Solution saddles - stirrup bar position

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TwinkleT

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I've read a lot of good things about Solution saddles and think they could work very well for my horse but the only one i've ridden in I found put me in a really bad position. The stirrup bars were quite far forward and I really struggled not to have my legs stuck forwards. Is this something other people have found or was it just this model? It was a dressage saddle but about 4 years old so not one of the current ones I don't think.
 
It may be that it wasn't balanced properly for you? Did you try it though a fitter or was it just one you borrowed? I haven't had this problem personally, but have found that if I'm feeling a little bit unbalanced as though I'm being thrown forwards/backwards it's because I need to adjust the pad I'm using because my horse has gained/lost muscle or weight. You could try speaking to Solution and get a fitter out to you to try one of the newer models and have it properly balanced?
 
It was just one I tried myself. Although someone else commented that the stirrup bars looked far forward when it wasn't on the horse without me saying anything.
I've just sent them an email to try and book a fitter. I just hope I don't have to wait too long, I feel like i'm wasting my summer without a saddle that fits!
 
I would defo get a fitting. I knew that I didn't want the eventer before we started (ha ha) the fitter and HQ had both thought from pics it would be the best one for us and what do you know it was.

I'm now planning on getting a native base one for my Welsh C as while my eventer doesn't really fit her, it's the only saddle I've ever had on her which doesn't veer off to one side (flat back, low withers and one slightly larger shoulder).

I tried about 6 options and didn't think I would get one til we got to the last two which were totally different, last one being the eventer. I love it. Total convert. I think it puts me in the best position I've ever achieved and since I am riding 14.2 and unders in it, and I am 5ft8, that is quite an achievement.
 
That's good to know. I've hopefully got a fitter coming at the end of the month so I should be able to try a few. I've just got a Thorn pad to keep me going until I get a saddle and he seems really happy in it which makes me think treeless could be the way to go.
He's Welsh C so i'm guessing a native will be best on him and if i'm lucky might also work on my Exmoor if I ever get round to backing him.
 
Yes TwinkleT - I have thought the same thing! It was a horse I was sharing, and I thought the stirrup bars were too far forward, making my legs come too far forward and therefore tipping me into a backward seat. The saddle fitter came out while I had the horse on part-loan, but it was fitted with the owner on him, not me. I found it altogether uncomfortable, i also found the pommel seemed to come up too high too soon and bashed my erm, well, fanny! And I swapped horses with my friend on the yard for a bit and she commented the same (about the fanny-bashing) so it wasn't just me sitting weird or anything. I tried to rebalance the saddle by putting an extra shim at the back, and taking out one at the front so it just had a thin one, but it didn't seem to make a difference, the stirrup bars still felt too far forward. Maybe if I'd had the fitter see me up top we could have resolved it but, we didn't, and i don't loan him any more. Can't wait to ride on a treed saddle again to be honest! Maybe I'm just weird :)
 
I have got a saddler coming out for me to try a normal saddle too so i'll just have to wait and see what he prefers. I did find the same with the pommel of the one I tried but I do think the ones on their website look less bulky so hopefully the newer ones are better. The flexibility of fit does appeal, I bought his current saddle brand new last year so this could get very expensive if this carries on!
 
ponyparty said:
Yes TwinkleT - I have thought the same thing! It was a horse I was sharing, and I thought the stirrup bars were too far forward, making my legs come too far forward and therefore tipping me into a backward seat. The saddle fitter came out while I had the horse on part-loan, but it was fitted with the owner on him, not me. I found it altogether uncomfortable, i also found the pommel seemed to come up too high too soon and bashed my erm, well, fanny! And I swapped horses with my friend on the yard for a bit and she commented the same (about the fanny-bashing) so it wasn't just me sitting weird or anything. I tried to rebalance the saddle by putting an extra shim at the back, and taking out one at the front so it just had a thin one, but it didn't seem to make a difference, the stirrup bars still felt too far forward. Maybe if I'd had the fitter see me up top we could have resolved it but, we didn't, and i don't loan him any more. Can't wait to ride on a treed saddle again to be honest! Maybe I'm just weird :)
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maybe you were putting the saddle on too far forward :smile3:
 
Sugar_and_Spice, I don't think the saddle being too far forward was the problem. I find it hard to believe that I was fitting a saddle incorrectly every time I rode for 8 months, and the owner (on a few occasions she tacked up) also fitted it incorrectly; and the saddle fitter didn't mention the position when she came (I had tacked up and ridden before she arrived). My instructor commented on the position of the bars (in fact two instructors did, separately). maybe Solution saddles are just not for me :) we're all different, after all! I know people rave about them, but that just wasn't the experience I had.
OP for what it's worth I think the one I've ridden in was an older one as well (maybe 3 or 4 years?) so perhaps they have changed by now, hope you find a good'un!
 
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