Saddle suggestions - before I start drinking gin straight from the bottle?

[Widgeon]

My 15.1hh cob is currently in a Wintec Wide GP, second widest "wide" gullet (the pinky purple one). It fits him well but is so straight cut that my knees just pop right off the knee rolls (I'm 5'7" with long thighs), and it doesn't give me much security hacking or jumping. It also means I'm constantly fighting to keep my lower leg in the right place - it creeps back, which it doesn't do when riding on other saddles.

So....I have a small budget (up to £600) and am looking for something more forward cut that is extremely wide. I've tried an XW Ideal Impala (a lovely saddle) and an XW Jeffries Event, neither of which are wide enough. As the Wintec Wide doesn't come in a jump model (only GP and dressage) I've decided that I'm going to have to look at either Bates Wide, or Saddle Company of some sort. My friend's SC saddle fits him pretty well and he goes happily in it, even though it does lift very slightly at the back - I'm going to put a rear riser pad under it to sort that out. If I could find a SC saddle in a similar width, but more forward cut, I think I'd have a reasonable chance of getting that fitted to him.

So, questions -

- How can I tell the width of a SC saddle? I can't see a stamp of any sort on it.
- Are there any other brands / idea I haven't thought of?

While I would love to just call out a good saddle fitter with a van full of second hand saddles, that's an unobtainable dream I'm afraid - I've rung round everyone in the area (York / N Yorks) and no one has anything in above an XW, and they all seem too busy to come out and look at a horse without the possibility of an immediate sale of a saddle.

Any clever ideas much appreciated.

 

[Kizzy2004]

Saddle company saddles are adjustable but need a special tool and not all saddlers have one.

Perhaps try an ideal H&C saddle, they are designed on a wider tree and for native/cob types (h&c means highland and cob)

 

[Widgeon]

Perhaps try an ideal H&C saddle, they are designed on a wider tree and for native/cob types (h&c means highland and cob)

Thanks, that sounds like it would be worth a look. I'll keep an eye out.

 

[Meredith]

I think the Ideal H and C may be quite straight too

 

[Roxylola]

I looked at saddle company saddles for supercob, they seem to come up very narrow, hed have been something like an xxxw - in everything else hes wide or xw. We've ended up with fairfax although the Kent and masters and/or thorowgood are similar, in a wide/xw gullet. I tried the k and m but but just felt happier in the fairfax. Might be worth looking at them

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Have a look at Fylde saddlery facebook page. They are selling off shop soiled for £400 to £600 which 'can be adjusted to any template' (no idea what that means but hopefully a saddler can help) and come with warranty.

 

[Kizzy2004]

I think the Ideal H and C may be quite straight too

They have different styles, a gp and a vsd which is the straighter cut. They also have them in normal seat or wider seat.

 

[SpotsandBays]

K&M (leather) or thorowgood(synthetic)? Changeable gullets up to XXW, and they have various gp and jump models.
I have a K&M compact, and due to my leg length (I’m 5’7/8) I need a 17.5inch saddle or I am pushed back in the saddle. The compact go works well for me. I do have to move the knee blocks about though when I’m at jumping length!

 

[saddlesore]

You could try looking for a second hand freedom gp chunky monkey? They’ve got great knee rolls

 

[Widgeon]

I think the Ideal H and C may be quite straight too

I had a look earlier and sadly you are right - it wouldn't be any better than the Wintec really. This is the problem - if you want XXW or wider they all seem to be cut for WH or showing.

 

[Widgeon]

K&M (leather) or thorowgood(synthetic)? Changeable gullets up to XXW, and they have various gp and jump models.
I have a K&M compact, and due to my leg length (I’m 5’7/8) I need a 17.5inch saddle or I am pushed back in the saddle. The compact go works well for me. I do have to move the knee blocks about though when I’m at jumping length!

Thank you - K&M may well be worth a look. I hadn't considered Thorowgood because a couple of fitters have said to me that if a horse fits a Wintec, it's unlikely to fit a TG. TGs seem to be better for horses with lots of wither, and mine has very little. But perhaps this is too much of a generalization and I shouldn't be ruling them out at this point.

 

[SpotsandBays]

Thank you - K&M may well be worth a look. I hadn't considered Thorowgood because a couple of fitters have said to me that if a horse fits a Wintec, it's unlikely to fit a TG. TGs seem to be better for horses with lots of wither, and mine has very little. But perhaps this is too much of a generalization and I shouldn't be ruling them out at this point.

