Saddles and long legs!

LittleBayPony

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Bit of a random, rambly one!

Due to having very long thighs (and being nearly 6ft tall) I have always struggled to find saddles which allow me to keep my leg back. Most GP or jumping saddles (some dressage saddles, though they tend to be better) make a balanced “if the horse was pulled from under you, you should land on your feet” style position impossible for me due to the position of the stirrup bar.

I accept this is probably in part to do with my faults as a rider :o, however whilst trying out a WOW saddle (with the stirrup on the furthest back stirrup bar) I achieved a much better position almost immediately.
I am also able to achieve a good leg position instantly when working without stirrups (I’ve tried riding with very long stirrups hoping to mimic the no-stirrups riding but it doesn’t help the problem). So I’m inclined to believe the saddle is partly to blame.
Further confirmation of this is I’ve recently been seeing a physiotherapist who also rides (having physio for wrist injury – nothing to do with legs). I mentioned the issue to her and after some thought she felt I would need a saddle with the stirrup bar placed much further back.
This would go along with finding the further back bar on the WOW saddle easier to ride in and also that without the stirrup’s constraints I can achieve a good leg position. However she didn’t think it would be feasible due to the fact that it would move the usual area of pressure to an unsuitable area of the horse’s back.

I can certainly see the sense in this, but wondered if anyone had any thoughts or suggestions to get around the problem?

I unfortunately can’t have a WOW saddle as despite messing about with them for months, my horse was adamant that he hated them.

Dressage saddles are fine (though to be honest the bar could still do to be further back on most of them) but no good when I require knee rolls!
 
I've never had a problem really. I've always ridden ridiculously long though from years of riding bareback (think dressage length to hack in). Not as tall as you but inside leg just under 36". Mine has a 16.5" jefferies gp which fits me fine. Do put stirrups up a load to jump, & if I still competed her or jumped her enough to matter, the panels would need to be loads bigger, as knee rolls little use where they are. Always used to jump in an albion,loads of leg space. Most saddlers can adjust the panels though to give you more knee space to jump.
 
You could have a look at Free n Easy saddles, I'm the same as you, 6' with long thighs and relatively short tib/fib, and ride in these on my own horse. They have an adjustable stirrup bar with about 8 different positions you can play about with.

The other thing is to do lots of hip flexor stretches to let your leg come back underneath you more, they really help me and after having pretty much an enforced 3 week break with the weather, and not doing my normal stretching/pilates either during that time, when I got back riding it was really noticeable that my leg position had gone to pot.
 
Google "adjustable stirrup bar" - more common than a double stirrup hanger like Wow. Lovatt and Ricketts make one, I think Laser (mainly US) use one - they are more bulky though. I will pm you with another idea.
 
36 leg here too and have found I need a flatter saddle so Im not pushed too far forwards and then have my leg over the knee rolls or pushed back.

For GP Ive found the Kent & Masters good and for dressage the Ideal Jessica and the Amerigo Vega.
 
Google "adjustable stirrup bar" - more common than a double stirrup hanger like Wow. Lovatt and Ricketts make one, I think Laser (mainly US) use one - they are more bulky though. I will pm you with another idea.

Ooh that is a good idea! Can you get it put onto your preferred saddle? I am tallish too and I hear a further back stirrup is better for position :-)
 
My old saddle was an ideal event in hunt pattern. This had a few extra inches on the knee roll to support the longer legged rider. I also got on well with the barnsby event. I now have a native pony gp.
 
Sorry for the late response (haven't been able to load forum homepage for some reason :confused:).
Lots of interesting thoughts and suggestions there thank you. I will look into them :)
 
Hi I have the same problem as you nearly 6 foot and very long from hip to knee. The best solution I have found is the Albion XC which I have recently swapped for a heritage monoflap saddle (on ebay and based near manchester- it is wonderful to ride in). Being tall is a complete pain when it comes to saddles I have given in on GPs totally.
 
Ooh that is a good idea! Can you get it put onto your preferred saddle? I am tallish too and I hear a further back stirrup is better for position :-)

Sorry I missed this - the makers I mentioned obviously already do them, you may find that a bench made saddle company (eg Ideal, Black Country, Jeffries etc) may be happy to use the Wellup adjustable bar, but you will probably pay in full for the saddle, or at least a hefty deposit, as if you find it too bulky they won't have a ready market for it.
 
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