Wide Cob - Saddle question

[Miss_Millie]

I viewed a horse today that I really liked, she ticked all of the boxes. Her owner has her in a treeless saddle, I have never ridden in one before and it felt unnaturally wide to me. I am quite a slight/petite build.

The horse will not be coming with a saddle so I assume there is no reason why I couldn't get a tree'd one fitted to her? She is quite a wide cob, but I have ridden wider cobs in a regular tree'd saddle before. Any advice appreciated by those who are more saddle savvy than myself!

 

[blitznbobs]

I have the heaviest weight of cob - he's built like a tank and has 3 different saddles for different areas (dressage, jumping and showing) all fit him well. It's not an issue being wide and getting a treed saddle.

 

[Miss_Millie]

I have the heaviest weight of cob - he's built like a tank and has 3 different saddles for different areas (dressage, jumping and showing) all fit him well. It's not an issue being wide and getting a treed saddle.

Thank you, that is very reassuring I think the main reason the owner has a treeless is so that it can be swapped between a few horses. She is a typical cob but I have ridden much wider horses in regular saddles. Treeless is definitely a different feel.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Treeless will feel much wider than a saddle with a tree, I have really wide arabs in saddles with trees there are lots of brands that specialise in the wider flatter types.

Brands that work on mine are black country, Ideal, Heritage, Lavinia Mitchell, Farrington.

AH saddles are aimed at natives and cobs so they would probably work as well.

 

[Miss_Millie]

Treeless will feel much wider than a saddle with a tree, I have really wide arabs in saddles with trees there are lots of brands that specialise in the wider flatter types.

Brands that work on mine are black country, Ideal, Heritage, Lavinia Mitchell, Farrington.

AH saddles are aimed at natives and cobs so they would probably work as well.

That is so helpful, I'll look up those brands. Thank you

 

[blitznbobs]

Its quite often a fallacy that only certain brands will work for a cob — both my cobs suit equipe saddles and theyre not a brand that is associated with flat backed beasties… ive also had cobs in albions and amerigos over the years … it really depends on your budget and what you want to do with your pony xx

 

[usaequestrian]

Disclaimer: not a saddle fitter.
I don't have a cob, but my 14.2 hand pony is pretty wide. Devacoux is my favorite, find a used one if you don't want to spend too much.

 

[Widgeon]

The only thing I would say is that wider, flatter saddles that are short in length are (IME!) harder to find second hand. And not all saddle fitters like working with wide horses - some of them will just look at a cob, pronounce them very short and wide, and recommend one single saddle that may be unsuitable for a myriad of other reasons (again, IME - sigh). So finding a saddle fitter who understands wider horses and really wants to help you is critical, and worth hiring a box and travelling for. Sorry if that's all teaching you to suck eggs, so to speak.

 

[Fransurrey]

Mine is in a Black Country, but I also tried an Ideal H&C. Only reason I chose the BC is because the Ideal was too long for me. Otherwise it was incredibly comfortable.

ETA: although he's very broad, his saddle is actually a wide fit due to his wither shape. It surprises everyone, but he has been checked. So don't assume an XXW is needed (I made that mistake early on after advice and it tipped me forward).

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

I viewed a horse today that I really liked, she ticked all of the boxes. Her owner has her in a treeless saddle, I have never ridden in one before and it felt unnaturally wide to me. I am quite a slight/petite build.

The horse will not be coming with a saddle so I assume there is no reason why I couldn't get a tree'd one fitted to her? She is quite a wide cob, but I have ridden wider cobs in a regular tree'd saddle before. Any advice appreciated by those who are more saddle savvy than myself!

If you are petite as you say do consider whether you will really be comfortable on this horse. I have really struggled with my cob. She now has a custom made AH saddle. Previously a solutions saddle was the best compromise we could find.
However I still find her painfully wide.

 

[I'm Dun]

My hip pain went away when I swapped the cob for a tb!

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Have you taken a look at Chunky Monkey saddles?

 

[Nasicus]

If you are petite as you say do consider whether you will really be comfortable on this horse. I have really struggled with my cob. She now has a custom made AH saddle. Previously a solutions saddle was the best compromise we could find.
However I still find her painfully wide.

I'll chime in to back this up! Hip and leg pain on original wide cob, went away on less wide cob, back again (to a lesser extent) with new wide cob. Too late now as I forgot about the issue until I started riding her more.

If it's not an issue for you, then great, no need to worry! But it is something I wish I'd remembered when I was looking.

 

[onemoretime]

Have a. look at Andrea Hicks saddles they are designed for wide fitting horses.

 

[Wizpop]

Treeless is mostly a very different feel as you say- don’t be put off too much, as others have said above, there are treed saddles that would probably fit- you just need a saddle fitter who is knowledgeable and keen to help. Treed saddles can also have a narrower twist which would help you not feel as stretched!
As youve ridden wider horses comfortably, I’d guess it’s more the treeless saddle than the actual horse that is the “problem”!

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

Andrea did an amazing job making a saddle with a narrower twist, extra padding etc. Fits the horse beautifully and my daughter is really happy with it. But it's a spendy process. Makes the horse much more expensive! So bear that in mind.

I am just happier on a narrower horse.

 

[Miss_Millie]

If you are petite as you say do consider whether you will really be comfortable on this horse. I have really struggled with my cob. She now has a custom made AH saddle. Previously a solutions saddle was the best compromise we could find.
However I still find her painfully wide.

I viewed an obese horse who was much much wider and I didn't feel uncomfortable. It was the saddle - I've never ridden in a treeless before and it felt more like bareback. I'm sure I will be much happier in a tree'd saddle

 

[HorseMaid]

I had a treeless saddle for a bit on one of my old mares who was very wide (xxxw or something) and Lord it crippled me! I'm a fairly narrow built person anyway. I did find her a saddle that fitted fine, it was just a bog standard thorowgood T4. I now have a much narrower horse!

 

[Ossy2]

You can definitely find a tree’d saddle for Chucky cobs. Treeless saddles are the work of the devil to me.
We have a chunky monkey saddle on ours and it’s fab

 

[sbloom]

AH saddles are aimed at natives and cobs so they would probably work as well.

OP I'm a fitter for AH, happy to answer any questions

Disclaimer: not a saddle fitter.
I don't have a cob, but my 14.2 hand pony is pretty wide. Devacoux is my favorite, find a used one if you don't want to spend too much.

Forgive me but French saddles would be bottom of the list for wider backs, the tree shape in the middle, where you sit, is too narrow in almost all cases. There are exceptions and clearly it works for you but I'd not send anyone that route.

The only thing I would say is that wider, flatter saddles that are short in length are (IME!) harder to find second hand. And not all saddle fitters like working with wide horses - some of them will just look at a cob, pronounce them very short and wide, and recommend one single saddle that may be unsuitable for a myriad of other reasons (again, IME - sigh). So finding a saddle fitter who understands wider horses and really wants to help you is critical, and worth hiring a box and travelling for. Sorry if that's all teaching you to suck eggs, so to speak.

Yep, us specialist wide fitters find that some regular saddle fitters send customers to us, they just don't have the stock or the techniques and will suck air through their teeth otherwise and throw their hands in the end, possibly calling them a beach ball. Because most specialist wide fitters aren't qualified (some are) a local SMS fitter may not know about them, but some top bods in the SMS recommend on to specialists (others trash the fits because they don't understand them!). If your budget is low then used is possible but good ones are rare. AH run this group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1641386762817197 where you may find some options. See what advice or fitting options your local specialist fitters offer, then you could have a short list and see what you can source yourself.