Saddle for Fell Pony

J

Jamie-lee

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28 June 2012
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Hi all,

Just wondered if any of you have Fells and if so what saddle you use as I am told they are not that easy to fit.

Obviously I realise that not all fit all but as a general pointer towards what shape tree is the best fit.

Thanks
 
Try comfort saddles, they are on facebook and on youtube. Based i think in devon but travel to all parts of the country at certain times of the month. Fitted my dales x who is off the richter scale wide.
 
I've got an ideal working hunter saddle on mine, before that he had an older ideal when I broke him in. ONly alteration has been a 4th girth strap, like a balance strap to anchor the saddle a bit more as it was moving forwards slightly. REally like ideals fit me and him and are good quality.
 
Hi Jamie Lee

Fells are really flat compared even to some other native breeds - I commonly fit them with our flattest treed showing or GP saddle depending on what the owner wants to do with the pony. The tree should usually not be too wide in the head or the seat as they don't have the chunkiest of spines, but should be flat from front to back with flat semi-close contact panels and ideally four girthing straps to choose from. Obviously they can vary but that is usually how I fit them. Dales generally have slightly curvier backs and have more choice in saddling even if they can be wider.

I used to work for the people that run the company in Devon mentioned above and chose to go elsewhere for many good reasons.
 
I've had two Fells here, both fitted in Ideal H&C saddles, one in wide and one xxx wide. No issues with either saddle. :)
 
My fell has an old wintec with the widest gullet in. I was sceptical about buying him a saddle as previous owner said he was unridable but got this one at my saddlers suggestion and its fine. And pony was perfectly ridable too! On his terms of course:)
 
Hi,

Thanks for your replies - Saddles can be such a minefield. I am currently riding in a Jeremy Rudge close contact which seems to fit well but feels a bit "wobbly" (or maybe me just feeling like that!!!!) The pony seems happy and is going well at the moment - although we are taking it slowly as we are both unfit. I just have a niggle in the back of my mind that the saddle comes very close to the last rib and feel that maybe something straighter cut and maybe a size smaller might be better...... although I may not fit anything smaller!!!
 
As said mine is a dales cross who is flat backed, could lay a dinner placing for one on his back, including the salt pepper and glass of water. The widest wintec and thorowgood stopped fitting him 5/6 years ago.
 
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