Saddle suggestions for high wither, short coupled horse please

Third_Time_Lucky

Third_Time_Lucky

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At the moment I'm using Thorowgood High Wither T4 GP. Tried lots of different saddles, leather & synthetic, when I first bought my boy but this one fitted him best. However, although it fits him great I'm not so happy with it. Due to him being short coupled he's in a 17.5" but in terms of fitting me better an 18" would give me a bit more room for my backside LOL! I'm also quite long in the thigh so need enough room for length of leg so that I'm not going over the knee roll.

Anyway, I'm looking to concentrate more on the dressage side of things and am going to ring my saddle fitter after the bank holiday and get her to come out to him. In the meantime I wondered if anyone can recommend any dressage or VSD ones that would be good for high withers and a short back.
 
My TB is exactly the same as this - he can't take longer than 17". I had real issues getting him a saddle but then found with a new saddler the Symonds range which are perfect for horses like this. They are definately not as well known as other brands and 2nd hand are quite rare - people just don't want to let them go once they've got them!!

I've now got 2 - one for TB and one for ISH and they are ace.
 
I started my tb off in a meadowcreekmiddleton and picked it up for a bargain £200 in the frogpool sale - really comfy and a perfect fit for him . He has grown outwards and put on muscle in the past couple of years so he is now in a Kings GP again bargain £150 - have always had my sddlers check them and they have been happy with both so far. I have got a Kent and Masters Dressage saddle on order as well as they are meant to be fab for the high withered amongst us .
 
THanks for the suggestions/recommendations. Have been looking at the kent and masters myself, look really nice. Heard nothing but good about them. Am speaking to saddler tomorrow so will see what she suggests.
 
Kent and Masters are the leather version of the throwogood saddles.

If the fit is good on him them consider having slightly shorter panels put onto the saddle. They could also do you different longer flaps.

Other options to look at if a bigger seat is needed but not length is a wider seat - Ideal do them, as does Barry Swain (very wide seats).

Or have a look at WOW saddles. You can easily put 17" panels on an 18" seat, and you can have any length of flaps you want.
 
Please bare in mind that although saddles are measured in the same standard way, it doesnt mean to say that is the exact size of the saddle.

If you compaire a number of saddles that are supposed to be 17.5'' (for example) turn them over and measure the pannels, you may be rather suprised at your findings.
 
The Thorowgoods seem to measure quite strangely in that one that is "officially" 17.5" actually measures just under 18.5" from the stud to the cantle, so if yours was sold to you as a 17.5" then the seat should be fairly roomy.

Also, there was two types of T4 - the older style which was quite straight cut, quite VSDish, and the newer type, which is much more forward cut. So if the Thorowgood Hi-wither fits him well, it might be worth just trying a different style?
 
Have you looked at kieffers? they have the cut back head to allow for high withers and quite large panels - my 17" dressage saddle fits my long legs in without a problem (I'm 5ft11 with 35" inside legs), although they can be quite bulky saddles and the GPs are quite forward cut so they aren't really VSD options. Good luck!
 
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