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T O P I C R E V I E W
Liz100
Posted - 23 Jan 2015 : 8:47:53 PM I am having a bit of a saddle nightmare at the moment. I have a Thorowgood endurance model which I got because it's so lightweight and easy to clean. I've been very happy with it for three years but on the last saddle check in October the saddle was sitting too low at the front and too wide, so the fitter reflocked it and it now fits 'correctly'. However, a few weeks ago I started having problems with Raf, he didn't want to bend to the left and my RI thought it would be the saddle, although we couldn't find anything wrong with the fit, even with her Port Lewis pad test. So got physio out and she also thinks saddle, but again can't see anything wrong with the fit. The saddle fitter is coming back to check but if it appears to fit correctly where does that leave me?
So thinking back, the time we were both happiest was in the Freeform treeless saddle I used to have. I sold it because I like to do a bit of jumping and dressage and needed a 'legal' saddle. However I think Raf had better topline and his wither wasn't so pronounced in that treeless saddle, as well as having no back problems. He was a lot younger then though, so maybe his shape has just changed with age.
So, I was wondering whether a Strada, with it's close contact style and flexible tree, would be a happy halfway house between treed and treeless for us both. I've searched on here and found some people who recommended them and a thread by Callisto, who was in the process of getting one, but I don't know the outcome!
I don't really want to spend a fortune on a saddle if I don't have to, but really do want Raf to be comfortable. He has quite a short back, needs a 17" saddle and has some wither, big shoulders and what the saddler tactfully describes as an 'Arab barrel', with a forward girth groove.
Any experience of Strada saddles or any other advice much appreciated.
25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
glo
Posted - 26 Aug 2020 : 07:59:47 AM Just found this three again! All these years later, I now ride in Strada saddles! And I love them! Strange how things change. How is everyone else getting on!
Misper
Posted - 27 Feb 2015 : 06:00:30 AM Hi Silver,
I was told this by Ilga and I believe the reasoning is that the Strada is a close contact saddle. As I say,I know of people who swear by these saddles but others whose horses have not got on with them at all - horses for courses.My three horses are in different makes of saddles and I have found saddle fitting a very tricky (and expensive!) business - would horses could talk!
Silver
Posted - 26 Feb 2015 : 2:22:33 PM Misper why is the girth recommended not to be done up to tightly ? our mare hated the Strada from the first moment she was sat on she broncoed round the school and bucked every time she was asked to canter and we were told she was being Diva and was then asked what we did we do when she acted like that ! She never acted like that before at all.Our other mare was fine in it for a few months but then developed a sore back behind her withers.
Misper
Posted - 26 Feb 2015 : 11:51:11 AM Hi Callisto, Sorry,I misunderstood. My Strada has no knee rolls,and I must say,that is the one thing I would change if buying another,as there is very little to help you stay on. Good luck to you both for the new season!
Callisto
Posted - 26 Feb 2015 : 10:49:06 AM Hi Misper, the saddle didn't slip at all, it's just that Lily can teleport sideways really quickly whilst slamming to an instant stop, and I shot off. I have nothing against the Strada - I really liked it, but I found a saddle that Lily moved better in before I went further with having a Strada saddle fitting. On the saga with saddles, my sister has been through 5 in the last 12 months with her new boy, they are now in an endurance style reactor panel saddle, which they are both very happy with so far, but the proof of the pudding will be when they really start covering the miles again during the 2015 endurance season.
Misper
Posted - 26 Feb 2015 : 10:00:26 AM Hi Liz100,
One of my mares has a Strada saddle,fitted by Ilga 18 months ago. Since then,she has gone from a Novice to Advanced endurance horse and seems to be comfortable. Having said that,Ilga is coming to check the fit in a couple of weekends time. Stradas are definitely worth trying,they might not work for all,but the big bonus is that Ilga is a very knowledgeable and honest fitter and certainly in my case,was prepared to leave a demo saddle with me for a couple of weeks so Lantana and I could get a good feel for it.She also is accepting if the owner feels that the saddle is not right for the horse.
Callisto,it is possible that the tree size was not right for your horse if it had not been professionally fitted,hence the slipping? If the Strada saddle really fits it should not slip,particularly as it is recommended not to do the girth up too tight!
Liz100
Posted - 25 Feb 2015 : 10:07:23 PM Thanks ladies. I had kind of gone off the idea of Strada, but might be revisiting it, as the Lavinia Mitchell idea doesn't seem to be working out too well.
Callisto, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Hope you have found 'the one'.
Glo, I wonder whether that's Raf's problem as he has big shoulders with a big movement, but is quite narrow at the front and wide at the back, with a forward girth groove. I wouldn't say he was the pretty show type though!
glo
Posted - 25 Feb 2015 : 5:56:19 PMConfmation
glo
Posted - 25 Feb 2015 : 5:55:24 PM Sorry you haven't managed to sort your saddle problem, years ago I had a mare on loan, she had a wide back and rib cage but was very narrow between the front legs, more like a tringle shape, my saddle would slip forward. Never managed to get a saddle to stay put. She was show bred and very pretty but no thought had been given to her career as a riding horse, I would say a huge conflation fault. I used to ride her up hill most of the way and lead her back!