They do a cob version which might be more suitable to your horse? I have no experience with wintec if I’m honest! But really like my K&M ?

 

[Pippity]

My first thought was Chunky Monkey. Mine was in a Wintec Wide XXW and is now far more comfortable in a Chunky Monkey VSD. I think budget may be an issue, though, especially as she doesn't have much second-hand stock in at the moment.

 

[bubsqueaks]

I would NOT use a K&M, the trouble being you can only change the headplate part & not the gullet, which lead to bridging on our natives back.
We swapped to AH GP Jump Saddles - both purchased 2nd hand for £550 & £700 from facebook "used saddles for natives" & we event upto 90 - both are 17" upswept so same as 16.5"
There is no comparison with the finger width of the gullet on a AH & K&M.

 

[Regandal]

Have you looked at Lavinia Mitchell saddles? Wide gullet, all along it’s length. Very comfortable, and they come up a bit large, I have a 17” which I suspect is more like 17.5”.

 

[SEL]

When my SC saddle lifted at the back it was because it was too wide at the front - so we ended up with shims as a temporary fix.

You do need a SC fitter to sort them out though which is a pain.

 

[Widgeon]

When my SC saddle lifted at the back it was because it was too wide at the front - so we ended up with shims as a temporary fix.

You do need a SC fitter to sort them out though which is a pain.

I spoke to David at SC and this is exactly what he said - it's probably half a size too wide.

 

[Widgeon]

You could try looking for a second hand freedom gp chunky monkey? They’ve got great knee rolls

My first thought was Chunky Monkey. Mine was in a Wintec Wide XXW and is now far more comfortable in a Chunky Monkey VSD. I think budget may be an issue, though, especially as she doesn't have much second-hand stock in at the moment.

Thanks - yes I think one of these would be perfect but they are going for so much money at the moment. I spoke to Sam and she said the second hand saddle market has been mad this year. I will keep an eye out though and if I see one I'll grab it - I can always sell on if it's no good for us.

 

[sbloom]

So....I have a small budget (up to £600) and am looking for something more forward cut that is extremely wide. I've tried an XW Ideal Impala (a lovely saddle) and an XW Jeffries Event, neither of which are wide enough. As the Wintec Wide doesn't come in a jump model (only GP and dressage) I've decided that I'm going to have to look at either Bates Wide, or Saddle Company of some sort. My friend's SC saddle fits him pretty well and he goes happily in it, even though it does lift very slightly at the back - I'm going to put a rear riser pad under it to sort that out. If I could find a SC saddle in a similar width, but more forward cut, I think I'd have a reasonable chance of getting that fitted to him.

Any clever ideas much appreciated.

Rear risers are to lift the back of a saddle peramenetly, not to stop them lifting with each stride. Without knowing the overall fit of the saddle it's not really appropriate to give advice but yes, the usually you need to lift the front, the front is dropping, the back can't lift on its own. This is also why trying to lift the back of a saddle when girthed is a test of nothing, especially as girthed on the back strap it will lift less than girthed further forwards!

I looked at saddle company saddles for supercob, they seem to come up very narrow, hed have been something like an xxxw - in everything else hes wide or xw. We've ended up with fairfax although the Kent and masters and/or thorowgood are similar, in a wide/xw gullet. I tried the k and m but but just felt happier in the fairfax. Might be worth looking at them

They do only go up to XXW, and have a very narrow head - the headplates are very upside down V rather than U, which means they're not ideal for most very wide flat backs. Clearly they do fit some, but they're limited.

I would NOT use a K&M, the trouble being you can only change the headplate part & not the gullet, which lead to bridging on our natives back.
We swapped to AH GP Jump Saddles - both purchased 2nd hand for £550 & £700 from facebook "used saddles for natives" & we event upto 90 - both are 17" upswept so same as 16.5"
There is no comparison with the finger width of the gullet on a AH & K&M.

I fit for AH Widgeon, and do most of the moderating on that group. Your local fitter would be happy to advise which of our models will fit. Tree shape, panel construction and channel width are indeed very different from anything discussed so far.

Please be aware that not all fitters will be on the road in lockdown, remote advice may be the best bet, but I'd stick with a fitter that can get to you regularly for adjustments.

