Saddles and control.

[NeilM]

I rode last night in a different saddle. I have a Wintec, but last night I tried an old English leather bargain that my wife got from Ebay.

We hacked up into the woods and right from the moment I mounted I could feel that contact all the way down my leg felt much better, it was a little hard on the old bum bones, but the response from our green 6 year old NF was noticeably better, he seemed much more perky right from the off and I was able to keep him walking out with a lot less effort than usual, it was like he was able to 'hear' me better.

What are your experiences, can a different saddle really make that much difference, or have I just become a better rider over night ?(I wish)

 

[JM07]

i've yet to find ANY synthetic saddle that actually fits a Newfie!!! Believe me i've tried several..i use a SC Saddle on all my Newfies now..

and as you've proved, yes a change of saddle can make a HUGE difference in the way pony goes..

 

[asbo]

ditto, wintecs/bates did not & never will fit my medium width NF , in fact they fit next to nothing.

 

[Stoxx]

My YO is very old fashioned, her view is that no synthetic saddle can be as good as a leather one and they can't do the horses backs any good.

 

[kerilli]

yes, they make an enormous difference. firstly in pure comfort for the horse - the bearing surface area and shape/depth/squishability of the panels have an enormous impact. the shape of the tree is hugely important, although we as riders can't see it once the saddle's all made up, but many saddles have banana-shaped trees which, once girthed, have the middle pulled down onto the horse's back... with the rider's weight right in the middle of it. flatter trees which are the same shape as the horse's back are ideal.
then add in saddle balance, if it's not absolutely balanced front-back it can feel very weird and make you do things to compensate, such as gripping more. (for e.g. i rode in a dressage saddle the other day that was much too high in front, and i had to really use my quadriceps to actually lift myself up and forward in rising trot, instead of it being effortless.) some saddles let your leg hang in exactly the right place in relation to your seat, giving you better balance and also helping your leg to stay still and in the exact place to give an aid.
so - yes, they can make an enormous difference. if the pony's much happier, you might just need a seat-saver!

 

[Dovorian]

I would stick with this leather saddle - if necessary get a Heather Moffat seat saver for the nether region comfort!

 

[NeilM]

I am guided by 'The Boss' or 'she who must be feared and obeyed'

My OH has been riding a very long time, and is a real Wintec fan, but her NF mare is a very different shape to little H. She is slightly taller and slender and so I think the Wintec suits her well. Add to that the fact that in my case I am a little...ahem heavier than the missus, which will obviously have an effect. H is a real stocky weight carrying lad and so we have messed about with different gullet widths to try to get the fit just right, but my OH has never been absolutely happy about the saddle fit.

From my point of view the leather saddle tells me when I'm sitting correctly and as I said H is much more responsive which is the thing that has really surprised me.

EDIT: Yes, I have nice seat saver, which I chose not to put on last night. You can be sure it WILL be fitted tonight

 

[Sprout]

I love a saddle with HUGE knee rolls, as I am so rubbish at sitting a spook, but I can never find one that I like to fit my ponios!
My friend has a NF and she has had terrible trouble finding a saddle to fit, but has recently got a Collegiate (sp!) and it is brilliant.

 

[CBAnglo]

A wintec on a stocky NF is a no - they were designed for TB types and hence the tree is shaped like a banana.

And a properly fitting saddle makes all the difference. They actually allow the horse to move properly and ensures that the weight is properly distributed.