Two horses- one saddle...would you? Do you?

My friend has one saddle she uses on 5 horses, just whatever she gets in to jump. She just pads it out as necessary. Reason being she can't afford any more. The horses jump well in it.
 
We have a cob and an ISH.

I use same saddle and bridle on both. I get off one, swap girth and numnah and wash the bit and put the tack on the other. Bridles fit without any adjustment.

It's easier that trying to squash 2 saddles and bridles into a ford KA. It all came about as I love showing the cob but his saddle is quite forward cut so I use the ISH saddle to show him in. I had the saddler out to check their own saddles and asked them to check the fit if I switched them round. Saddler said as long as the cob puts no weight on from what he was its fine.

Makes the logistics a lot easier.
 
Not regularly as I was always told that the saddle is a bit like a pair of shoes and moulds to the horses back. I have done it with various paddings etc when in a spot but day to day? no.
 
If they fit, then yes. Years ago people used to have a favourite saddle and use it on every horse. At the hunting/showjumping yard I used to work at, we all did this. I cringe when I think of it now! They are probably still doing it too as it is very old fashioned there.

Now though, all our horses have their own saddle. One of my horses has three, and they are not used on other horses. However, I did once have a lovely Pessoa saddle that used to genuinely fit four horses on the yard. So people would borrow it if they wanted to jump and only had a dressage saddle. But I am very experienced at fitting saddles (actually had to tell a saddler that a horse was wide with muscle wastage and not a narrow like he thought he was!) After much argument he fitted him with a wide tree but padded it out. After 6 weeks, the horse had filled out by an inch and a half on each side and the saddler had to take out all the extra padding! So yes, a wide horse and a saddler eating humble pie. Another saddler that had originally fitted a narrow saddle to that horse has been responsible for crippling lots of horses in the area but still practices without problems as people just don't challenge him.
 
LouS said:
My friend has one saddle she uses on 5 horses, just whatever she gets in to jump. She just pads it out as necessary. Reason being she can't afford any more. The horses jump well in it.
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Is your friend my friend? She does this more or less too.

I expect my two will share a saddle. They'll end up similar shape and it saves me lugging around 2. Assuming it fits Nits ok of course.
 
Depends on the two horses. A tb and a cob arent going to be able to share a saddle but say a highland and a cob might. Whatever combo, id get them both checked by a saddle fitter. I personally wouldn't do it as if i had 2 horses i would want to be able to take them out together with friends etc.
 
If they fit, why on earth not. Most racing/hunting yards have exercise tack that goes on all with minor adjustments (probably because they are mostly similar types anyway) Basically, if they fit, no problem at all.
 
Basically- I have 2 horses - an arab and a highland. Very similar shapes- low withers, big shoulders - short backs.

The arab goes much better in the highlands saddle- they are very similar shaped ( XW WH cut) but the highlands saddle has slightly shorter points and is cut further back at the shoulder.

I only use the highlands saddle at the most 1-2 times a week- when daughter rides him she has her own 15" saddle.

I spent a fortune getting the arabs saddle fitted - but I think the points dig him when he extends.....he is prone to short/choppy jogging but doesnt do this in the highlands saddle and yesterday we had a relaxed stretching walk on the way back to the yard....unheard of usually.

He just seem happier in it.....bloody typical.:mad:
 
Yes, because the saddle fits both horses. They do the same discipline, are similar builds and are both ridden by me - the saddle fits us all.
Same bridle and bit, too.
 
Never.

Reason - when horse shopping a couple of years ago about 50% of horses had some level of 'cold backed' and thats a horrible thing to do to a horse. Admitedly it may not be the saddle - but there is one hell of a chance it may be.
 
Yes.

My saddle is treeless so padded correctly it will fit any horse, it also fits most ponies 13hh or bigger, I don't tend to ride anything smaller ;)
 
So is it purely a fallacy that saddles will - to a degree - mould to the horses shape then? I have a really really good saddler and found the comments about padding out on a wide horse while it was muscling up to be very interesting. That is exactly what Ellie did to my youngster with his saddle although the sheepskin pad is now off.
 
Well....I'd always heard that leather saddles mould to the shape of the horse, so I've always made sure the horses had their own saddles- although I suppose if they are a similar shape it won't really make that much difference.....

Re the wide saddle /muscle development thing.....my old horse came to me with muscle wastage to his withers....I used a wide fitting saddle and a prolite pad and he muscled up nicely - I just used thinner saddle cloths as he developed.

