Saddle recommedations for tall rider and small horse

[Palindrome]

If you go for a flatter seat you will have more room than with a deep seat, so on that basis and considering your budget I'd give Thorowgood a try. They have a "compact" range as well with shorter panels.

 

[Wagtail]

FWIW I also am long hip to knee and can't cope with big knee rolls, the Albion K2 dressage was redesigned a couple of years ago and does not have big knee rolls although I think the old version probably did. Your mare is very pretty. Good luck in finding a saddle to suit, it makes such a difference when you do.

Thank you. I hate saddle hunting. Just hope I find the right one soon. I have spent an age finding this one that at least she can move well in.

 

[Wagtail]

I wrote a similar thread not that long ago, it might be worth looking at the replies on there, I learned loads.
Im only 5ft 4 but long in the thigh and on my 13.2hh welsh exactly the same happened to me that is to you. I can also testify to likelihood of eating sand and lack of anchorage

I had a fitter out who works for Native Pony , not Steph on here but she offered great advice on the thread I posted.

What I wanted was something straight cut for showing but after the fitter watching me ride she said it was going to be like fitting a square peg in a round hole. I either had my knees over the front or my balance fell back into a chair seat. She brought a few different makes for me to try, not just AH saddles but I really saw what she was saying and realised I needed something with upswept panels to allow a bigger seat for me but more GP style to accommodate my leg.

A few years ago I had a Black Country Wexford on my 14.2hh Sec D and it always suited me really well and put me in a great position, now I know why! I ended up going for an AH GP Sport, it's not that forward cut and will be fine for showing but watching videos of myself on the flat - that heel, knee and hip alignment is back and I feel SO much more secure.

Good luck!

Ah yes, an upswept panel could work well. Thanks.

 

[Wagtail]

I'm only an inch taller than you and if I got on her my feet would be on the floor ??? How do manage on such a little horse..??!!

Lol. She is very little! But as she is quite deep in the chest, she feels very solid and strong when you're on her. I bought her as a two year old. Parents were 16 HH! I don't know why she's such a titch, but can't bear to sell her, so I'm stuck. I could do with a little jockey really to get the most out of her.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

You could always go fir a saddle like this -, not much to hold you in but that's a 15.2hh horse, I'm 5'4" and it's an 18" saddle

A showing saddle with a flat seat and square cantle could be an option as then you envelop it rather than be squished in by it. Same rider, 12hh welsh B and a 14" colemancroft show saddle.

Or you could go all out and get a pony pad. NOTHING holds you in these bad boys! 15" seat, larger sides, no tree or structure what so ever! It's like riding bareback with stirrups! This pony is a mere 42" or 10.2hh to those not in the shetland world! This saddle meant I could carry on riding shetlands long after my 9th birthday ???

Fyi constructive criticism is welcome but I can be quite soft so dont be too hard on me yeah?!

 

[Wagtail]

If you go for a flatter seat you will have more room than with a deep seat, so on that basis and considering your budget I'd give Thorowgood a try. They have a "compact" range as well with shorter panels.

 

[Wagtail]

I do have a gp but she doesn't like anything forward cut.

 

[Wagtail]

You could always go fir a saddle like this -, not much to hold you in but that's a 15.2hh horse, I'm 5'4" and it's an 18" saddle

A showing saddle with a flat seat and square cantle could be an option as then you envelop it rather than be squished in by it. Same rider, 12hh welsh B and a 14" colemancroft show saddle.

Or you could go all out and get a pony pad. NOTHING holds you in these bad boys! 15" seat, larger sides, no tree or structure what so ever! It's like riding bareback with stirrups! This pony is a mere 42" or 10.2hh to those not in the shetland world! This saddle meant I could carry on riding shetlands long after my 9th birthday ???

Love the pics.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The exercise saddle works on bigger horses too - it's quite flexible that way! I've even had it on the Welsh cob!

Both in the 17.2hh region and big built buggers too!

Eta - bollix! Got draw reins on both of them! My bad!!

 

[Wagtail]

I have had the saddler and have bought the new Cavaletti monoflap dressage saddle. It felt amazing and she went really well in it. Beautiful soft grippy leather and adjustable gullet. Loads of room even in the 17 inch. I felt so much more effective and my position was nice and aligned rather than tipping forward.

 

[ycbm]

You could always go fir a saddle like this -, not much to hold you in but that's a 15.2hh horse, I'm 5'4" and it's an 18" saddle

A showing saddle with a flat seat and square cantle could be an option as then you envelop it rather than be squished in by it. Same rider, 12hh welsh B and a 14" colemancroft show saddle.

