Whoops...spontaneous saddle purchase - how does it look?

Casey76

Casey76

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I went to my closest tack shop yesterday for the first time in ages. I had completely forgotten they had a second hand sale going on. I wasn't looking for anything particular, but I spotted this saddle at the back, and at 100€ I couldn't resist. I figured even if it didn't fit I'd not lose anything on it.

It's an older Ideal, but have no idea what model.

Do you think it looks too long? It fits really well over the shoulder, with plenty of room at the pommel, and it stable in all directions.

It's no use asking me to get a saddle fitter out, as they don't exist here ;)

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Bargain! would get it fitted to me looks a bit high, maybe they could widen it? Hard to tell especially since not girthed up
 
Casey76 said:
It's no use asking me to get a saddle fitter out, as they don't exist here ;)
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Highlands said:
Bargain! would get it fitted ..
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Sorry, maybe feeling a bit touchy after a few similar conversations the last couple of days - not all of us live places where we can just get out the local decent saddle fitter / experienced horse vet / barefoot trimmer etc.!
 
Sorry where do u live?

Do the tack shop not have a saddler? Or someone the recommend? Do they not check the saddles before selling on incase of tree damage?

If u struggle with vets, dentist, farriers etc I'm guessing fairly non horsey area, hopefully u never have a real emergency!

Believe it's a ideal Impala???
 
I'm no expert, but it doesn't look 'right' to me. I've no idea why/how which arguably isn't any help at all! If pushed to explain why, it looks to my über uneducated eye, like it's sitting 'too high' and that the rider wouldn't be sat in the middle, but towards the cantle possibly putting too much pressure on the back? I've no idea really though and would love to hear an explanation from a more knowledgeable source.
 
Thanks everyone :)

I live in France, and it is normal practice to buy a saddle which fits you, then you use it on every horse you ride. We don't really have trained saddle fitters. Most saddles available in France have latex panels (or foam/cair), not flocked, and although they can be custom fitted to a horse, they are not easy to do, and would need to be done by a specific brand/reseller e.g devoucoux

At the moment I get my osteopath to check the fit of my saddles, but he just checks the length, stability and makes sure it isn't too tight (all without the saddle being ungirthed, and never with anyone riding).

Alternatively, you can take your horse to the tack shop, for the tack shop owner to check the fit - the last time I saw someone do this, the pony didn't even get brought out of the trailer.

This particular saddle is a monoflap, and the girth straps stay pretty much where they are when the saddle is girthed up (I use a curved girth)
 
Seems to be tipping forward a bit meaning possibly too narrow. A front riser may tip it up enough to get a decent fit.

Bambridge it does say she lives in France but hey ho. ;)
 
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Gorgeous saddle but looks too long in the back for me - its resting on his sensitive loin area. He/she looks a little short backed (much like my youngster who can only take a 17" at an absolute push despite being 15hh). I'm sure you'll be able to sell it for more than you bought it for :)
 
What is it like when you run your hand from the pommel under the knee flap.. Easy? Tight squeeze?

I agree with Finkley Alex - they managed to pinpoint my general feeling something wasn't right and I thnk it is too long.
 
It doesn't look right to me either, to high at the back and possibly to long? Although it is quite hard to judge with just one photo. :)
 
It's not too long in that photo BUT it is too far forward. If it were sitting in the correct position, it would definitely be too long.

Can you take a template of your horses back? If you don't know how, Google it and there should be plenty of YouTube clips. You can then roughly determine if the width is ok.

Nice saddle though Ideals are lovely.
 
Give a company a ring for instance native pony saddlery travel to places like the Czech Rep, otherwise ring ideal chat to them and take a template of horse and send the template and saddle to them. Otherwise sure someone comes to UK and could post to Walsall . I appreciate that we are lucky here but even my friends in rural Kenya got people, they had to pay granted but they managed it. Badly fitting saddles can do a lot of damage as we all know and hear about.
 
Brambridge04 said:
Sorry where do u live?

If u struggle with vets, dentist, farriers etc I'm guessing fairly non horsey area, hopefully u never have a real emergency!
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I live in county Mayo in Ireland. Its a very horsey area from the number of horses in the fields, but they are mostly owned by farmers as a business. There are plenty of vets for dealing with wounds or similar emergency situations, but not if you are worried about a slight lameness - people with horses around here just wouldn't call a vet for that they would leave it be to get worse or better. Plenty of farriers too but not ones I'd be happy using. I have a very good dentist but he lives on the other side of the country so needs a bit of prior warning to arrange his visits.
 
There's a really good video by an American woman on You Tube which will help you fit it yourself. I'm sorry I don't have the link or the time to find it but someone else may have a better memory than me and be able to point you in the right direction.
 
Tern said:
Seems to be tipping forward a bit meaning possibly too narrow. A front riser may tip it up enough to get a decent fit.

Bambridge it does say she lives in France but hey ho. ;)
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Tipping forwards is more likely to be too wide.

This saddle is too curvy in the tree and has no point strap to keep the girth forwards so I'd almost guarantee it will end up running forwards even further. You need a really flat tree for most natives, Ideals are flattish in some cases, but not super flat.
 
looks fine to me. clears the shoulder doesnt look to be down on the withers looks to sit on the horses back and not be tipping. how does the horse go when ridden?
 
Would really need to see it girthed up and from the front and back to be able to assess fit. Even then without being hands on it is impossible to accurately say whether the saddle fits or not. Length-wise the cantle is probably on or just behind the last rib. It does look as though it is tipped forwards slightly which would indicate it may be too wide, but again without it being girthed up and actually feeling the panels, it is very hard to say. It may just be the angle of the photograph.
 
Sorry to say....lovely though it is....the saddle should be level from the cantle to the pommel...and this one is defo cantle high...which is why the girth straps are a long way back :(
Bryndu
 
Slightly Too narrow? That might make it perch a bit like in the pic, but it's sooo hard to tell from a picture unfortunately... Nice saddle though!
 
Saddles can look perched for many reasons - too narrow, too deep a panel, too curvy....the ONLY way you can tell width is with a girthed up photo taken from the front. Saying that pommel and cantle should be level isn't true and is definitely an oversimplification. Some jump or showing saddles with very flat seats will have almost level pommel and cantle but nearly always the cantle should be slightly higher than the pommel and in deep seated saddles like a dressage saddle it can easily be 2" higher.

To judge whether a saddle is level is actually an art. If there is a flat spot in the middle of the seat then having that level with the ground is level, however, the rider's weight, and which gait the horse is in, changes the balance of the saddle so finding the optimum compromise can be quite a challenge in some cases. In this case the girth straps are attached too far back, with the correct tree (ie flat enough which this is definitely not) a point strap will be ideal to align the girth with the forward girth groove and keep the saddle off the shoulder.
 
Hi Everyone, I have some new photos...

I had to borrow a girth, as I forgot mine, so I know I need a longer one on. My girth is also curved, rather than straight.

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The bit that would worry me is the curved tree and the angle of the panels at the back being made more for a horse that slopes from the spine, where as your boy is flat backed. But it looks a lot more level on his back now it's girthed up.
 
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