Tack/saddle experts - what Is this saddle? Western/English hybrid??

[Landcruiser]

I bought this saddle on ebay a while ago. I ride in a western saddle normally, but have just started doing trec, and the horn gets in the way when doing the "Low Branches" obstacle. This looked like an interesting option - but what the heck IS it?? It has:
English type seat, single flaps (like a stock saddle), english stirrup bars. It's rigged for an english girth BUT it also has a separate rig for something else. What????
It has a square skirt, sheepskin underside, conchos and saddle strings.
Not great pictures, but hopefully someone out there can give me a clue. I'm particularly mystified by the second rigging - can't be another girth/cinch, surely - buckles not big enough.

 

[Enfys]

It looks as if it is for a gaited horse. Straight panel so as not to impinge on shoulder movement, and the V girthing arrangement is very secure. Mine has it.

 

[Landcruiser]

 

[Landcruiser]

Ah, hadn't thought of it being for a gaited horse. Possible...but how does that girth arrangement work> What goes on that 3rd point, can't be a normal "extra" girth, surely?

 

[Enfys]

Possibly for racking horses because the seat looks as if it would position you quite far back.

 

[willhegofirst]

For a Tenasea (sp) Walking Horse?

 

[FfionWinnie]

Certainly doesn't look like a stock saddle, too flat, first tight turn or stop and you'd slip off.

 

[Landcruiser]

No, I've had stock saddles, and one of them was a very similar cut to this, but there the similarity ends really. Still don't understand the girthing system though.

 

[Enfys]

I have asked the question on a Gaited Horse forum, they will know for sure.

 

[blackislegirl]

Could it be some type of Spanish saddle? I don't think it is a doma vaquera saddle, per se, though.

 

[Landcruiser]

Quiet hem hem...bump. Anyone else ?

 

[Enfys]

The sliding girth is simply to enable the girth to be positioned in the most comfortable position I am told. No positive id though.

 

[Pippity]

It doesn't look entirely dissimilar in shape to the Mark I Universal Pattern military saddles of the turn of the twentieth century, but the saddle strings certainly weren't standard. Have you got a shot of the underneath?

 

[Landcruiser]

The underside is like a standard western, pretty much:

I happened to notice a picture in this month's Your Horse, of someone doing "horse boarding" ie towing someone on a thing like a snowboard but with wheels. The rigging looks similar - a second girth behind the first, probably on a v shaped rigging like this one. It also looks like some sort of hornless western saddle, although hard to see in the picture. Could it be something like that? I don't think it's especially old, and it seems very good quality - brass fittings, nice leather, very well finished...could it be some sort of custom made horse boarding saddle???