Saddles for Welsh D's

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CBFan

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Ok... being new to Welsh D ownership, I have no idea as to the style of saddle that may suit them... are there any makes / styles that tend to fit them particularly well?

I know with Clevies for example, Ideal saddles are a popular choice...

I'm a little way off the saddle purchasing side of things at the moment but it would be nice to be prepared for when I do...

He's quite short backed, with a little whither but not much currently standing at 14hh, though I think he will grow quite a bit more - he's 5 this year...
 
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Annagain

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Mine had a few over the years but the only one that fitted him really well and never moved was the Thorowgood Cob. I would have preferred a leather one but fit was more important. A synthetic might be a better choice to start off with anyway as he's bound change shape as he develops muscle etc.

I think my friend with a Sec D has Ideals - both GP and dressage.
 
Spottyappy

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I have an Ideal, but it's got to be sold at some point as it really isn't fitting her now, and I'm going to have to take the plunge and invest in an Andrea hicks native pony saddle as we have tried so many and nothing is a great fit.
 
joolie

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Mine is in an Ideal Jessica (DR) and a GFS pro event (GP). Been through some rubbish saddlers and ill fitting saddles so hoping we are now on the right track! Lots seem to have Ideals, I'd love a native pony saddle but budget won't allow sadly :(
 
Tiarella

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Contact Sbloom on here - she is a fitter for Andrea hicks saddles who specialise in native/wide ponies.

Sbloom fitted a lovely saddle to my connie last week and can't fault anything. Saddle fits beautifully, and spent nearly 3 hours making sure I was happy - I'm a difficult customer, sorry Sbloom!
 
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FfionWinnie

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Get an AH saddle. I've got one and it's fitted all my welsh Ds despite being made for one who died 2 weeks after it arrived! It also fitted my Irish cob. I've got another on order now as I've got two horses.

54D752F8-C955-4396-8C1B-0EC56FE1E7EC_zpsqwsildmj.jpg
 
PollyP99

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I went treeless after sitting in the bench of a wintec she came with and it not suiting my shapeshifter. I have a solution and a trekker, one for schooling, one for distance, love both and never having to worry about her ever changing shape is bliss.
 
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You could also try silhouette fits my d a treat I had 5 saddles in 2 years before this which I've now had 10 years still looks fab too ! Based in Walsall google them both fitters amazing slight adjustment made on site ( yard) and really reasonable in price I paid £450 and actually don't think they are a great deal more now ��
 
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Merlod

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I have a Black Country Event (GP) which was made to measure for him, and a Black Country Eloquence (DR) which I bought second hand from a saddle fitter :)
 
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Slightlyconfused

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CBFan said:
Ok... being new to Welsh D ownership, I have no idea as to the style of saddle that may suit them... are there any makes / styles that tend to fit them particularly well?

I know with Clevies for example, Ideal saddles are a popular choice...

I'm a little way off the saddle purchasing side of things at the moment but it would be nice to be prepared for when I do...

He's quite short backed, with a little whither but not much currently standing at 14hh, though I think he will grow quite a bit more - he's 5 this year...
Click to expand...


You have a Welsh d?....need to get out of my funk and actually look at what's going on around me :D
 
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jaffa2311

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I have a beautifully wide welsh cob who was impossible to fit.

I had two saddle fitters out who both said they supplied no 'off the peg' saddles wide enough for her. She was bought with a saddle company saddle. My saddler said the tree shape and design of it was not any good for her width and shoulder.

You need to look into the tree design. It's been 5 years since I was saddle purchasing, so I'm sorry I can't be more specific but you need a specific tree shape that fits wider horses. I 'think' it's a flatter tree, but may be wrong!

That is, if your welsh D is actually a wide, broad shouldered, typey cob. That is what this reply is based on :p

I was offered a kent and masters XXW, which the saddle fitter thought fitted 'okay'. However, even I could tell it didn't sit right and it was the only saddle he had that was remotely wide enough in the back of his van!

The second saddler said the best option would be what WAS highland and cob saddles (now changed names, I believe) or ideal, but have it custom made as even their 'off the peg' widths wouldn't be wide enough.

In the end, I contacted Heritage Saddlery U.K who sell lovely saddles custom made. I did the templates myself, using instructions and the flexi stuff you buy in craft shops. I then sent the templates off and picked my saddle that I wanted.

A few weeks later, my saddle arrived and it was beautiful. I have never seen a saddle fit so perfectly before, it fits like a glove.

I have had the saddle 6 years and it still fits beautifully. It never slips or moves, and my horse appears happy in it. I chose to have it designed halfway between a straight cut show saddle and a working hunter cut.

IF your horse is broad shouldered and very wide, then you should consider a straighter cut flap, as GP or jumping style can really restrict the shoulders.

The saddle makes my cob look a million dollars at shows, despite 6 years of continuous use. I have used it for 3ft showjumping, one day events, cross country, dressage, showing, beach rides, forest rides, hacking and schooling daily, Despite being a show saddle, it is extremely versatile.
 
sbloom

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Highland & Cob is an Ideal tree which is put into some of their models, Native Pony & Cob Saddles is the former name of AH Saddles :). We go up to a 9 fit (XXXXXW) so width not a problem! Flat trees are needed for backs that are flat from front to back, this includes croup high shapes or shapes like some Irish bred horses and ponies where the back in the middle is very slightly dropped down from the wither and croup. If you try to fit the curve going up at the front and back, especially to get a longer seat on, the saddle will rock in trot and possibly canter.

So, a flat tree from front to back, but for wide horses you also need the rails in the middle of the saddle to not be too close together, nor too upright from side to side, they need to sit flat against the horse's back and allow the saddle to sit down and around it. For very wide horses you also need a wide pommel - a hoop tree as it's called. Some fitters seem to use some hoop trees (eg Black Country Freedom tree) on horses that are wide or extra wide but I find this creates instability, instead we use a very flat hoop tree with a very wide seat and start at an XXW. Below that a variety of shapes of tree and pommel are needed, one "cob" tree will not fit all wide shapes.

If the saddle is the correct fit, has a flat stable tree, then it should sit behind the shoulder blade, with space for it to move infront of the points. The flap is somewhat moveable so inb my experience it is seldom a problem with big shoulders, I think it's a bit of a myth created from saddles that won't stay back. A VERY prominent shoulder blade, and dip behind, is probably almost impossible to fit a true jump saddle to, but most shapes can take a GP saddle.

I always say whichever company or brand you go for it's good to read widely, it's a lot of money so you want to know how well the saddles have been fitted (in the case of in house fitters, or your local fitter etc), how well they stand up in terms of quality, but also how the company deals with customer services, how well they'll look after you down the line.
 
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