What saddles do you use on your TBs?

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Footlights

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Interested to know what saddles you use on your thoroughbreds.

My TB has typical high withers but a short back (a small 17") and although he is narrow he has a wide rib cage. He is still lacking top line but we are working on this so need something that can change with him. I have been looking at saddle company saddles but would like to know what other possibilities there are.
 
My tb has a saddle company event. I think they're a bit like marmite though! I love mine, it's full leather, made to measure and got suede knee rolls and seat with a gel pad put in! Absolutely love it. So comfy and feel very secure in it! My tb moves well in it too and because he's forever changing shape, adjusted very easily!
 
:) your TB sounds just like mine!

I went through 6 saddles before finding an Ideal, it fits him a treat and he goes beautifully in it too. You can pick them up for a teasonable price second hand :)
 
I did have an Ideal Apex saddle but sold it for a New Wintec which is a million times better than the old wintec's, it fits really well and she goes better in it than her Lovatt and Rickets dressage saddle (which I love) so I'm now considering get rid of that too.
 
Clava said:
I did have an Ideal Apex saddle but sold it for a New Wintec which is a million times better than the old wintec's, it fits really well and she goes better in it than her Lovatt and Rickets dressage saddle (which I love) so I'm now considering get rid of that too.
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This just goes to show how different shapes TBs can be... I had a Wintec for mine and the tree was way too curved... it sat right off his back. Shame as I really liked it!!
 
A lovely Jeremy Rudge made to measure one which doesn't fit him any more grrrr so now have a Thorowgood T4 as it can be changed to fit him and if it doesn't is cheap to buy a new one! I'm not a numpty as the JR was bought after 3 years but still the ex-racer decided to continue to change shape with work.
Can't bring myself to sell the JR yet as it's so lovely :(
 
My TBx has a Wintec 2000. I'm very tall and she's 16.1 but not very long - the 17" was about the only one that fit both of us being a roomy 17". She has prominent withers but not the worse I've seen and came up as a medium width. Being a synthetic I figured it could be altered as she develops.
 
I got my dressage saddle made to measure by Matt Marlow of Heritage Saddlery. Lovely fit - not even any more expensive than an off the peg one and far better quality! Unfortunately my mare filled out significantly so now uses my deceased TB's dressage saddle which was made to measure for him, but now fits her perfectly! So I now have a virtually unused 17" beautiful high wither dressage saddle sitting in my garage! Gutting!
 
Footlights said:
:) What width ideal saddle did you go for?
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It's a wide.

My TB has pretty high withers, broad ribcage, short back (he only takes 6'0 rugs) but he is also quite flat backed behind the wither. I found most saddles sat up at the back (Wintec, Thorowgood) or too low at the front.

The only other one that was a near fit was a Frank Baines. I took a chance on an eBay auction and it was incorrectly advertised as a Wide, but was in fact an XXXL!!! I tried my old Frank Baines XXW on, and it was too wide (but not by that much), but sat well on his back.. if that makes sense!

It took me months to find one that fitted him, and he's changed shape loads now, so I really ought to have it checked again. Ahhh the never ending expense ;)
 
I have a big bum so i ride in a good 17" saddle otherwise i'd feel silly
My TB is 16hh and JUST a medium - I ride with a pro-lite pad underneath (the thik padding under the panels, thinner under the withers) to help distribute my weight over his back.
Using pro-lite pads or sheepskin pads and the like are really good for thoroughbreds sensitive backs as it helps shock absorption :)
Edit -- by the way I ride him in a GFS Pro Event 17" medium saddle! It's 2nd hand from rideaway :)
 
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I have Bates saddles for both of mine - 1 dressage and 1 GP. Both have interchangable gullets but both are medium.

I found using a changable half pad worked for me as we could ensure the saddle was still comfortable/fitting properly as they changed shape/developed muscle. I use Le Mieux ProSorb (4 pockets each with 2 removable pads) but sure there are loads of others around.
 
2 of mine have a Jeffreys Show Saddle. Another has a Hazelden Show/Worker Saddle. The other just gets my excercise saddle as he doesn't do much work these days and is very, very "broad" :D
 
bumblelion said:
My tb has a saddle company event. I think they're a bit like marmite though! I love mine, it's full leather, made to measure and got suede knee rolls and seat with a gel pad put in! Absolutely love it. So comfy and feel very secure in it! My tb moves well in it too and because he's forever changing shape, adjusted very easily!
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:eek::) built in gel pad?? :) I want one!! :):) lol
 
TB I ride currently has a wintec on with a medium fitting and currently it has been padded it as he has not top line on his back.

My TBx (very TB like) had a TG T6 in medium wide which fitted her perfectly when fit and muscled and when she dropped after time out I changed the gullet to a medium OR popped a prolite pad underneath until she muscled up again :)
 
A 17 inch medium fit Prestige jumping saddle, with latex panels so although the stuffing cannot be altered I can get the tree altered if I need to.
 
Mine has a Black Country Eloquence Dressage Saddle (medium fit) it was Megs saddle and I got the saddle to adjust to a medium from a medium wide, fits her like a dream, and she has a jumping saddle (Saferide) an ebay bargain at £120 and brand new! its a medium wide but saddler fitted with a bit of flocking, and its really gorgeous little saddle!
 
chestnuttyy said:
This just goes to show how different shapes TBs can be... I had a Wintec for mine and the tree was way too curved... it sat right off his back. Shame as I really liked it!!
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Was that the old or New Wintec shape, as the old one was too curvy for my TB too.
 
Ended up with a Kieffer Jump on my beastie, and have now found a kieffer dressage that will do the trick too. Trees seem to suit TB's, especially the high withered broad shoulder/ribcage type my beastie is and they have an element of adjustability
 
Mine has an ideal Jessica dressage saddle and a patriot jumping saddle both adjusted and from my hoard of saddles in the attic .
He's just come six so I will use these or swop tp others from the hoard until he's older.
 
my TBx has a Humpheries/Swain saddle - the most comfortable saddle I have ever had - he seems to like it too :D
 
Mine has a treeless Solutions Smart jump and dressage. Most comfortable saddles to ride in and i now struggle to ride anything else in a treed saddle ;) as i find them so uncomfortable. Plus when he changes shape i just add or take away pads to suit - simples
 
GF Genesis as it's adjustable (has been adjusted 7 or 8 times since October last year), otherwise I'd be swimming in saddles by now. I'm hoping he'll stop changing shape soon and I can buy a normal saddle :)
 
Mine's a work in progress. Currently in a narrow Henri de Revel 17inch with a prolite and deadsheep underneath. She's still lacking topline, but has filled out across the rib cage (was rather too skinny when she came home) but every saddle I've tried moves on her. This is the current "best fit" and hopefully as she builds topline I'll be able to get rid of the padding or find a better fit saddle.
 
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