Saddle Nightmare, desparately seeking 17" adjustable saddle...

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sarah0786

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Hi All,

I recently bought a thoroughbred cross, he was a bit of a rescue case, underweight and covered in marks where other horses had bitten and kicked him and should've been handed over to me free if the guy selling him actually gave a stuff but thats a whole different story.

I am desparately looking for a saddle with an adjustable gullet, for he is a medium wide, with high withers and is short backed (15.3hh but in a 6.0 rug) so he definitely needs a 17". I have looked at the T4s and T6s but nowhere seems to have them in stock. I'm on a budget as I've had to spend quite a lot to get him fit and well again, he is still lacking topline and other muscles so there is no point getting a leather saddle at the moment (unless it is cheap so I can sell it on). I've tried wintec's and they are too low on the wither, I'm not willing to put a narrower gullet in and pinch his shoulders so they are a no go.

Does anyone know of any other saddles that could be suitable?

Thanks,

Sarah
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The saddler didn't have anything that would fit him but I'm trying a different saddler.

It is a shame a 17.5 is too long, I could've had several for him. A friend has suggest a high riser as a temporary measure as he is going to change shape so much over the next year.
 
I have just gone through a similar thing with my cob who at the age of 7 decided to grown some withers and shoulders, I had an excellent saddle co saddle but even with a new tree and re-flocking it wasn't right. I had crewe saddlery out and they got me a kent and masters (made by thoroughgood) adjustable GP 17inch. It brilliant. Just had them out to fit the wider tree but they suggested re-flocking. Highly recommended. Good luck, know how much of a nightmare it can be.
 
Keep looking for a Thorowgood High Wither, they are very good for TBs. Check the Thorowgood website for stockists and ring round, someone must have one!
 
I have for sale a Saddle Company Cob saddle. Lovely wide panels and a tree that fits most horses but for some reason it has oodles of wither clearance? Doesn't suit my flat wide horses with no withers.

It's 17" Havana, currently set an Xwide but can be changed to any width, and almost brand new. I'm about to ebay it for #250 (pound sign doesn't work!). If you're interested PM me and I can send you photos.
 
Don't be put off by wintecs, they fit the same as bates saddles apparently and I have a bates innova. If you need a narrower gullet the saddle fitter should be able to use cair panel inserts with this to make sure the saddle doesn't pinch. I'v had mine changed several times as horse keeps changing shape and never had a prob. The new wintec ap saddles are really smart. Good Luck
 
I have an adjustable L6 thorowgood for sale if your interested. It's leather rather than synthetic (hence the L6 rather than T6). It's currently fitted with a blue m/w gullet but can be changed. It has space for the fish inserts as well. It's black, gp 17". It's under a year old
 
Thanks for your replies, I didn't think it would be so hard to find one for him. Surely there are loads of high withered horses around??

I've tried the wintecs on him, they don't give anywhere near enough clearance at the withers.

Being a medium wide is making it more difficult, I've seen loads of saddles in a high wither medium but they are too tight. I think he'll end up in a wide when he's up to weight.

I will try and put another thread up with photos of him and his progress so you can see what I'm up against.
 
Its not only the tree you have to look at (you need a high wither tree i.e. curved at the pommel with a cut back head) you also need a drop panel for wither clearance. I dont know what the rest of your horse looks like, but you probably need a deeper gusset to balance the saddle otherwise you will have a rocking horse effect (compare with the wintec which does not have a deep gusset - front end might be ok but the back will definitely be rocking up and down).
 
You have my sympathy, having just had a saddle nightmare with my 6yo mare. Saddles that appeared to fit were actually making her very sore through her back, causing 'bridle' lameness. Her problem is that she is slightly asymetric and therefore once moving the saddles were twisting.

I tried every saddle going and to my shock and surprise, the only saddles that she was sound in were my trainer's Xenophon (rocking horse manure) and a Wintec Pro! Working on the supposition that the Bates Isabell Werth (leather version) was on the same tree, we (saddler and myself) tried one with a LeMieux sheepskin halfpad with shims - hey presto so far so good! The Isabell is also adjustable through the gullett and I have to say is the most comfortable saddle I have EVER sat on!

Might be worth trying a halfpad with your lad, speak with your saddler and see what he thinks.
 
There was a new T4 high wither going on ebay but I strongly suspsect that they got a friend to bid against me as I looked at the bidding history of the person who won it, they have never bought anything and have only ever bid on things sold by the person who had listed the saddler and I received a second chance offer, I don't like dishonest people so I ordered one from saddlery.biz instead and reported them to ebay for it. The saddle fitter said the T4 will fit him and she can alter the flocking if required rather than use the fish.

I would like to get him a made to measure once he's up to weight and I have some spare cash (do you ever have spare cash with horses haha!)

To give you an idea as to what I'm up against, my horse looked very much like those in the above poster's signature when I got him, he has put a good amount of weight on now but I need to get on him and build some muscle.
 
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There are on offer here for £309 for a GP and £329 for a dressage:

http://www.saddlery.biz/products.asp

ETS: sorry - didnt see that you had already ordered one!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm still waiting for it to be dispatched, it's a good job there is ice everywhere so I can't ride anyway or I'd be pulling my hair out in frustration by now haha, I suspect they are busy with christmas approaching.
 
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