Thorowgood Saddle...your thoughts?

GemBav

GemBav

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I am starting to back my youngster and was thinking of buying Thorowgood T6 GP saddle.

I was thinking of this saddle due to it being adjustable (as he will be changing shape at this point) and didn't fancy spending too much on a leather saddle at this point in his training. It will be fitted by a saddler but my Question is:

What are your experiences with this saddle, how comfortable is it for both horse and rider?
 
i have a throughgood dressage saddle - super comfy - i hack 7 mile round trip to compete at stressage - my mare who is HUUUGE - seems happy in it & the sadddle is easy to keep clean & smart
 
I'm not a massive fan of synthetics, and a friend of mine actually really detests them. However....

when I first bought my Welsh D mare, I couldn't afford anything else, so I bought a brand new Thorowgood gp for her, fitted by saddler. I got it in brown so it'd look more like leather, and it was actually alright. I rode her in that for a few years, had it checked every six months and then sold it to someone else who seems to really enjoy riding in it. My friend that detests them? She rode my mare xc in it (before I sold it) and really liked it - so much that now that she has that same mare on loan - and intends to buy one for the mare!

I found it comfy to ride in and the mare seemed rather happy in it. Her back was always in good nick (as told by saddler and back person).
 
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Thanks for the responses so far. Looks like all that have tried, liked the saddle and has had no problems with them.

Think this could be the saddle for me and my boy.
If there are any more views on these saddles please still post for me.

Thanks
Gem
 
I've recently done exactly the same thing as you. I have a Thorowgood T6 3D so i can adjust the width as she fills out & develops muscle. It's very comfortable to ride in and feels secure (for those youngster moments!) and she goes well in it too. As long as a saddler fits it correctly for you and it's checked regularly as with any other saddle i'd really rate them. I dont think i'll be adjusting the gullet myself though, i think it's best left to the saddler to decide. It does look quite like leather too, the best of the synthetics i've ever used :)
 
Came straight off of their web site to find this post. As looking for a saddle for a young heavy cob. Thought the same regards changing shape. How does the Thorowgood compare to a Wintec.
 
Ditto the above for a youngester, however I hate Thorowgood, I find them quite uncomfortable and ugly! So I have the brand new Wintec shape for my boy and fits him well, and is SO comfy!
 
I've got a brown Thorowgood T6 GP high wither saddle for my old boy. It was the only saddle that fitted him, as he's very sway backed.

I love the saddle, it always looks smart, you wouldn't know it wasn't leather. It always looks clean despite little effort and fits Ted well. It's also very light to handle. I wouldn't have said it's the most comfiest saddle I've ever sat in but it's comfortable enough for a couple of hours of hacking, which is all I need it for.

I think I would go for a synthetic saddle over a leather if I needed another saddle again, mainly due to synthetics being so easy to look after and economical.
 
I have a T4 high wither for my TB and it fits him fine but I really don't like it to ride in, I find the cushioned part of the saddle flaps too thick and I don't think the girth straps are of great quality. it is easy to keep clean but I've also found that one of the saddle flaps has curled slightly so it doesn't lie flat which is quite annoying.

But they are good value for money, I got mine off ebay for £80!
 
I got one when I bought my gelding, had never ridden in one before and I don't really like synthetic saddles but its very comfy! Think it would be good for backing a youngster as they will be constantly changing shape. I use it as my everyday saddle and then have a nicer one for comps :)
 
I have a T6 GP for my horse and he seems very happy with it- He used to buck if his saddle was even slightly not right and had back problems the vet and physio both said from ill fitting saddles in the past- His back is fine now and he seems ok in it.
I too have noticed that my saddle flaps have curled up slightly, I had thought it was my cover pulling them up but maybe not?
I find for me i feel slightly less secure riding my own horse than others in a leather saddle but dont know if this is the saddle (which others who have ridden mine say tips you into the wrong position slightly??)

However It causes my horse no problems and i can change the fit very easily myself as the seasons change (or more often when the pleb is coming back into work after the latest injury!)
I have just bought a T4 for our baby pony and again he is happy with it and so is my daughter who rides him.
I think they are very good value for money, easy to care for and a good basic saddle.
 
I prefer TG too! I think they are better made and better designed, an awful lot of thought has gone into their new generation saddles and it shows!

I have one of their leather jump saddles too and love it


I do have a wintec dressage saddle and I like the position it puts you in but prefer the quality and fit of TG especially in GP or jump ones
 
First synthetic saddle I sat in was a Thorowgood Maxam over ten years ago - I LOATHED the thing, it was horrible and uncomfortable, and the material felt like it would rub my jods away! It put me right off and I became a Wintec fan when they turned out to be a good fit for my first pony and then my horse.

Horse has since stopped working so hard and has changed shape, and my saddler suggested a Thorowgood would fit her better than her old Wintec 2000 - I was wary but they have changed an awful lot since I first sat in one, and Maiden's T4 GP is far, far more comfortable and secure than her Wintec ever was.

Personally the approach I would use would be to tell my saddler that I wanted a synthetic, adjustable saddle and get him to bring a selection out - just as I would do with any other saddle. They either fit you both, or they don't - so the best advice is for you to try one, or a few different types, and see what you think before deciding on the brand. I know that's obvious, and doubtless you've already thought of that, but these days people seem to think "brand" before "fit" because buying new saddles is more common than getting a selection of second-hand ones and seeing which one / type fits best.

If Thorowgoods fit though - I definitely recommend them :)
 
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