]

Look at Balance International - lovely, horse-friendly saddles.

 

[Lolo]

Reg is a massive fan of his knock-off Albion jumping saddle, aka a Collegiate! It fits him well, although it still needs a small amount of padding at the back but so did every saddle that was placed on his back. For dressage, he's in a Cliff Barnsby thing which isn't perfect, but fits with a back riser pad. The McTimoney practitioner who checks him over is really pleased with how he is in his back atm so it does seem to be doing the trick! Didn't cost a fortune either

On a different note, have you considered loaning him? We can never buy horses outright as we couldn't afford anything over about £600, but if you offer him for loan you can get the keen PC members like my sister who don't mind the slightly more challenging yet talented horses!

 

[BronsonNutter]

The Ideal saddles look good - if not the 'suzannah', more the 'jessica' one, as it looks less stuffed in the panels. Will have to see if I could find one second hand to try.

Unfortunately there aren't any Balance saddle fitters that near to me, does sound interesting but I can't find any front-on photos of the saddles on the website to see what this U-shaped thing is all about...

Lolo, we must have the opposite problem - Wibbles has a front riser, think if I added a rear riser it'd just slide down over his ears I would consider loaning to the right people who would look after him and bring him on correctly, but I won't really be in a position to have him back over the next five years. Al doesn't want a second horse, does she?

 

[LBertie Wooster]

Ideals suit Bert really well! He's in an Ideal GP but more jumping cut with deep seat for DR. Friend lent me her Ideal MonoFlap for him for about 2weeks and fitted him perfectly! Fits all her TB's and all the ones on the racing yard she works at I'm going to try and stick to Ideal with Bert and they fit him really well.

 

[BronsonNutter]

Hacked him out in the Ancient Wonder Saddle today, and there was no slippage or grumping for the girth (he grumped when I first brought it near him, but I think that's probably remembered pain...) so big improvement However, it is tiny and I daren't jump in it - think knees well over the saddle flaps - but will be fine for stressage as I can lengthen my stirrups right down in it.

Had forgotten how much I loved that saddle! Will have a hunt about for an Ideal CC if he stays though, but at least I now have something for people to try him in (providing they don't have large derrieres, else they won't fit...)

 

[jacksmum]

I had Ideals for both my TB's. Both the Jessica and the Suzanna which i absolutely loved and was gutted when i had to sell it.

 

[Bubblegum]

I have 3 TB's ...all different TB shapes. I am very lucky to have a very experienced & well respected saddle fitter.
She does not sell saddles...so has no agenda, but all my boys have albion saddles. Jumping & dressage.
When we had ponies she advised on totally different saddles , so I know she doesn't have aan albion ' fetish'!!!

 

[wench]

Symonds saddle. I have a gp one that fitted my 13yo NH type 16.3 tb; with altering the padding slighty it also fits my 16 hh flat type 3 YO mare!

 

[Firewell]

Black country do nice saddles for TB's as they do gusset panels and drop panels. They are made to measure if you get a new one .
My last TB couldn't be ridden in an albion or ideal as they just did not suit her shape, current TB would not suit an albion either as the albion K2 jump sat on his shoulders, as did the GP albion as well actually.
I would get a saddler out if I was you, I was told by one saddler that if you guessed what would suit your horse and say bought a saddle off ebay theres only a 10% chance it will fit :/

 

[Whoopit]

I've got a Charles Mountford - it's perfect and he's only young so got plenty of filling out to do. With any luck it'll last him his lifetime.

You can't buy them new anymore so you would be looking at used if you can even find one!

 

[BronsonNutter]

We seem to be in a bit of dry patch for good saddle fitters - having had one made to measure that slipped horrifically (forwards and also from side-to-side at the back) aswell as swamping me completely from a saddlery that I previously trusted, I'm a bit wary of going back there Another will just plonk any old saddle on and claim that it fits, and the third place only fitted brand new saddles last time I checked (which would be alright, except they're all albions, jaguars etc - makes that cost more than either of my horses ). But I shall do some more hunting about further afield...

Anyone recommend any fitters in the nottinghamshire/south yorkshire/derbyshire area?


Wench, were both of yours quite high withered? Wibs doesn't have masses but because his back slopes upwards things tend to press down on the wither area - would the symmonds kind suit that shape?