Saddle help please?

[dressagelove]

I usually use Lavinia Mitchell saddles, and I love them.

However, I can't justify spending thousands on a saddle at the moment.

I need a very wide fitting saddle for my rising 4yo KWPN. He is barrel shaped, very wide, table like back with (currently) barely any wither.

Obviously I want something which will fit as well as possible, but am aiming to spend hundreds, not thousands.

Can anyone recommend anything? I was looking at the new thorowgoods, but how good are they really?

Does anyone know a decent fitter in the North West that would fit a cheaper saddle for me?

Thanks so much for any help. It's been a long time since Ive needed to buy a new saddle and am out of the know!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I love her saddles too she has some second hand ones on her website I am saving for another one for my new horse as well and keep having a look.

 

[dressagelove]

bump

 

[Primitive Pony]

My experience of a Thorowgood was short-lived as my horse couldn't tolerate it. Granted, he's a tricky customer but my vet wasn't happy with it at all - he found it to be asymmetric in parts and that it didn't spread the weight well. On the other hand it was of course very light and I found it comfy, but I would never have another.

Similar in principle perhaps to LM would be Humphries/Swain semiflex saddle perhaps - which you could buy fairly cheaply second hand and you might well find one to suit?

 

[wench]

I have two TG saddles, and I think they are very comfy. My horse is very happy in them as well, about the only saddle that fits her well, and obviously with the advantage of the changable gullets.

If it wasnt for the TG saddles, instead of spending £500 on two saddles, I would be looking at a bill for at least four times that in "ordinary" saddles, if I could have found anything that fitted her...

 

[sbloom]

I would contact fitters you trust who can bring out both changeable headplate saddles and a range of bench made second hand saddles as it matters not what might be a good budget option generally, you need to know what will fit your horse.