Warmblood Saddle Brand Ideas

[Antw23uk]

Hello All
Hoping to tap in on all the experience on this forum regards saddling a very straight backed WB. Currently in a Fairfax jump which is ok but not ideal (and its not mine, Im using it from the previous owner for a while) Have tried Ideal, some random and Albion before the saddle fitter run out of ideas and saddles!
Someone has said Bates, Whittaker? obviously I cant afford to keep buying/ renting endless saddles in the hope they might fit so any ideas for a straight, long backed, narrow WB mare would be great, thank you in advance

Pics of said awesome princess for reference

 

[ycbm]

A WOW with a flat y bar, then you can adjust the air and gullet plate as she charges without buying a new saddle.

Pictures can be difficult to judge, but I'm surprised she's narrow and the saddle that's on her looks too narrow. Either that or it needs a back riser until you get one that fits.
.

 

[Antw23uk]

A WOW with a flat y bar, then you can adjust the air and gullet plate as she charges without buying a new saddle.

Pictures can be difficult to judge, but I'm surprised she's narrow and the saddle that's on her looks too narrow. Either that or it needs a back riser until you get one that fits.
.

Thanks ycbm, it was a scramble through my phone trying to find pictures that aren't cute face pics, lol! The owner rode her with the fairfax in a saddle pad and then prolite as per the pic but the saddle fitter said just a pad and my VIP pad (sorry its not a narrow, she is rather narrow compared to my previous ID, lol) I dont feel the fairfax fits well in the pad/ vip combo but equally it doesnt feel right to have a close contact saddle with a prolite pad under it! Saddling confuses me at the best of times!

I shall look at WOW, thank you

 

[ycbm]

I'm pretty shocked any saddle fitter thought that saddle was an adequate fit. Unless the picture is completely misrepresenting things, the cantle doesn't even reach as high as the pommel. It's clearly tipping back quite severely, enough that it would make me fear creating back pain if it it's ridden in like that.

Having said that, there are plenty of pictures of saddles fitted the same way on this forum.

There's no point trying to maintain a close contact in a saddle that's out of balance.
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[Antw23uk]

I'm pretty shocked any saddle fitter thought that saddle was an adequate fit. Unless the picture is completely misrepresenting things, the cantle doesn't even reach as high as the pommel. It's clearly tipping back quite severely, enough that it would make me fear creating back pain if it it's ridden in like that.

Having said that, there are plenty of pictures of saddles fitted the same way on this forum.

There's no point trying to maintain a close contact in a saddle that's out of balance.
.

Thank you for the feedback. I've made contact with a couple of WOW saddle fitters in my area.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I wouldnt say Bates or Wintec, to me they are too curvy or rounded.

There is still lots of other options GFS, saddle company, K&M do a flat back saddle.

 

[Antw23uk]

I wouldnt say Bates or Wintec, to me they are too curvy or rounded.

There is still lots of other options GFS, saddle company, K&M do a flat back saddle.

That was one of the other ones, Kent & Masters that when put on looked great but when ridden in was a really big no! Will check out the others, thank you

 

[Barton Bounty]

That was one of the other ones, Kent & Masters that when put on looked great but when ridden in was a really big no! Will check out the others, thank you

Yeah its either a big hit or a big miss…. saddle shopping is exhausting and expensive. It took me a lot of saddles to find the right one for my last boy.

 

[Palindrome]

The new style Wintecs are fairly flat, at least flatter than my Albion. Tekna is very flat.
Is she likely to put on some weight in the Spring/Summer and widen a bit in the wither area?

 

[Barton Bounty]

I have a brand new Tekna that I got for a bargain. Im a ‘buy it just in case’ kinda person.

I dont have a better picture at the moment but it is god awful on my boy at the moment. Slipped back terribly and Orbi has a wither.

 

[sbloom]

There are a lot of saddles around with not-very flat trees but flat panels, look okay in the cross ties but the tree shape is wrong and it'll ping around like mad. This applies to most plastic trees in the changeable headplate saddles.

