Saddle for small boy on cheeky Shetland - recommendations?

[mystiandsunny]

My 5 year old son has a full up Shetland x that has a back as flat as a pancake. He has a Wintec kids saddle atm and that is great except that it has no knee rolls and (more importantly!) hurts him when he is pulled forward into it by the pony's antics. He has started asking to ride without a saddle all the time or else keeps standing up in the stirrups. I take it that it hurts quite a bit!

So - what do we replace it with? I looked at Zoe snape pads but am a little confused by the sizing. Going by the pony he would have one of the bigger sizes - but he is tiny still...

Any other ideas? I know there are other 'pad type' saddles too. Needs to be soft and sticky, for jumping, hacking, sponsored rides, Thelwell type pony behaviour off lead...

 

[Clodagh]

My son had a little so and so of a pony and could stay on pretty well with his Throwgood Pony Club saddle, It had knee rolls. I cannot remember if it came with a grab handle or I made one out of a rounding but he had a hang on strap.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

It doesn't really matter what size pad you get so long as it is long enough for the rider. They are treeless, floppy, have no set shape to them and thus no seat so length is no issue. The suede ones give you more grip. The Snape ones have wee knee rolls, I have never had a thorn pads so can't compare. But your lad will definitely learn how to ride and have a good seat, secure leg and good balance in a pad! You can get front and back d rings put on to put a handle or crupper onto.

 

[MouseInLux]

We had a Thorne pad for the little Shetland my daughter rode. D rings on the front and back, we went normal leather and she could sit his horrible antics in it better than the cub saddle he had before.