Saddles for the Iberian shape

[Sara field]

Anyone have experience with saddles suitable for a flat backed extra wide Iberian.
Saddle fitter has not been a lot of help apart from telling me those saddles that won't fit i.e. K and m, bates, wintec..
There seem to be so many different types it's become a mine field!
Or know if good saddle fitters in east anglia region?

 

[Midlifecrisis]

My mare is flat backed and wide and Bates GP fits her well...Ive had a flat backed wide gelding fitted with a wintec...I think Id rather see physical saddles on a back before dismissing them as not fitting. I prefer to buy from a fitter who sells saddles - mine can hunt down ones if necessary.

 

[Sara field]

I did go to a fitter, but to be honest not a lot of help.
Wintec or made to measure is all she could suggest, I'm sure there must be suitable saddles, it's just weeding them out..
K and m, bates, arnt wide enough, and I don't get on with wintec..
Saddle has to be wide through the entire gullet, she has big shoulders so plenty of room needed there too.

 

[tallyho!]

Our iberians must be related... welcome to the "I need and wider than widest saddle possible please" club. You might need to go specialist but I would recommend first of all finding a Lavinia Mitchell fitter/Balance if there are any near you. She is very experienced with Iberians. All her saddles have wide gullets and she can make to measure/do bespoke. Can't recommend her highly enough. It would be a good place to start at least.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Zaldi saddles maybe?

 

[tallyho!]

Not even the Spanish would buy Zaldi they've gone majorly downhill I don't think there's even a stockist in the UK that would be happy to sell one.

OP, Sue Carson is another one I would recommend, however, I think if I point you to GBPRE or the PSL Facebook page you will find many more recommendations about saddling a wide Iberian...

 

[Sara field]

Thanks, I did put an ask out on fb and it does seem LM, heather moffat, amongst others seems post popular, I just wondered if there were any other experiences out there..
Glad I'm not the only one with a tank shaped Iberian, mine is 4 and stands bum high at 16hh, so I think maybe a more adjustable saddle might be good?

 

[HeresHoping]

I am surprised at your saddle fitter's statement that K&M won't go wide enough. The cob tree (may not be your cup of tea with a squared cantle) S-bar goes to XXW (silver) and that's about as flat as you are going to get. I am not affiliated with K&M in any way, but I had an extremely flat backed horse that was practically impossible to fit and this was the solution. K&M are helpful - they could actually make you one if you asked.

AH Saddles specialise in wide horses. http://www.ahsaddles.com/dressage-saddles

HTH

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Not even the Spanish would buy Zaldi they've gone majorly downhill I don't think there's even a stockist in the UK that would be happy to sell one.

Noted.

 

[tallyho!]

Thanks, I did put an ask out on fb and it does seem LM, heather moffat, amongst others seems post popular, I just wondered if there were any other experiences out there..
Glad I'm not the only one with a tank shaped Iberian, mine is 4 and stands bum high at 16hh, so I think maybe a more adjustable saddle might be good?

No idea, you'd have to ask a pro about that - depends on the make I would guess.

 

[tallyho!]

Noted.

I'm sure they were good saddles at one point - something to do with change of ownership but it happens to a lot of things doesn't it - such a shame. The old shapes are hard to find 2nd hand and are sold reluctantly.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Yes the PRE I knew years ago had two. A dressage and an Iberian style saddle. They were really nice, but as you said that doesn't mean that they make good saddles now.

 

[stencilface]

My half luso has a K&M. Luxury after I squished him in an Albion for years. The k&m can go veey wide and has a generous gullet. My sister's flat backed beast had a Barnsby monoflap.

 

[Sara field]

I'm not sure why she said that!, maybe wanted me to go for a new wintec🙄
I've looked into more saddles and there seem to be a few that go xxw, I wont be using her again!

 

[LadySam]

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Bates. A friend of mine recently bought a big Lusitano stallion from the Bessa de Carvalho stud in Portugal - they use Bates saddles on all their horses because they fit the shape so well.

 

[sbloom]

There is more to width than tree angle, though we don't call it width. Thorowgood, K&M and Fairfax headplates are all very narrow at the top, the opposite of a hoop tree. The wider the horse, on average, the wider the pommel must be, though all horses vary and just because a horse is very wide doesn't mean it always needs a full hoop tree. This may be what your fitter was alluding to, the TG/K&M cob will not fit all wide horses by any means.

I would search for wide saddles, some will come on flatter trees, though not all.

 

[Sara field]

I think it's more the width through the length of the gullet, than across the wither, a lot of saddle taper off towards the cantle, my mare has a very wide spine.