Saddle for Section D

[Carrots&Mints]

Just want to pick your brains

Im looking out for a saddle for my wide (possible xwide) section D, looking for a workers style saddle, as I would like a little knee roll to feel safe but not too much as I would like to do some showing.

Budget around £450-£500 max. Will be looking at getting a made to measure when hes older, hes only 5 now so I doubt theres any point now as he is going to get wider!

Which brands/makes should I be looking for?

 

[Crackerz]

I just bought a second hand Fylde Mick for my Sec D - he is the equiv of XXW.
Mine has a suede seat and knee rolls but most are plain leather (i really wanted suede!) It's super comfy and really feels part of him, rather than an extra. I feel very secure in it too on him.

It's a Working Hunter saddle and has changed his way of going for the better in the week i have had it on him.

I am a massive fan of Fylde saddles for wide natives! I have a Samantha on my New Forest

 

[Carrots&Mints]

I just bought a second hand Fylde Mick for my Sec D - he is the equiv of XXW.
Mine has a suede seat and knee rolls but most are plain leather (i really wanted suede!) It's super comfy and really feels part of him, rather than an extra. I feel very secure in it too on him.

It's a Working Hunter saddle and has changed his way of going for the better in the week i have had it on him.

I am a massive fan of Fylde saddles for wide natives! I have a Samantha on my New Forest

Thanks for that, I have been looking at Fylde but heard mixed reviews.

 

[Crackerz]

Thanks for that, I have been looking at Fylde but heard mixed reviews.

Near enough our whole yard of natives are in them and have been for many years

 

[teddypops]

I have a saddle company cob saddle for my now 6 year old. I have it altered as she grows/ changes shape. It's very comfy too!

 

[tabithakat64]

mine's in an Ideal, pony however has a lovely saddle company saddle

 

[Pocketr@cket]

Our gp is Black Country freedom tree and dressage is a standard/classic tree. Both very comfortable saddles and a good choice second hand.

 

[express_75]

I have a comfort seeker on one of mine, fully adjustable by the Saddle Company people.

 

[CleanShavings]

An ideal on a h&c tree are good, also look at cob range of Kent and masters, you can adjust them as he grows, I had the jump saddle on my old sec d and thought that I'd never be able have anything forward cut on him but it fitted beautifully, and still does now 3 years later

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'm treeless on mine: www.treefree.co.uk - their new Tor GP is lovely to ride in and suits my mare well.

 

[SpringArising]

I had a GP GFS on mine and it fitted and looked great. He was a 14.1 Sec D and took it in a M-W.

 

[Wundahorse]

I bought a new Monarch GP for my Section D a while ago. It's so lovely and comfortable. It has adjustable gullets and comes up to extra wide.

 

[sbloom]

Even wooden trees can be adjusted if he gets wider, you just need to find a fitter happy to do it. Personally I'd avoid ultra close contact foam panelled showing saddles, can be quite hard on the horse's back and not so adjustable as flock.

 

[Carrots&Mints]

Even wooden trees can be adjusted if he gets wider, you just need to find a fitter happy to do it. Personally I'd avoid ultra close contact foam panelled showing saddles, can be quite hard on the horse's back and not so adjustable as flock.

The new Fylde Rays are foam? Are the Micks? My friends horse only had a ray for about 3 weeks and it disintegrated the back muscle! Hence why I said I've heard mixed reviews.

 

[Crackerz]

The new Fylde Rays are foam? Are the Micks? My friends horse only had a ray for about 3 weeks and it disintegrated the back muscle! Hence why I said I've heard mixed reviews.

My Mick is flock. My YO's had her Ray for over 10 years with zero issues.

 

[Carrots&Mints]

My Mick is flock. My YO's had her Ray for over 10 years with zero issues.

Yes the old rays are fine, the new ones however the new ones are the foam panels, which were the one that disintegrated friends horses back.

 

[Crackerz]

Yes the old rays are fine, the new ones however the new ones are the foam panels, which were the one that disintegrated friends horses back.

My Samantha presumably has the same foam as the new Rays? I use it daily and have done since 2011 and the NF's back is perfect. I guess they are all different and you perhaps don't know until you can try. I hate bulky saddles though, so will always opt for a closer contact saddle. I have never sat in a GP that i have liked, and I have sat in a lot!

 

[Lambkins]

I hate my fylde saddle.. Owned it since new .. ( 6 years ago) and have ridden in it 10 times ? ( a Samantha)

I love my ideal though

 

[WelshD]

Yes the old rays are fine, the new ones however the new ones are the foam panels, which were the one that disintegrated friends horses back.