Or you could go all out and get a pony pad. NOTHING holds you in these bad boys! 15" seat, larger sides, no tree or structure what so ever! It's like riding bareback with stirrups! This pony is a mere 42" or 10.2hh to those not in the shetland world! This saddle meant I could carry on riding shetlands long after my 9th birthday ???

Fyi constructive criticism is welcome but I can be quite soft so dont be too hard on me yeah?!

Pony squisher!!!

?

 

[Tarragon]

I was recently introduced to Strada saddles. I am 5'5" and ride a 13hh Exmoor pony, so similar ratios to you but on a smaller scale, and I uses a Strada St Christopher Endurance saddle. The pony can take a 17 inch saddle. The Strada suits both me and the pony and I love it.

 

[TinselPoos]

I am 5'9" and ride a 14.2 on an 18" Mondial holistic saddle. Not cheap, but you may be able to get a second hand one.

 

[scruffyponies]

I was going to suggest the older style flatter hunt saddles. No longer fashionable, but £50 will get you a nice one! Plenty of room in those, and especially useful if horsey has a short back.

 

[tabks]

They are an awful design. They put all the pressure and weight on the horses spine. If you want to ride bareback then ride bareback, but dont attach stirrups to a strip of leather that sits on the horses spine. If thats the route you want to go down, you'd be better off getting a decent roller with spine clearance and putting stirrups on that.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Pony squisher!!!

?

Your just jealous!

??

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

As an aside the muscle definition on this horse never ceases to amaze me!

 

[VRIN]

Ditto the above comment re fairfax. I have the gareth hughes model - I am tall with a short backed 16hh and it is a really good fit for us both

 

[sbloom]

You've found your solution but thought I'd post for others, sorry I missed this (you posted on my 50th birthday so I had other things going on

Uaually for a tall rider in a smaller than ideal saddle I do recommend a dressage saddle, but on these photos you look very long hip to knee (as I am) and it looks like, with the stirrups at the length, the large knee roll is making you put your backside to the rear, and then to stay over the centre of balance you are tipping forward, which is never ideal (especially on a horse returning to work).

I have found 2 solutions.

1. Keep a dressage saddle but use one (or change the block) so where the point of your knee is there is no block, so your knee can come forward. To ensure you are still safe in a whoopie-doo moment you need a large block but higher up than where your knee goes, so your thigh acts as the support point in a moment of crisis.

2. Go for a jump saddle, the close contact type where the flap floats over the shoulder, so the flap is well infant of the tree. I am thinking Butet here (as this is what I used to get over the long thigh bone) but I am sure other close contact jump saddles have the same. In the Butet mono XC I had, the flaps were very flexible and the shoulder glided under them. I did dressage at 3 day on one of these, could not quite have felt secure in a dressage. I did the dressage with a slightly shorter stirrup than is usual for dressage!

Either way, I would change it as with your current set up and what it is doing to you, if the horse did a spin and buck I think it would be time to eat sand!

These can both work, blocks on velcro or a triangular high set block, that sits above the knee, is a good solution on all types of saddles and yes, a jump saddle CAN work, especially if paired with leather loops on the stirrup bars to keep the leathers back to dressage position (for flatwork).

I'm 5'9 (with long legs) and used to ride a 13'3 Fell pony - I had a thorowgood T8 cob saddle which fitted us both well.

The TG and the K&M cob are notorious for having a very V shaped seat, if you don't fit into the bottom of them you end up very easily up the cantle or the pommel, so many people need to size up for this reason.

They are an awful design. They put all the pressure and weight on the horses spine. If you want to ride bareback then ride bareback, but dont attach stirrups to a strip of leather that sits on the horses spine. If thats the route you want to go down, you'd be better off getting a decent roller with spine clearance and putting stirrups on that.

I'm not a big fan, some lighter riders seem to get away with them but a bodyworker that I work with a fair bit says every horse she sees in one has muscle damage or postural issues.

If you go for a flatter seat you will have more room than with a deep seat, so on that basis and considering your budget I'd give Thorowgood a try. They have a "compact" range as well with shorter panels.

The TG Compact isn't a flatter seat though, it's built on the TG standard tree, and even the Cob has the issues I outlined above. You need a flat middle to the saddle, the lowest part, to give you space, and possibly a lower cantle and pommel too. Anyone recommended a Compact would be better considering going down a seat size to a flatter tree, the Cob if it fits though I'm no fan, which would be much easier to jump in too.

A GP could have been an option here, the stirrups could have stayed shortish, and again a leather loop on the stirrup bars would enable the stirrup leathers to be back in dressage position where needed.