| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| JESSIEMAE |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 4:55:00 PM
Hi everyone, I know this topic has no doubt been done to death but I urgently need some saddle advice. My mare is currently out on loan with a view to buy. She is ridden but never came with any tack so have no idea what saddle has been used on her before. The lady who has just taken her on loan had a saddler out to see her today. The saddler has told her she will never get a saddle to fit her without spending over £1000 as my mare is short backed and has no withers !
The lady who has her on loan tried her with one and it slipped sideways when trying to canter. Does anyone recommend any particular brand that we should be looking for that would help ? Obviously don't want to spend lots of money in case it isn't suitable. Are any of the synthetics any good ?
Must admit this is the first time that I have had to fit an Arab with a saddle so feel a bit daunted!
Thanks in advance
Liza
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| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Misshana |
Posted - 26 Aug 2010 : 08:42:28 AM
I asked same questions few weeks ago. After trying loads of different saddles, eventually found a handmade saddle belonging to a friend which the good saddler I have now found has totally reflocked with wool. My gelding is more a med-wide fit and does have wither but very short backed. Its taken ages though, only got saddle back this week!
I bought off auction site a Saddle Company GP which was advertised as M/W but infact is wide and therefore too big for him so back it goes on auction site! These are adjustable by a saddler so if you get right size they can be altered. They are half leather, serge backed and only about £600 new. Saddles drives you made!
Good luck. |
| taranstorm |
Posted - 25 Aug 2010 : 5:45:07 PM
Barefoot do have western treeless saddle as i have one which fits any of mine  |
| proctorclaire |
Posted - 25 Aug 2010 : 3:19:48 PM
My Arab mare always had trouble with saddles and I found the best one for her was a Wintec 500 Medium fit.
I did think about getting a saddler in but she started going on about getting one made from scratch to fit her etc and I thought she went good in the Wintec I bought her so kept her in that. She gets her back checked reguarly and never any problems. |
| JESSIEMAE |
Posted - 25 Aug 2010 : 09:50:29 AM
Thank you so much everyone, you have been really helpful! I am also going to be backing my 5 year old mare in the next few months so these replies have made me aware I may also have saddle problems with her. She is also short backed with no withers!! I must admit that I am tempted to go down the 'western route' with her.
I will let you know how we get on, thanks once again.
Liza |
| T42 |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 10:01:26 PM
After trying 13 saddles (all 2nd hand - can't afford new!) the one that finally fitted was a Jeffries Falcon Adler VSD. My horse is wide, little withers with a wide flat back. Saddles with flat trees were no good because he lifts his back so much when he moves. Ideal looked spot on, until he moved when they dug in. Black Country fitted well but didn't suit me. I suspect I would have found a BC to suit, but the Adler came along 1st. Someone bought it new from that auction site & it didn't fit so I had a brand new saddle for £500. |
| Mrs Vlacq |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 9:46:16 PM
Try and find a Farrington WH - the design suits broad backed Arabs with large shoulders really well - I have several and they never move! |
| rosie |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 9:33:32 PM
I have a Thorowgood T4 cob. 'Extra wide'!
Good luck. |
| phoenixbruka |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 9:12:50 PM
farringtons fit arabs well
I've just had my old boy fitted with an Ideal isobelle VSD It was £900 but is very comfy and fits like a glove
The saddle company are also supposed to be really good for something that may need some adjustment within the fittening process and they're only around £650 brand new
I'd suggest you find a saddle fitter who doesnt have such a problem with some thing that actually needs fitting rather then just one he can plonk on and run 
best of luck with your search
susie |
| taranstorm |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 9:09:44 PM
Use barefoot treeless saddle second hand around £300 as mine fit any type of horses included all my arabs! |
| P.S |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 8:34:31 PM
I had an arab mare once that sounded just like that- like barrel (no withers) and short- my saddler fitter her with a GFS tweenagers saddle- a 16.5 in seat but has longer flaps to accommodate the length of leg- only about £400 if you do your research- hope it goes well x |
| Freya and Ceece |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 8:33:18 PM
I have found success with flocked wintecs, but you will quite probably need to have more stuffing put in the back half of the panels, otherwise they 'wing up' on arabs, due to the short, flat back. Once that's done I find they last ages for them.