I've heard similar and a friends pony has scarring from a foam panelled saddle and although I think the Fylde tack is beautiful I have to say I didnt consider foam padded saddles for my latest saddle purchase

I did a lot of looking around and in the end bought a flocked Native Pony Saddle off ebay, a good investment at £500 and well looked after

(for anyone meeting my husband the saddle was £125 )

 

[Carrots&Mints]

(for anyone meeting my husband the saddle was £125 )

lol!!!

Well im going to look at a couple of Fylde Micks at the weekend, I think its only the ray with the foam panels. Will give Fylde a ring in a min to check that the Micks are definitly flock!

 

[Crackerz]

lol!!!

Well im going to look at a couple of Fylde Micks at the weekend, I think its only the ray with the foam panels. Will give Fylde a ring in a min to check that the Micks are definitly flock!

My Mick is only 2 years old and is definitely flock. Still close contact though
Last night my Sec D had a major melt down because he hates wind, i am very glad i opted for suede as it took 20mins of riding a pony possessed by Satan that spent more time with only 2 legs only the ground than anything else before i could actually get him to knuckle down & work

 

[Carrots&Mints]

My Mick is only 2 years old and is definitely flock. Still close contact though
Last night my Sec D had a major melt down because he hates wind, i am very glad i opted for suede as it took 20mins of riding a pony possessed by Satan that spent more time with only 2 legs only the ground than anything else before i could actually get him to knuckle down & work

Oh god! Well luckily we have an indoor, and mine is a saint (have I just jinxed it?) This ones 12 months old and no suede, as there isnt alot around is there!

Out of intrest what lenght and width is your saddle for your D?

 

[sbloom]

The Ray and Mick have different shaped panels, it's not just what they're made from - the length and shape of your horse's back, and the seat size you need, would determine which model you need, they're not totally interchangeable.

 

[Crackerz]

Oh god! Well luckily we have an indoor, and mine is a saint (have I just jinxed it?) This ones 12 months old and no suede, as there isnt alot around is there!

Out of intrest what lenght and width is your saddle for your D?

mines 17" and the equiv of XXW - i sent my template to Fylde with the saddle

There aren't a lot around, but even less in suede! They hold their value pretty well. I guess i like Fyldes because literally everyone i know uses them without issue, my YO has even just bought the Nathan jump saddle too. Plus they look nice and are not bulky. I hate bulky saddles. The Mick has really free'd up my boys shoulders, noticeable almost instantly

 

[Crackerz]

The Ray and Mick have different shaped panels, it's not just what they're made from - the length and shape of your horse's back, and the seat size you need, would determine which model you need, they're not totally interchangeable.

My Yo's look pretty much identical when they are upside down, and looking down on them so the difference in that sense must be very minimal?

 

[Carrots&Mints]

mines 17" and the equiv of XXW - i sent my template to Fylde with the saddle

There aren't a lot around, but even less in suede! They hold their value pretty well. I guess i like Fyldes because literally everyone i know uses them without issue, my YO has even just bought the Nathan jump saddle too. Plus they look nice and are not bulky. I hate bulky saddles. The Mick has really free'd up my boys shoulders, noticeable almost instantly

Ive just rang fylde up to see if they can widen it as he gets bigger and theyve said yep. Im only about 20 miles away so will box him up and take him to get it fitted if I do buy it

 

[Crackerz]

Ive just rang fylde up to see if they can widen it as he gets bigger and theyve said yep. Im only about 20 miles away so will box him up and take him to get it fitted if I do buy it

Result! Jammy, living so close! I have a handful of Fylde bridles too so would be in there all the time lol

Yes they have widened mine no bother, and had saddle checked each summer at NPS champs - they can adjust on site at the show which is very useful!

 

[Carrots&Mints]

Result! Jammy, living so close! I have a handful of Fylde bridles too so would be in there all the time lol

Yes they have widened mine no bother, and had saddle checked each summer at NPS champs - they can adjust on site at the show which is very useful!

Haha probably the only good thing about living up North lol! Will let you know how we get on Fingers crossed all goes to plan!

 

[Carrots&Mints]

Crackerz... ended up getting the mick, took it to 2B where Fylde were at and got it widened - xxw :O fits like a glove though now, really chuffed! Saddle is more or less brand new, got a real bargain I think! less than 12 months old only been used a handful of times, not a mark on it, £550.