Saddles for native types

PoniesRock

PoniesRock

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Just wondering what brand of saddles you have got on your native type ponies. I have a part bred new forest pony who doesn’t have much wither, and is narrow in front. Looking for something with better knee rolls than I’ve currently got!
 
Fiona Cork, Saddle Exchange, and Fylde Ray are in my collection of saddles. You need a good saddle fitter who will spend time making sure the saddle fits you and your pony.
 
Currently look for saddle for my young highland for backing, and the only ones I have found that fit my criteria (straight cut & 2XW/3XW) are Black country and Fiona cork. They are flat enough for a tiny wither, but balanced enough for her width.
GFS may do for a jump/ xc saddle but to be comfy for my leg proportions I need a show saddle.

I do first of all need to find a saddle fitter I trust enough for the process. No saddle before that.

My previous connie x tb was in a black country, enough clearance for the tb wither, but wide enough for the connie rib cage
 
Diva has an Andrea Hicks, and Lily has a Pony Cob and Horse, both working hunter saddles. Diva will need a new saddle once she’s back in work etc etc, she changed shape completely and then went off sick🤣 so i’ll be looking for a Black Country classic with a euro tree.

Fiona Cork & Chunky Monkey saddles are brilliant for natives too but it depends what you want to spend and if you’re looking 2nd hand or getting one brand new!

if i could, id get another pony cob and horse because i absolutely adore it, but i got completely lucky with lily’s because i didn’t know the width or the tree shape; it was cheap and i knew i’d be able to sell it again because its in good condition. the old director who’s name is on the saddles was SO helpful, but he can only see some of the details from the serial numbers and unfortunately mine was one he didn’t have access to anymore!
 
PoniesRock said:
Just wondering what brand of saddles you have got on your native type ponies. I have a part bred new forest pony who doesn’t have much wither, and is narrow in front. Looking for something with better knee rolls than I’ve currently got!
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What is the other part? That is possibly giving you the narrower front and withers? How old?

Most of the brands above are very useful on native ponies, but most (not all) adult natives tend to have rather more rounded withers.
There are among those mentioned that will come in (and can be made) very different fittings to suit.
I think you'd be best directed to someone who fits not just natives but also riding ponies. You'll need something that isn't too broad, that won't move forwards over the withers.
It's very difficult to advise without more info and even then its a minefield of fitting and personal preference too.
Good luck 🤞
 
Check out the other current thread on the fit for a Haffie, and, especially when a brand is recommended that has ONLY its own fitters, research the bejeezus out of them, all their brand and trading names.

Narrow in front is usually posture - there are no horizontal bony connections really in the shoulders, so it's so much about muscle. I recommend the FB group Slow Walk Work to my saddle fit customers, Diana Waters who runs it writes currently for Horse and Rider and has just started a new free webinar series. It's much better to get the shape change before shelling out on a new saddle for obvious reasons!
 
Thorowgood - great for the pony, horribly uncomfortable for the rider.

Ideal - out of my price range but friends rate them and they are much more comfy than the Thorowgood saddles! Nicely balanced to ride in too.

(We only use treed saddles to jump in so don’t mind the hard seat on the Thorowgoods and don’t want to spend more than keeps the pony comfy.)
 
Black Country for my fell ponies. Both very different in build, one is a proper chunky pony and the other is quite slight but the BC saddles are fab on both.
 
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