I als o have an old thorowgood griffin (one of the first ones with the woven seat and panels). The flocking is lovely and soft underneath and the horse loves it, but the seat is rock hard to sit on, so I put a seat saver on top.
As for slipping, if she's round it's likely to happen with a lot of saddles unless you're willing to spend a lot and have one made to measure. I have a stephen's gel pad for home which is fab and goes in the washing mashine and a muddy hoofs magi-pad for competition, so you can't see it under the saddle. The stephen's does a better job, but they do look weird under the saddle and they curl up if you trim them, so avoid trimming at all costs! |
| debsnboz |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 7:02:57 PM
I have bought a second hand saddle company cob saddle with a square cantle. It only cost me £250 on ebay, and I have has the tree adjusted to fit him by a fitter who came to us, for £35. I am using it with a prolite multi riser pad with shims just at the withers at the mo, as the fitter said he will muscle up and if she made it fit him spot on now she may be back in 3 weeks to widen it (he is only 3 1/2 and just backed  )
They are leather on top and super comfy to sit on, and synthetic underneath. The panels are serge which is like wool, so the saddler was able to move the flocking a little too just by poking it about!! It's really light too!!
The idea is that I can keep readjusting the saddle as he broadens and muscles up, without having to but a new one every 6 months. Thats the plan anyway !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Zena |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 6:22:47 PM
Hi my first saddle was a wintec close contact with cair and changeable gullet which was fine for first year then it didnt sit right on her back had to use a back riser obv she changed shape so now have a ryder england endurance that i came across second hand paid £650 but new are over a £1000 and it is perfect for her shes 5yr old n probably change again so try buy cheap if you think she may change shape .do agree with thorowgood t4 for arabs have seen them n they do look the right type of saddle . good luck . |
| Callisto |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 6:07:31 PM
I have an extremely short backed and round boy, who I tried numerous saddles on before I ended up with a leather Bates VSD which is very comfortable and also has an adjustable tree, which is very useful as they change shape. It was £850 new, so if she could find a second hand one she should get it for rather less. I use a fully qualified saddle fitter who carries a large range of second hand saddles, and who is also happy to let you try before you buy ( for a small fee), finding the right saddle is a nightmare, and they are all different. I agree with Etoile, be wary of saddlers who only sell new expensive saddles - it can end up as a costly mistake and you never get your money back once it's secondhand. Many people like the thorowgood T4 for Arabs, which is synthetic and adjustable, it fitted my Arab, but I didn't like it, but that's a personal thing. |
| JESSIEMAE |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 6:02:51 PM
Thanks Etoile, yes she has been out of work for over 12 months. I had sold her but bought her back when she was up for sale again in a poor condition. She is now quite 'plump' as has been on good grazing. I must admit that I was thinking of a treeless or synthetic as I would imagine she is going to change shape again when getting some muscle tone. I have a feeling this is going to take quite a little time to resolve by reading previous topics!
Liza |
| Etoile |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 5:55:06 PM
My advice would be to be very wary of saddlers insisting that you need expensive, custom fitted saddles over £1000! I have two of them from two different, very earnest saddlers, both of which are now languishing in the garage as they turned out to be useless, one blocked the shoulder and was too long (Ideal Event), and the other caused back pain and rubbed at the back (Arabian Saddle Company Solstice). I ended up going treeless with an ansur, having trialed it first and bought it at a more reasonable price on ebay. Also if your mare has been out of work I would recommend something adjustable, like a treeless or synthetic, my boys changed shape a hell of a lot as they got fit and soon grew out of their first treed saddles. |
