Thorn saddle pads

[Kylara]

I do a lot of work with little ponies that are mainly ridden by children so have tiny weeny saddles! I'm small so can fit in the little saddles, but not tiny and not cub saddles.

I was wondering whether it might be worth buying a Thorn saddle that fits me fine and would work on the tiny ponies and any bigger ones I may work with if necessary.

However, I'm a little wary as they are treeless, and the only ones with decent ish knee rolls are the most expensive (of course!). So would appreciate any thoughts on them, whether they are worth the price and whether they fit a wide range of ponies without causing problems due to lack of tree - do they need a fancy (expensive!) numnah or pad to stop wither pressure?

It would make my life a little easier as I currently have to make do with most of the ponies own saddles, which fit but could be better, but as the kids don't ride them enough to warrant a fancy saddle and generally don't weigh enough or worry about position enough to worry about saddles that tip back or forwards a bit. One saddle I work with is lovely (very old flat english hunting pony saddle type thing) that could do with reflocking but does fit the two ponies used for fairly well.

I would drag it around with me from pony to pony in the hope that it would mould to each, make the pony comfy and let me be a little less worried about slightly off saddles.

Thanks!

 

[Dave's Mam]

I know several folk who SWEAR by them & one who does XC on her Exmoor in one. I recently saw a pic of her jumping about 2 feet high (with some air) & it looked remarkably stable.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I don't have a thorn but I do have Snape and milner saddles which is what the thorn was based on. They are easy to ride in. Other than a non-slip you don't need anything else under them if you don't want to. It's just like bareback with stirrups. I have only had 1 pony object to my Snape pad but he has had saddle.issues in the past going by the look of his withers so I don't blame him.

I regularly ride my shetties and my darty in mine. The darty much prefers them to treed saddles.

So long as you are well balanced and have a good seat and leg they are great wee saddles. Look on Horse Gossip or eBay as you can quite often pick them up cheaper.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Yes, yes. They are very expensive new, although droolingly gorgeous!

 

[Kylara]

Thanks, I'd be looking second hand I think as a lot to fork out if unsuitable! I just school so many ponies and whilst I haven't had too much difficulty so far, I do have one which needs a back riser under it which was fine, but pony now got very fat and it isn't fitting quite so well! And a thorn may work well for a couple of others I school too.

Glad that they work well on natives! and that they swap over ok. My seat and leg are good so not too worried, just never been a huge fan of treeless due to potential pressure on withers and spine.

Do they work ok in a showing environment? Or do you really need knee rolls for things like WHP?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

It depends on how much you rely on knee rolls to jump! Personally I don't like anything putting my legs in places though I don't really jump I have had no issues jumping in either of my saddles on the odd occasion. Loads and loads of.people use them for showing on everything from Shetlands to Highlands. Not so common on show ponies and the likes, very much a native pony thing but unless you are going for HOYS qualifiers I doubt it really matters.

They are shapeless so will fit anything and everything. I would just worry with one on a high withered pony. They are more designed for flat backs.

 

[Kylara]

Nothing super high withered at the minute, mainly highlands and section As! So sounds like it would work. Jumping wise I'm not fussed about knee rolls, just a little worried about slipping etc of the pad.

Showing would be Sec As or native types in WHP type things.

I'm looking at grabbing a shetland later in the year so that would sort that saddling problem out! Showing would be as far as the pony or client could go really. One show pony I work with is quite flat and wide for a Sec A mare so could be perfect, but I don't really want to be spending £350 on something that might not work...I'll keep an eye out for some second hand ones but I'm not sure how lucky I'll be!

Glad to hear no problem jumping in them though, always a worry with jumping small ponies is saddles that sort of fit and suddenly slip and slide all over the place over a jump - not a good idea on a baby pony!

 

[millikins]

I'd advise you to borrow one first. I bought one new for a Standard shettie and it just didn't work, if the girth was right the pad wasn't and rider hated it. It still slid up his neck but no D ring for a crupper. Then picked up one in my local tack shop, £35 brand unknown and it fitted like a glove.

 

[Fransurrey]

I have one and use it for two ponies. One of whom has a Christ Lammefelle treeless pad underneath as he has a wither, but the other just has an Acavallo gel twin sided saddle cloth. I love it and top it with a Heather Moffat hipsaver, but only because I have a coccyx issue. I have ridden without the hipsaver and it was fine. It's very smart and I know a few people use them for all levels of showing, especially natives owners. I've got two saddles rotting in the tack room as I won't ride in them, now!!