 

[Widgeon]

Rear risers are to lift the back of a saddle peramenetly, not to stop them lifting with each stride.

That's it, it sits slightly high all the time rather than moving particularly with striding. That's why I thought a riser would do as a short term solution - I'm not planning to ride in this saddle forever. The main thing is that my horse goes happily in it, he seems to like it as much as the Wintec anyway. He was very clear that the Impala didn't fit.

AH saddles look lovely but I will need to talk to a fitter to find out what I'd be looking for - they hardly ever seem to come up second hand and those that do sell through the FB group, and I'm still a bit unwilling to buy something through FB because I can't trial it. Would still be worth a chat with a fitter though so I will try to find one locally. To be honest it's really the price and (lack of) availability secondhand that's the problem.

ETA - @sbloom thank you very much for your thoughts above!

 

[Shysmum]

Not much use for you, but I gave up and went treeless ?

 

[sbloom]

That's it, it sits slightly high all the time rather than moving particularly with striding. That's why I thought a riser would do as a short term solution - I'm not planning to ride in this saddle forever. The main thing is that my horse goes happily in it, he seems to like it as much as the Wintec anyway. He was very clear that the Impala didn't fit.

AH saddles look lovely but I will need to talk to a fitter to find out what I'd be looking for - they hardly ever seem to come up second hand and those that do sell through the FB group, and I'm still a bit unwilling to buy something through FB because I can't trial it. Would still be worth a chat with a fitter though so I will try to find one locally. To be honest it's really the price and (lack of) availability secondhand that's the problem.

ETA - @sbloom thank you very much for your thoughts above!

The idea is that the fitter should be able to tell you the likelihood of something fitting, we have a very high hit rate. We would always say buy at the right price but as you say they sell fast so if it really doesn't fit you're likely to be able to sell on easily.

If the front of the saddle sits too high, then a rear riser may work, but you have to watch for tree points being too narrow and bridging, if the front of the saddle is too low (yes you could say the back is sitting too high but that's seldom what's actually happening ) then you definitely don't want a rear riser as it will make it worse, and need the front riser as Dave Johnson has suggested. Depending on how close you are to Co Durham I may be able to recommend a fitter who could maintain a saddle for you, you'd have to deal with our HQ though for advice as they are just a really good general fitter and don't fit for us specifically.

 

[planete]

Not much use for you, but I gave up and went treeless ?

May I ask what you got? No wish to derail the thread but i am trying to find a saddle to fit my very wide and short-backed cob on a limited budget right now.

 

[Shysmum]

I've got a Barefoot Cheyenne drytex, really lightweight, doesn't move, good as new after 8 years.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I use Lavinia Mitchell saddles for my xx wide horses they come in 6 widths I think and mine are a size 3 so they are very wide.

I am also selling an xx wide Herritage WH 17" brown saddle that is practically brand new and it's under your budget if your interested.

 

[soloequestrian]

Balance International - they trained Lavinia Mitchell. Saddles are all very wide and a variety of shapes.
Heather Moffett, although she doesn't do a jump, only GP. I'm 5'7 too and use a VSD Flexee 17" with no problems, a GP would probably give you more thigh length though.

 

[webble]

Balance International - they trained Lavinia Mitchell. Saddles are all very wide and a variety of shapes.
Heather Moffett, although she doesn't do a jump, only GP. I'm 5'7 too and use a VSD Flexee 17" with no problems, a GP would probably give you more thigh length though.

Heather is working on a jump saddle I believe

 

[Hallo2012]

black country on the native or freedom tree? albeit dont come up second hand a lot.

they come up wide, mine was XXW in wintec and is only W in his BC, and i have seen XXXW on the freedom tree that would have fit a table top!

Rafs late xmas present is a M2M on the native tree-he's a very solid welsh B with corners lol

 

[Ranyhyn]

I would think of contacting Andrea Hicks. They are crazy expensive new really but my first choice for truly wide horses. You can sometimes find nice ones second hand.

We tried a sport gp on our pony and honestly it was the nicest thing I've ever seen. Ended up I decided against it but I wont forget the quality in a hurry.

 

[Aleka81]

Which Wintec do you have? I would look at the 2000 wide and the 500 wide. Although still AP saddles the new models are very different styling wise. Slightly over your budget Brand New but not much....