Saddle for high withered horse

[Crazy_Caz]

I have just bought a gorgeous 16.3 Hannoverian gelding without tack.... so I organised a saddle fitting with our local saddler and today went along despite the weather....

He fitted the most gorgeous saddle and I rode up and down and we decided it was perfect! except the price £975.00!!!!!

so as I could not afford it asked him to look out for a 2nd hand one.... but my query is surely there are other makes of saddle out there suitable for him other than this one.... I know he is a narrow fit and high withered but there must be a synthetic out there I can look out for that is cheaper than £975!!!! (and this saddle was reduced from £1,275.00!!!)

Any help or advice appreciated..

 

[Keltic]

My 16.2hh tb took a 17" narrow high withered, i eventually found a GP/VSD made by M&J saddlery it is very nice mid ranged priced saddle, mine was 2nd hand only a few months old and less than £400..

 

[Chumsmum]

What make/type of saddle was it that fitted him?

Maybe someone on here knows of a second hand one for sale

 

[Crazy_Caz]

Well it was a Barnsby.... and the saddle that I could have bought with him was a Isobel Werth Wintec Dressage saddle....

 

[hellybelly6]

Throwgood do a highwither saddle.

 

[KatB]

Why not get one of the Isabel Werth Wintec saddles then?!!

Nowhere near to price tag you mention?!

 

[Chumsmum]

Might be worth looking at this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Black-Cliff-Barnsb...id=p3286.c0.m14

Didn't you like the synthetic one you could have bought with him?

 

[LadyLuck1]

Do you know which model of Cliff BArnsby your were fitted with?

 

[Crazy_Caz]

No not sure which Barnsby it was....

Yep spoke to old owner who confirmed old saddle on Ebay.... so I go on Ebay and someone has done a buy it now with saddle.... cant believe it.....

Hopefully she will still sell it to me... but it was a dressage saddle and I want a GP... although have been looking at the Wintec isobel Werth saddles and they are a lot cheaper than what I was quoted with....

Might speak to Thorowgood and Black Country.....


Out of all the saddles in the UK cannot believe there is only one that wil fit him./..

 

[CBAnglo]

Barnsbys are good saddles. I would be concerned fitting a 16.3hh horse with a narrow though - does he have any muscle wastage thus making withers appear than they really are?

Isabelles are nice and put you in a good position but it does depend on the horse.

If he needs topline I would look at an adjustable saddle for now. As someone has already mentioned Thorowgoods have fish inserts and depending on the model an adjustable gullet. Other adjustable saddles (but more expensive) are Saddle Company and Kieffers.

 

[Crazy_Caz]

Hi

Yes that was my initial concern.... the horse has been out of work for a while and definately has muscle wastage.... so once he started to work and fill out the saddle would have to be adjusted.... he does stock Thorowgoods but he said he had nothing to fit him as he was so narrow....I will poss need to look at another saddler....

 

[Coffee_Bean]

My keiffer fits my high withered girl with a prolite wither pad.

 

[CBAnglo]

to be honest i wouldnt fit a 16.3hh with anything narrower than a wide. if your horse is a genuine narrow then in my opinion he doesnt have the back muscles to support a rider. i would lunge/longrein to get some topline then i would only be walking him out.

sounds like you need something that is adjustable. flocking on standard saddles can be adjusted by rarely more than 1/2 fitting otherwise you affect the balance of the saddle. perhaps see if another saddler can bring you a different selection after lunging for a month but i think you will find he will be changing shape frequently.

 

[KatB]

[ QUOTE ]
to be honest i wouldnt fit a 16.3hh with anything narrower than a wide

[/ QUOTE ]

What a strange comment!?!! 16.3hh horses can easily be a medium fitting?!! What about tall TB's, they wouldnt be a wide?! I agree narrow fit wouldnt be sensible for this horse by the sounds of things, but sorry really dont get your comment at all!!!

 

[Nickijem]

My high withered Trakehner is a medium fit. I found a very nice 'Black Country' saddle that was specifically made for high withered horses. It was £400 second hand and in great condition.

 

[Crazy_Caz]

Well this horse had already been walked out and is now fit and ready for riding... which was happening by previous owner ( I have daily contact with them) so am now contacting a different saddler who deals in synthetic saddles because I have no doubt he is gonna shape a few times......