why no off the peg saddles for flat backed ponies?

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blackandwhite

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Leaving saddle fitting and the very expensive made to measure issues to one side... why does there not appear to be an off the peg saddle designed for flat backed ponies with no wither? It seems to be such a common fitting issue that I'm wondering the reason, there must be a reason. Or am I missing the obvious?
 
But they don't come in small child friendly seat sizes do they? Sorry I should have been more specific. My son is 9 and his pony is 11.1, the cob saddles I've seen would be too big for them both.
 
Ditch the saddle :D

I do think it's mad, I found it the hardest type of saddle to find and even though we have slimmer horses now, would not get rid of the old saddles for love nor money as are the hardest to replace (always seem to pay a premium) when you get a really good one.
 
Yes, had same problem, hence we still use a pony pad. Have one we borrow when rules dictate. Occasionally you get v old battered ones or even nice secondhand, but they are like hens teeth.
 
I've seen a few falcon ones on ebay in small sizes and they fit my connie like a glove. Other than that I ride two small ponies in bates saddles and one in a thorowgood pony club who are all fairly flat native types.
 
There are quite a lot. Ideal, Native Ponies, Fylde, Farringtons, Thorogood and L & R that I can think of. :) I don't know if all these do off the peg short seat sizes but I think most of them do.
 
I've just bought a 13'' wide fit saddle for my 11hh Welshie. Its actually a bit wide for him! He is a youngster so will fill out yet so I've stashed it for now

Unfortunately I cant help with your problem as my saddle doesnt have a name stamped on it anywhere but its good quality and wasnt expensive secondhand

Try the Horse Gossip for sale section, they do come up on there from time to time and thats where mine came from
 
I can't remember which way round it was but I tried both thorowgood & wintec pc saddles. One was too big in a 15" for daughter & didn't come smaller, the other just wasn't flat enough. Pony isn't wide, she's actually quite fine but for a saddle fit is like a shettie, no withers & a flat back. Before she had topline withers were 1/2" higher than her back, I bet now I could lie a piece of wood from her withers to her quarters & it would touch all along.
 
The saddle company do pony size in most of their saddles and are supposed to be completely adjustable, there are a few on eBay, also just seen a Barnsby pony club saddle for sale, there are usually quite a few pony saddles on facebook groups.
 
What about this one, I bought a 17" one for a 14.2 pony about 7 years ago, he outgrew it as he got older, so it was sold on, but really it was a fantastic saddle. Just not an especially well known brand. Perhaps way more than you want to spend (I know it was for me, but as soon as it was put on his back I knew it was the perfect fit for him)...

http://www.risleysaddlery.co.uk/cat...ries/leather-saddles/morris-nolan-pony-saddle
 
Barnsby PC saddles seem to suit flat-backed types. I have a 15", 16" and 17" as my daughters and I all ride connies that wouldn't suit anything too curved/with a deep gusset
 
Most all round brands quoted really don't go flat enough for some ponies. We have three very flat trees at Native Pony & Cob Saddles (Andrea Hicks' company), and several others that fit fairly flat horses, all are suitable to fit very wide horses. We nearly always fit off the peg, from stock. We stock down to 14" (and always carry lots of 15" and 16") and up to 17.5" but can make other sizes to order. We will almost always be able to provide you with a choice of models for a given pony which is rare with most general saddle fitters and brands.
 
Might be a little too small but saddle pads are very popular on Welsh A and Shetlands. shetlandshowingtack.com have pads from 12.5" - 16.5" and look really smart for showing
 
Unfortunately my son isn't secure enough in his seat for a saddle pad. He's a bit of a worrier so any slip and he clamps his legs, pony shoots off an he ends up on the floor! Bless her she's totally gorgeous but we could use her as a table :D

The native pony ones are beautiful. I saw some on ebay but its so hard to judge fit when the model's a fence or a dining chair!
 
Ponypads are fab for developing a great seat though, & you don't get that automatic armchair seat little ones get in a too big (for them) saddle. Other option depending on his size is a safari cub. My daughters nearly 8 & very long legged, but slight. She rides very long unless jumping so in a cub sits the same as bareback, but just has the option of stirrups. And if your son feels tense the handle might reassure him, rather than clamping legs on. And although its neither use nor ornament if they ride long, the cantle thing might give him the impression of security. Daughter still fits in a 12" one (or whatever the standard one is) but I'm sure they do a 14" too. And they are dirt cheap second hand so it would do till you find a second hand proper one.
 
mandwhy said:
The saddle company do pony size in most of their saddles and are supposed to be completely adjustable, there are a few on eBay, also just seen a Barnsby pony club saddle for sale, there are usually quite a few pony saddles on facebook groups.
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I had one of these made for Henry and had to refuse it when it came to the final fitting. The fitter had only brought a bigger saddle when she did the measurements and assured me the final saddle would be fine. It wasn't (sat on his loins). There wasn't even a discussion, as it was so obvious to both her trained eyes and my joe public ones! In any case, they're not off the peg, but for a short-backed exmoor, even the made-to-measure was useless.

I sympathise, OP. I had a made to measure done by a saddlery in Somerset (I gave them the template made by The Saddle Company!). Asked them for a sweeping seat and adult flaps and the finished result was excellent. Had it 10 years, now.
 
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