Stock saddle for a Highland pony?

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indiat

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Hi all,

This might be a daft idea but I have ridden in stock saddles and really liked them and I was wondering if it would be possible to get one fitted to a highland pony? I really like the thigh rolls as I have a bad habit of leaning forward and it counteracts this. Also, I like the thought of the added security when hacking out my Highland youngster. What do you guys think?

And yes, I do get regular lessons on riding school horses at my yard where the sole aim of my lessons is to make sure I have the best position and am able to give clear aids to a youngster. But I do like the idea of a saddle that gives a little bit of security, especially as my eldest daughter would like to hack this pony in about three years time. I worry about her having an accident on ANYTHING! :D I am thinking a stock would give me peace of mind with her as well? Not that I'm expecting him to be awful, he's a real laid back little sweetie but still....
 
Not a daft idea at all. My novice OH uses a Wintec stock saddle on our less than easy Sec D and has gained loads of confidence due to the saddle. He has learned to sit spooks, napping etc and just laugh as he feels so safe in the saddle. Deffo worth a go!
 
Thank you for replying! I have some fears about hacking out which I am trying to overcome before we start hacking on our own as I don't want to spoil him. Anything that makes me feel better (including having rosary beads on board LOL), I'd like to give it a go and I would like to have something that will help my daughters stay in the saddle. They are bound to be nervous when they move up onto him after their New Forest and anything that undoes the damage of you leaning forward has got to be a good thing in my book.
 
Highlands tend to be xxwide saddle fit ponies and most youngsters grow out of a few saddles before they mature. IME Stock saddles don't come in those kind of widths (willing to be corrected tho :o)

Have you considered tree frees? No saddle replacement problems and some of them give a deep secure seat as long as you can sit straight...
 
The poleys on the Stock Saddles make them very secure to sit in. I personally dont like them to ride in but I can certainly see how they work so well. Ive heard a lot of people use them to start youngsters with and begin hacking.
I know Wintec do an xwide gullet but I am no expert on saddle fitting. Our chunky Sec D fits the wide really well though.
 
I did manage to find a stock saddle to fit my Highland a few years back for my son to hack out on, I have to say I hated it. I am well used to riding in Western saddles (but without a roping horn) but found the stock saddle too restrictive and really disliked the poleys
 
The fit is something I am worried as the Syd Hill saddles are not very wide. Wintec might do the job but he is going to be a big lad! It may be a non-starter but I will ask my saddle fitter when he is up checking the new forest in a couple of weeks. He is going back to his breeder to be backed at the ende of the month and she has a vast array of saddles so she is going to use one of hers to break him in. It will be next spring before I am buying and because he is going to change shape so much over the next few years, I don't want to spend a fortune either! maybe a treeless would be the way to go, spend the money, but hope it keeps fitting with adjustment - do they work like that?

Watcher - do you mind me asking what brand your stock saddle was?
 
I had a wintec stock saddle for my cob, but it became too tight for him even though the gullet was wide the shape of the saddle was not. Try "Kates saddles" they are moderately priced and fit from your template and pics of the horses back.
 
Lizzypeg - Jaysus, you're not kidding about the price!! I also like the concept though and if it means I'm not changing saddles every year until he matures at the age of seven (his breeder had to go through two changes of saddle in one year with his half brother) then it mightbe worth biting the bullet and investing. Thanks for the link.

the watcher - thank you anyway!

teasle - thanks for the tip, I shall check them out also.
 
thats fine indiat, if you do bite the bullet and get one id love to have feed back on it as i still havent got that sort of money to get one yet but am really interested in them...so if i get good reviews may save for one...
 
It will be a while, as it will be next spring before I splash out. Am very tempted by that link though, so I will let you know. I'll do a friend request so I can keep your ID to mind, if that's OK with you?
 
No worries, Erray, thank you very much for that link! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks stock saddles and Highlands might be a good mix - its my dream to take my boy up to the Highlands on a trekking holiday when he is old enough. I want something that will keep me in when my legs get tired!
 
How did this work out in the end? I'm trying to get a stock saddle fitted to my 14hh, 3/4 highland but I can't find anything short and wide enough. Is there any hope?
 
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