If you think about it....if theres a lack of muscle and you fit the saddle to that shape- theres no space for muscle to develop.:)
 
poppymoo said:
Well....I'd always heard that leather saddles mould to the shape of the horse, so I've always made sure the horses had their own saddles- although I suppose if they are a similar shape it won't really make that much difference.....

Re the wide saddle /muscle development thing.....my old horse came to me with muscle wastage to his withers....I used a wide fitting saddle and a prolite pad and he muscled up nicely - I just used thinner saddle cloths as he developed.

If you think about it....if theres a lack of muscle and you fit the saddle to that shape- theres no space for muscle to develop.:)
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thats entirely logcial but this is the first time I have really had a horse that is obviously going to change quite so quickly - although Ellie has forewarned me that his K2 SJ saddle will not fit at all next year!
 
I ride in my YO's saddle (with her permission of course) the saddle belongs to her 15hh ConniexTB who isn't ridden much anymore. It is a little wide on my ISHXTB so I pad it out, However she is starting to muscle up now.
 
generally i wouldnt but as ive got a project pony at the mo, who is very slightly narrower than my pony, they share the saddle for the time being. im deciding or not whether to keep the prject pony or sell so i dont want to fork out on a new saddle if im going to sell him. but the saddle isnt a bit fit on him, the length is good, its a teeny bit wide but i pad it out with some nice sheepskin and he seems happy-he is in the process of being broken in and certainly hasnt shown any upset with the saddle (yet!!) if i keep him, then he will have his own saddle.
 
mine have a saddle each because they are completely different shapes and heights, daughters pony has his own saddle but we're just bought her another pony who has no tack so they'll be sharing a saddle as long as it fits the new one ok:)
 
We've got a saddle which has been used on about 6 different horses, from a 14hh connie to a 15.2hh TB. It fitted them all with padding in places and saved us a fortune over the years.
 
I use my mums horses saddle on my youngster, I used it to back him and am still using it. Had the fit checked and was told it fits perfectly. I don't want to spend alot on a new saddle when he is going to change height/shape and then it not fit. If my saddler has a cheap one come in which fits she will let me know and I will get him his own.
 
Lollii said:
I have an ISH & a TB they share a saddle and also have their own, but I love my Stubben ... it fits both of them. :)
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OOOOOH the good old days.....we had stubbens and they really did fit everything, we had two good GP's and one jumping and they were fab. Mind you in those days there were no fat overweight warmbloods from the continent, most people had a thoroughbred or thoroughbred cross, and these horses actually had a wither!!!
 
I have 2 TB's and cannot use the same saddle as one is a medium, other is M/W (I wouldnt want to pad it out too much), it would make things so much easier if they could share the same saddle, but also meant I got to go shopping for a nice new saddle :D
 
I know plenty of people that do, I personally wouldn't, each of mine have their own fitted saddle.
Saddles do bed in and horses change shape, not worth my horses backs IMO and it just that, a personal preference.
 
QR
Yes i do most of my horses have their own saddles but i have one saddle that does fit perfectly on 5 of my TB's so i do tend to just change girths when needed.
My share saddle also happens to be stubben
 
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Just to add.

My Horse will have her own saddle once she has finished filling out. I don't want to buy her one then in a few months buy another because she has changed shape.
 
A lot more than 2 horses, and yes I do, just change which saddle pad and cinch I use that's all. They share bridles too, and grooming kits.
 
i broke my mare (17.2 middle weight) with my mums xw close contact w/h saddle. the saddle was handmade for our arab and due to the fact that her withers hadnt quite matured i found it fit them both perfectly (both flat backed). when she finally got a wither i had to get her another as it was too wide. Now she has finished maturing her own gp saddle is a wide fitting but i find that my mums saddle fits perfectly as well so i use it for showing.
The saddle has been on a few different horses of different breeds and has fitted fantastic, the saddle is almost 21 years old it fits like a glove and is still like new.
I have ridden our arab (now saddly not with us), my mare, y/o's shire, 3 traditional cobs and a friend is currently riding her 15h riding horse in dressage with it.
As long as it fits well i obviously have no problem with using one saddle to a few horses.
Have turned quite a few offers away for saddle. As saddle maker passed away i could never get another like it and no amount could make me part with it. also holds sentimental value as i learned to ride on it on our late arab.
 
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