The long wither is your biggest challenge, you need a plenty wide enough twist in the tree to accommodate directly under you.

 

[Antw23uk]

There are a lot of saddles around with not-very flat trees but flat panels, look okay in the cross ties but the tree shape is wrong and it'll ping around like mad. This applies to most plastic trees in the changeable headplate saddles.

The long wither is your biggest challenge, you need a plenty wide enough twist in the tree to accommodate directly under you.

Thank you, i feel lost already Anything spring to mind sbloom?

 

[Pinkvboots]

Alot of my friends with big warmbloods have Albion dressage saddles or Sue Carson saddles.

 

[sbloom]

Thank you, i feel lost already Anything spring to mind sbloom?

It's so hard to say, the fitter may be key as, in theory, there should be multiple options. Skill set and brands stocked being pertinent of course. Where are you?

However, I would also comment that it's always worth working from the ground looking at posture, as this will nearly always help saddle fit. I don't see the classic dropped thoracic sling/back but I do see a straight hind, and a slightly awkward shape over the HQs and shoulders. Super common and not severe but when you're really in schtuck over saddles it's worth improving those things and seeing how she changes shape as a result, in terms of saddle fit.

Have a look at "7 Secrets of Self Carriage" if you're in FB, a free group that gets you started looking at horse and rider separately.

 

[Antw23uk]

It's so hard to say, the fitter may be key as, in theory, there should be multiple options. Skill set and brands stocked being pertinent of course. Where are you?

However, I would also comment that it's always worth working from the ground looking at posture, as this will nearly always help saddle fit. I don't see the classic dropped thoracic sling/back but I do see a straight hind, and a slightly awkward shape over the HQs and shoulders. Super common and not severe but when you're really in schtuck over saddles it's worth improving those things and seeing how she changes shape as a result, in terms of saddle fit.

Have a look at "7 Secrets of Self Carriage" if you're in FB, a free group that gets you started looking at horse and rider separately.

Thank you, the mare is 8 and her owner has meticulously looked after her and been very ware of fitness, care, tack fit, leg protection, holistic care etc. I will start looking for good 'allrounder' saddle fitters who have a wide variety of saddles to try

 

[sbloom]

Thank you, the mare is 8 and her owner has meticulously looked after her and been very ware of fitness, care, tack fit, leg protection, holistic care etc. I will start looking for good 'allrounder' saddle fitters who have a wide variety of saddles to try

I have plenty of owners who do all that, and there are still slight postural/compensatory movement pattern issues, and they do contribute to saddle fitting issues (as well as rider issues of course). It does sound like what's been tried so far is just your bog standard changeable headplate saddle, on a horse that IS unusually shaped but postural work is always a good thing.

And it's less about all rounder saddle fitters with tons of brands, but perhaps more about the fitter understanding biomechanics as well as having access to brands that may work. Alternatively they might only be the former and stock no brands but can help you/the owner source one.

 

[Antw23uk]

I have plenty of owners who do all that, and there are still slight postural/compensatory movement pattern issues, and they do contribute to saddle fitting issues (as well as rider issues of course). It does sound like what's been tried so far is just your bog standard changeable headplate saddle, on a horse that IS unusually shaped but postural work is always a good thing.

And it's less about all rounder saddle fitters with tons of brands, but perhaps more about the fitter understanding biomechanics as well as having access to brands that may work. Alternatively they might only be the former and stock no brands but can help you/the owner source one.

Thank you, i hadnt thought of it that way. Im in Buckinghamshire.

 

[sbloom]

I'd suggest Elite Saddle Fit, based Essex but travels. She has the same training as me in fitting the rider too and carries several brands.

 

[horsimous]

Maybe an ideal saddle

 

[pistolpete]

No suggestions except to say very best of luck as saddle fitting is such a minefield! Loved my Lavinia Mitchell saddle as did my small warmblood but he was a different shape to your girl.