Stirrup bars and safety - budget saddle

Wagtail

Wagtail

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I have bought a budget cob saddle off ebay for my mare, as a temporary saddle until I know if she is going to stay sound for riding. Regretably, when I thought she would never be ridden again, I sold her lovely pessoa saddle that fitted her like a glove and have struggled to find a saddle to fit since. If she maintains fitness through the summer and into autumn, then I will be investing in a quality saddle.

Anyway, the saddle I have got her seems good quality compared to other budget saddles and fits her well. I have ridden in it and it doesn't slip or move (which as she is a round, flat backed type of WB) is a feat in itself. She went well in it, but one thing that bothers me is that the stirrup bars are not snug. You have to put the safety catch up in order to keep the stirrups from possibly sliding off! How dangerous is this? I was always led to believe that these catches were only to be used when storing the saddle and definitely not for riding. I was thinking of sending the saddle back for a refund because of this. Am I right to? Thanks
 
In theory yes, but check the fine print, it could be they recommend you use their 1/2" wide synthetic leathers as a get out clause. If you can't return it or would struggle to find another to fit could you get a saddler to change the stirrup bars cheaply? And really pleased you've been able to bring her back into work too.
 
Interesting post!

I'm always really worried about how UNlikely leathers are to come off as they are supposed to in an emergency.

If jumping/galloping it would probably bother me but for most flat work it should be perfectly safe (if annoying) to loose one every so often, no? Assuming horse wouldn't totally freak out at slipping feel as it dropped/you possibly being slightly unbalanced would it make much difference?

Hopped on a side saddle I couldn't mount properly as the safety stirrup kept coming open (the sort with a hinge at one end of the tread) and TBH felt much happier with that than if it had been really stiff... even did a tiny jump!
 
Thanks. I really am torn TBH. I do have 10 days to return the saddle so long as it isn't marked. Speaking to others at the yard, one said keep it as it looks so good on her, and it also sits me in a good position, the other said definitely not worth the risk in case I was thrown off and dragged. The sirrup bar is also looser on one side than the other which makes me start to worry about the symmetry of the tree and overall construction pf the saddle. I think I have too many doubts. It doesn't feel right in my gut. Think I will send it back and try and find a nice second hand albion or ideal saddle.
 
You could get some caged stirrups and then ride with the safety catches up? It does however sound like a poorly made saddle so perhaps better off to getting shot of it now before an accident happens.
 
I know it looks like the may slip off, but have you tried it with them down ridden?

My wow you could pick up and lose the stirrups as they easily fall off, but are fine ridden

If saddle fits well and this issue occurs when ridden I would just get cages for your stirrups
 
Them being that loose would bother me (though better for the horse than pinching ones!) but the uneven-ness would worry me more. That these visible parts are asymetric would have me worrying about what else was going on that I couldn't see.
Thorrowgood make good saddles that are well worth considering, esp if as a stop gap as sold on in good condition they really hold their value. Alternatively a 2nd hand from a trusted source would be a better step than something budget of unknown quality?
 
I wouldn't buy a budget saddle myself, no matter what the stirrup bars are like, what's the saddle like where you can't see? I'll post some pics on a seperate thread.
 
On closer inspection of the saddle, the flocking is slightly lumpy in places. That is a deal breaker for me. I may look at a throwgood one. I have a wintec 2000 that is okish on her but really it fits well at the front but not at the back (wide red gullet). I am so kicking myself for selling my pessoa. I loved that saddle.
 
wintecs have a curvey tree that doesn't suit alot of horses, def see if you can get a fitter out with some of the different syles of thorrowgood, they really are good for the £. We had one for OH mare when she was recovering from back problems, it has a lovely broad bearing area, and then when she was done packing the muscle back on we could get her back in a good jump saddle.
 
ThePony said:
wintecs have a curvey tree that doesn't suit alot of horses, def see if you can get a fitter out with some of the different syles of thorrowgood, they really are good for the £. We had one for OH mare when she was recovering from back problems, it has a lovely broad bearing area, and then when she was done packing the muscle back on we could get her back in a good jump saddle.
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Is she a wide horse too? Which model of throwgood di you use?
 
She started off a medium because of muscle wastage - pretty standard wither, but broader through the middle part of her back, but with a very powerful and upright shoulder, fairly compact too, and max on the sensitivity scale lol! Mid weight hunter type. Was a wide when we finished with it, and has stayed in a wide fitting in her new saddles. She had a 17 1/2 in it, couldn't have taken any more, they do come up slightly towards the larger side.

She had just a standard thorrowgood GP which our saddler tweaked every 6 months or so as she developed her muscle again. After a couple of years in it it had done it's job and we ebayed it, only loosing about £100 on new price. She jumped up to 1.05 in it and a smidge of dressage - it's limiting factors were that being a GP it did block her shoulder when asking for extended strides, it is something she is very sensitive to, and OH is a lanky soul and so jumped with no blocks on it, felt like he could use something there though even though he is a minimal blocks type lol!

Def rated it, even total leather snob OH was impressed, and most importantly our sensitive girl was comfortable and happy in it. If you can find one that fits, then I don't think you can come close to beating it for the £, def not in terms of quality of build and bearing area for the horse.
 
I have a Thorowgood as well and can recommend. When I bought it, my saddler adjusted the flocking without even opening the panels (I guess they have small slots in them) and my mare went really well in it, better than the Ideal which is 2.5 times the price (although the Ideal didn't have the flocking adjusted at that point). From your description you might need the cob saddle. After a year of light use the saddle is still like new and the bonus for me is that I don't need to oil it.
 
How flat is she? I'm really fond of my falcon hawk gp and they go for a reasonable amount on ebay. I can get you some photos of the ponys back and the saddle if you want to see it before looking.

A friend of mine now has a thorowgood gp on her horse after he became cold backed and she really rates them if you want something more adjustable.
 
dafthoss said:
How flat is she? I'm really fond of my falcon hawk gp and they go for a reasonable amount on ebay. I can get you some photos of the ponys back and the saddle if you want to see it before looking.

A friend of mine now has a thorowgood gp on her horse after he became cold backed and she really rates them if you want something more adjustable.
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She has a decent, but wide wither and is quite flat (she is a quarter section D but looks more like half). I think the throwgood cob looks like it would be a good option for her.

FfionWinnie said:
What sort of budget saddle, no name?
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Yes, it does have a name. PM if you want to know it. It's actually much nicer than others I've seen, but don't think it's right. Mind you for £200 what did I expect?
 
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