Saddle help

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Laura2013

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1 September 2013
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I am fed up with saddles! After years of bad experiences with a variety of the saddlers in my area, I have lost my confidence.

I now need a new, second hand saddle for my horse and am at a bit of a loss as to where to go. Most of the saddlers in the area only stock certain makes, and my experience is that they seem determined to sell a saddle and won't always admit that they don't have one that is a very good fit. I don't have time to have out every saddler I can find and so could do with at least narrowing it down to the most likely makes and models.

I have so far been riding in a thorowgood cob, when my horse came he was overweight and out of condition and this worked fine for a while. But now he is getting fitter and gaining more muscle, his shape has changed and despite gullet changes it doesn't fit. I suspect the tree is too flat and is bridging. I tried a gfs on today which was better but I think maybe had too much curve to the tree, so I need something in the middle.

He is wide- not as wide as a cob but probably wider than a sports horse of his size (15.2hh).

So in summary I need a generous wide fitting but not on a 'cob' style tree.

He has big shoulders and I don't jump, so I think a dressage or vsd may work?
 
What about a Thorowgood 'standard' model? It goes upto a wide fit. The 'griffin' version (non-adjustable gullet but some depending on how old can be adjusted down a size with Thorowgood's fish inserts) can still be bought second hand and comes in a 'standard' model, amongst other types, if they're no longer making 'standard' models new. Or try a 'warmblood' model T4 (if they still make that) goes upto an extra wide gullet. Both have a less flat tree than the 'cob' model but not excessively bendy.
 
Ok thanks. I've got an ok second hand budget, so needn't go for a synthetic necessarily, although I would rather not spend an absolute fortune, as I suspect he will continue to change shape somewhat!

I'm thinking about possibly trying an Ideal Jessica in a wide. I've a relatively good idea of fit and so had thought I might buy and sell until I find one that I think fits, and then get it checked by a couple of saddlers afterwards but I can see this could get expensive!
 
Look into the heather moffett flexee, the Facebook group is very helpful. I have one on my Haflinger and it is just so much better for her. I had a Kent and masters cob, it was fine enough but not great, and I felt any saddle was going to restrict her shoulder. I think the flexee is especially well suited to cobs and natives, and won't restrict the shoulder. It has a flexible leather tree but is still supportive and feels more secure than the k and m because I feel much less perched.

I will say trotting felt a bit weird at first, but you get used to it :-) I love the fact that I can feel the two sides of her back moving. I had honestly never felt that before, suddenly things started to click!

Good luck, it is such a pain!
 
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