sjp1
Well-Known Member
Can anyone tell me the length of the panels underneath from front to back on a Kent & Masters Cob Saddle or Thorowgood Cob 17" Saddle? Please!!!
Thorowgood Cob Saddle or Kent and Masters Cob Saddle
- Thread starter sjp1
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Leo Walker
Well-Known Member
I cant, and no one can as they vary so much. They shouldnt and should be a definite size but they definitely vary and sometimes by a fairly significant amount. Its the reason my fitter is very, very wary with them now.
sbloom
Well-Known Member
It's really hard for an amateur, even two saddle fitters, to measure them in the same way, and I would suspect that the panel would be slightly different between TG and K&M anyway. And yes, they can vary but so can other models, we'e shortened our rear gussets over the last few years.
sjp1
Well-Known Member
Well I tried a 17.5 inch on him with the widest gullet just to see size wise and it looks far too narrow to me. I could get well over four fingers in between top of pommel and his wither. Plus the panels looked quite narrow really - he has a wide back. And its awful leather!! But had it been a nice fit I would have forgiven the leather. Back to the drawing board. I am never going to find anything to fit him I fear!
cobgoblin
Bugrit! Millennium hand and shrimp.
Just measured mine and its 16.5" without any weight on it.
They went through a phase of poor leather...
They went through a phase of poor leather...
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
What breed horse have you got how wide and what shape is he and what have you tried so far??
sjp1
Well-Known Member
He is short backed - 17 inch available space for the saddle to sit on - so that discounts a lot of 17 inch saddles which can have up to 21 inch panels I have found!! He is a cob x shire x hackney. So cob x shire on one part and hackney on the other. He has a wither, he is not mutton withered or completely flat backed, but not banana shaped either. Have tried a couple of Barrie Swaine's done to template but they are too tight on his wither side to side. Have tried friends Ideal H&C in a wide - sits up too high at the wither indicating its too narrow - BUT - its not the Apex - my lad has a wither and I think the Apex would be better suited to him as he has a wither. Just tried an Antill WH on him. Its on a 16 inch panel with a 17 inch seat. Actually the remote saddle seller got the wither bang on BUT it is too short for him panel wise and too curved. Back it goes!! Friend has got an Ideal WH gathering dust in the tack room I discovered tonight, so gave it a little measure up. She bought it as an 18 inch seat - which it does measure as but the panels are around 18 inches, so depends how they sit on him I guess - will try it tomorrow. Am becoming super fed up of saddle fitting and not being able to find a saddle that fits him. I am not going to spend 1300 plus on a saddle that fits him for a nano second because he is as fat as a whale and then is too wide. Am starting to look at treeless for the interim until I can get the pounds off him. He came to me in pain due to a far too narrow fitting saddle which was far too long with a very heavy rider and couldn't be touched. Four sessions of chiro later he is now happy to be touched and groomed so am not looking to get it wrong for him really. I am wondering about Silhouette Saddles - people say they have shorter panels. Once he is back in work and not so porky I would be happy to get a saddle costing the earth, but I know he will change shape in the interim and its just a nightmare!! Back lady said today fit tree to bone and flocking to weight - but have seen over flocked and very bouncy saddles causing all sorts of issues!! And no saddle makers explain their trees - its all a bit smoke and mirrors - I suppose to keep everyone in business. If only they said a little bit more - and backlady agrees - there really wouldn't be so many horses in so much pain. No saddle manufacturers properly explain the trees the saddles are on, or what to do for short backed horses, and explain gullet width for different types - rant over!!
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
I do remember you asking about Lavinia Mitchell saddles? Her mark one saddles the real early ones are made on a shorter panel so almost and inch smaller than the newer models, might be worth trying to source one they will be cheaper as well, I have a gp mark 1 and it is definitely shorter than my newer one.
The AH saddles also do an upswept panel designed for short backs maybe this could work, failing that even a black country might suit they come up wide and are used on a lot of wide natives, one of my Arabs has one as well which fits him well.
Where are you?
The AH saddles also do an upswept panel designed for short backs maybe this could work, failing that even a black country might suit they come up wide and are used on a lot of wide natives, one of my Arabs has one as well which fits him well.
Where are you?
sjp1
Well-Known Member
In Devon. I do have an LM fitter coming to visit on her way on holiday to Cornwall in 10 days - of course in Devon we have no LM fitters!! Very interesting about her Mark 1 saddles - thank you for that and hopefully fitter will be able to better say what might suit.
AH saddles - my YO bought a brand new one for her daughters pony last year or the year before. It wasn't fitted by SBloom - but by an AH fitter but it doesn't really fit the pony even after she paid for two extra visits from the AH fitter and had to buy a very expensive girth to stop the child ending up on the neck day after day as the girth straps were in completely the wrong position for the pony from the outset and it still doesn't look right. For that reason I have steered clear. However, I do know there are lots and lots of people very happy with them.
Black Country - will have a look at those - its panel length that is key for us rather than width.
AH saddles - my YO bought a brand new one for her daughters pony last year or the year before. It wasn't fitted by SBloom - but by an AH fitter but it doesn't really fit the pony even after she paid for two extra visits from the AH fitter and had to buy a very expensive girth to stop the child ending up on the neck day after day as the girth straps were in completely the wrong position for the pony from the outset and it still doesn't look right. For that reason I have steered clear. However, I do know there are lots and lots of people very happy with them.
Black Country - will have a look at those - its panel length that is key for us rather than width.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
I only ever had Lavinia come out to me but i hear her fitters are very good they should be able to tell you what width you need, she did have section on her website for used saddles might be worth a look, I was going to suggest you could try mine but I am miles away from you! I will measure my black country for you, I also have a Heritage saddle which is really wide and that fits my Arab that has the black country so will measure the panels on that as well, that has lovely wide panels and a wide gullet so lots of spine clearance I really rate there saddles, they often sell ex demo saddles for much less money mine was £500 and it looked brand new.