Saddle recommendation for backing trad cob

K

Kub

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 June 2009
Messages
1,081
Location
Somerset, UK
Visit site
As title really, I do have a wide thorowgood griffin saddle for him but he's filled out loads and thinking it may be too small for him now so need to get a new one for him being broken in (hopefully in a couple of months)

What would people suggest? He's 14'2 HW trad cob, I'd need a 17/17.5" seat really which I think his back can take so anything good for the big heavies or cobs is what I'm after.

I'll get it checkd before it's ridden etc. so all good. Thanks :)
 
I have a similar cob who will be broken in a Freeform treeless then hopefully move onto his big brothers Thorowgood T6 cob saddle (adjustable gullet) once he's doing more work (i.e next year - this year will be nothing more than getting on and off).

My biggest problem is his back length - he is VERY short backed and the 17" thorowgood (which has short panels for it's length) is a bit too long! :eek: I just hoping he grows a bit more!

If you're looking for a temporary saddle I would look at decent treeless's (as he will change shape dramatically over the next couple of years) or a thorowgood cob saddle (or a cob plus saddle (shorter panels at the back, shallower panels at the front for big shoulders)) as they are an excellent design for flat wide horses AND have changeable gullets.

Once he's finished growing he will be getting my lovely brand new Ideal H&C saddle, but I'm not having it altered to fit now as it can only be adjusted once or twice.

This is Pipsqueak demonstrating his borrowed T6 GP cob saddle, and quite how short backed he is:

Gilmertonshow2010071.jpg
 
i have a cob who i bought a treeless saddle for because he literally changes shape season by season - its wonderful - hes comfortable, no slipping problems - we both love it x
 
Hmmm I've never really thought about treeless, I'll have to have a look into it.

What sort of price can you get a throwgood T6 for? Or ideal H&C? As he'll be changing shape a lot, I don't want to buy him a nice new saddle from the start as it won't last very long lol!
 
Thorowgoods you could get for #300 (sorry, no pound sign on the keyboard!) or so, nearly new. The T4 and T6 are exactly the same design, just different materials. However it's only the newer ones that have the changable gullets, so be careful if buying second hand. They are harder to find second hand than the older style. A new T4 is #375 ish. New T6 is #424 ish.

And Ideal H&C will set you back not far off #1000 new and #500 or so second hand for a reasonable quality. They can be sent back to the manufacturer for a tree adjustment once or twice but they aren't adjustable in the same way as thorowgoods.
 
This is why I bought a Barefoot London treeless when Stinky was three and he wore nothing else until he was nearly five and I then bought my WH saddle for showing. I also use this on Farra and before that Cairo and both clydesdale went well in it.

I still keep the Barefoot for hacking as it is so comfortable and also when my beasties outgrow their current treed, can use it again whilst finding a new one.

It is great for hacking, schooling and doing small jumps but some folks hate riding in them but I personally find them very comfortable and the Barefoot is my hacking saddle by choice.

Stinky is now in a wide fitting and I think may need an extra wide by next year as he is getting a huge pair of shoulders, though has withers so is not that difficult to fit.
 
Nope, treeless don't have a 'width'. They do however need a degree of fitting and not all treeless suit certain back shapes. Luckily almost every one suits flat wide cobby types, so you're fine there.

Some treeless' (esp the cheap ones) are nothing more than a thick sheepskin and leather pad with a pommel and cantle block stuck on front and back. They are useless without very thick pads. The barefoots and the torsions ( the decent quality, well made brands) come into that category. I've seen quite a few and i'm not a fan.

The more expensive ones have more high tech materials that distibute the weight better, with less need for pads. They are still flexible enough to mould but they have enough stiffness to spread the riders weight enough to comfortable and protect the back from the seatbones.

I have a freeform (very simialr to the freemaxs you can get off ebay for a good price) and really like it. The base is stiff enough to spread weight but flexible enough to mould. The seat (which velcro's on) give the rider a 'shape' to sit on .

Most treeless need a good, specially designed pad under them. Some the distribute the weight (the glorified bareback pad types), others to give spine clearance - most treeless's don't have 'panels' so a thick pad with a channel is need. That's why round, flat horses suit treeless so much - no withers!

This is toby with his freeform: So comfortable, he really likes it, and very secure.

newyard018edit.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top