Saddle misery!

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ginginandtonic

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Bit of 'woe is me' post I'm afraid...

My youngster has changed shape so much his saddle doesn't fit.. but he's so awkard I'm feeling so deflated about saddles for him.

Had someone out today who was recommended to me, who it turns out is like an agent for Keiffer and Saddle company so she pretty much poo-pooed anything other than her own saddles
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and the ones she DID have didn't fit.

There seems to be a shortage of saddle fitters.. with good reputations and a shortage of decent saddles unless I want to spend £1500 or more.. which I can't afford to do right now.

My boy is very short coupled, quite wide across the waist, but not particularly wide across the withers... I just want a nice/reasonably priced dressage saddle.

Help me... or just sympathise with me...
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I had saddle fitter out today and got my first ever new saddle but was pricey.....

He said there are not enough good fitters in the country and he wants to sort some proper courses out if he can..... I'm thinking of jacking in the science and fitting saddles
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I do sympathise with you my friend has had a arwful time with her arab stallion, , is so hard isn't it!!

She has now fallen in love with the GFS genesis but dont know if this would be any good for your man?

Good luck and chin up!
 
I'm in Herts, so that's probably no good.. thanks though. The master saddler in my area does not come recommended by a few people I trust.. so I don't really know what to do...

I have someone coming out a week on Friday who has a good choice of used saddles and is recommended by a couple of people at my yard so I am keeping my fingers crossed...
 
would you not just be aswell to get a wintec/ sythetic type saddle till your youngster stops changing shape saves you forking out for a new saddle every time instead all you have to pay is 20 quid for a new gullet
 
Where in Herts have you tried? What about Toni at TC Feeds in Kensworth or Martin Wilkinson in St Albans?, have only ever used Toni myself but i know MW is highly though of althou his prices are a tad high and he won't part ex unless you buy brand new from him.
 
TC feeds are the ones coming out next week.. sadly MW is not recommended by quite a few people who's opinion I trust.

Re: Wintec... I currently have a wintec.. but it's not just the gullet that has to fit... and the overall shape is just not suiting him.
 
I have successfully used the Wintec Isabell Werth on my youngsters who in the main are warmbloods with a fair dollop of TB in their ancestry.
 
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I'm in Herts, so that's probably no good.. thanks though. The master saddler in my area does not come recommended by a few people I trust.. so I don't really know what to do...

I have someone coming out a week on Friday who has a good choice of used saddles and is recommended by a couple of people at my yard so I am keeping my fingers crossed...

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Bridlepath travel - they come up to Nottingham. Worth a call
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2nd the Harry Dabbs (for sale above) My horse was 4 when I bought him, he is now 11 and hes had the same saddle which is a Jaguar (Harry Dabbs) dressage saddle. My boy is short coupled and could only take a 17 inch where as I needed a 17.5, doesnt seem much but because it has a sweeping back it fits us both. I did have it made to measure and was assuered by the saddler that it could be tweaked to fit, even tree altered if neccesary and its only needed flocking. I was mortified at the time to spend so much on a 4 yr olds saddle but 7 yrs on it fits great. Ok it has been altered a couple of times but nothing major.
 
I feel your pain really I do, same with my lad, he's so short coupled, good muscular broad withers, very broad spine but then drops down so not alot of space for broad pannels (sorry I'm not up to speed with all the technical jargan but I'm sure you know what I mean) he's quite straight in the contour of his back, girthing line more forward than where the saddle needs to placed, big shoulders....utter nightmare!

Only thing I've found so far that fitted him like a glove was my friends saddle, 17'' wide fitting (but not sure which one..could of been xw or xxw) Frank Baines Zenith Balance saddle (VSD looking) and is the only saddle he's really gone well in....but she won't sell it
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Have you looked at Kensington saddles and Black County ones, I think their based on a similar tree/design.

Its so annoying because you would think to look at him that he would be easy to fit...far far from it.

Bridlepath do travel further a field but they need a least one fitting and 4 saddle checks to make it worth their while, so if you can convince others on your yard (if you on a yard) for a saddle checking session then your ok
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I can highly recommend Martin Wilkinson. He is certainly not cheap, but I do think he is very good. Maybe if your horse is changing shape a lot, get a synthetic or secondhand saddle for now and px it, or a Kieffer which has an adjustable tree. I am surprised not everyone is happy with his service, tbh.
 
My boy sounds the same shape as yours! short coupled, flat, wide back but narrower over the withers! He's young too so perhaps they'll grow into a more 'normal' shape lol! Have you tried the thorowgood T6? That used to fit my boy like a glove, he has now changed into a wintec type shape *rolls eyes*.
I'd definitely be looking at getting a synthetic if at all possible until he is fully mature.
 
Toni and Laura from The Tack Haven are fab and will never try and sell you anything that you aren't sure about.

They have a huge variety of saddles, 2nd hand and new. I hope they manage to find something for you next week!
 
my mare sounds a similar shape, short coupled, only medium whithers, but broad and round barrel body, with big moving shoulders, argh!!! As she was just coming back into work we wanted an adjustable one if poss (though not at the expense of her comfort) and have ended up with a thorrowgood. I have to say, I hate plastic saddles, esp after she had a wintec a while ago which was horrid. The thorrowgood is nice on her though, if you like the thorrowgood fit but want a leather saddle, then I believe Kent and Masters are the leather equivalent. Good luck, I feel your pain!
 
Thanks everyone... glad to know I am not alone, although I don't wish my misery on you too pmsl!!

Fingers crossed next weeks fitting will come up with something.
 
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