Callisto
Posted - 25 Feb 2015 : 4:12:27 PM Only just caught up with this thread, I did try a friend's Strada and liked it, but Lily shied at some black tyre marks in the road at a trot and I disappeared over her shoulder . It was a show style one though, so minimal knee rolls. I then tried an Ideal Jessica - v. comfortable and secure, but Lily wasn't quite right. Then went to a master saddler with a vast array of second hand saddles and a good reputation, tried a number of different dressage styles but ended up with a Silhouette Working Hunter (no I hadn't heard of them either). It didn't have the knee rolls I wanted to make me feel secure, but Lily moves noticeably better in it, I have hunted and hacked in it and haven't parted company with her (yet). Am praying that this one is the right one, as our saddle saga would fill a short and depressing book.....
Silver
Posted - 17 Feb 2015 : 2:53:38 PM That is the problem we had with our LM saddle on one of our horses it kept slipping forward and has now created small pressure lumps on our horses back that will not disappear we were told they were blocked sweat glands.
Liz100
Posted - 17 Feb 2015 : 12:43:53 PM I'm so disappointed - I love the saddle and find it extremely comfortable, but unfortunately it slips forwards. Having another go with the next size down next week.
Was really hoping to be ready to start the new season of pleasure rides in March. Not looking too good now!
glo
Posted - 10 Feb 2015 : 6:38:16 PM How exciting. Let us know how you get on.
Liz100
Posted - 10 Feb 2015 : 12:43:26 PM Thanks for all your help everyone. I had a consultation with the Lavinia Mitchell fitter last night and hope I won't have to look any further. I tried two saddles - the VSD which Raf strode out in beautifully, he normally only walks that well in the bareback pad, and trotted comfortably on both reins, including circles. Next tried the dressage, but within seconds he told me he didn't like it as much - swishing his tail and twitching his back - so abandoned that idea straight away. I felt really comfortable in both.
I was very impressed with the fitter, don't think I'm allowed to name names on here but if anyone is interested PM me. She wasn't at all pushy and even said there was no need to buy a new saddle as mine could be altered to achieve the same effect. However, there was no point in her coming out and me not trying the saddles!
Now got the VSD on trial, can keep it for a few weeks at no charge so I can hack out and have a lesson in it. Really quite excited, hope this is 'the one'.
ella
Posted - 29 Jan 2015 : 6:13:01 PM I have 2 Stradas that suited all my last 3 Arabs very well indeed. I have used them during clinics of up to 1 week in length (5-6 hrs/day in the saddle), pleasure rides, TREC comps & on a 3-day trek whilst remaining very pleased with them. I am overweight, so saddle issues show up quickly
Silver
Posted - 28 Jan 2015 : 8:58:56 PM Liz100 we have Ideal VSD Absolute saddles and a fitter that knows what she's doing.
glo
Posted - 28 Jan 2015 : 1:23:17 PM I ride a friends horse in my balance saddle and leave it at her yard, went to ride yesterday and my saddle had her stirrups on it! I as not amused! Any way she said that she had been using it on her mare a very slight Arab, I have fitted it with the pads to a cob x Arab!
She has lessons each week and her instructor said that she had never seen her horse work so well, and my friend said she had never had such a good lesson, and also she had ridden in it several times since, and asked if she could use it yesterday.
So I rode in her horses very uncomfortable saddle, in pain, wile she rode in my lovely comfy saddle, she wanted to ride for longer wile I had to get off and walk!
These horse are very different size and shapes, but the saddle fitted both, the saddle is stable both up and down hill and never moved on both horses, this is how versatile the saddle are.
Like others have said what works for one doesn't work for others. Wile I have not had a problem with saddling for years using both saddles, I have not had a back problem, dispute using both saddles on lots of different horses.
My friend said dispute her mare going the best she had ever seen it, the instructor said that the saddle was to wide for her, and not to use the pads, and it would be on its own, as the pads are designed to work with the saddle.
In my option this is why is does not work for some, if your always told your saddle dose not fit, you would go back to a normal saddle. This is why you need to read how it works and understand it. Once you understand how it works it's like a light has been turned on and you would never go back.
Do your research, look at all the pros and cons, it's not a lot of money in the long run, when you think how much it costs to have your horses back checked every months, like you said you have spent a lot already.
Liz100
Posted - 28 Jan 2015 : 12:50:11 PM
Originally posted by Arachnid
Frankly if you look hard enough you will find a negative comment about ANY make of saddle. Its a question of what works for your horse. If you could find someone with a same-shaped horse as yours doing the same kind of work you might be a bit ahead of the game. Its a subject close to my purse.
Saddles are very expensive if they don't work aren't they? Mind you, the amount I'll have spent on physio and the equipment I've had to buy (I didn't possess roller, side reins etc as I didn't think 'happy hackers' needed them) it would have gone a fair way towards a new saddle!
Have to be honest, the main reason why I'm hoping to go to this particular saddle fitter is because on her website it shows pictures of her riding her Arabs on endurance events, including the Golden Horseshoe, so I am encouraged that not only will she understand Arab back shapes, she'll also understand that Arabs like proper introductions and explanations before unusual activities like saddle fitting.
Arachnid
Posted - 28 Jan 2015 : 09:21:48 AM Frankly if you look hard enough you will find a negative comment about ANY make of saddle. Its a question of what works for your horse. If you could find someone with a same-shaped horse as yours doing the same kind of work you might be a bit ahead of the game. Its a subject close to my purse.
Liz100
Posted - 27 Jan 2015 : 10:55:05 PM
Originally posted by Silver
We have had Strada saddles and LM saddles and problems with both.
Nooooo! This is the first negative comment I have read about LM in all my research. What type of saddle do you use now?
Thanks for the info on the pads Glo. I'm just worried I'll end up with the same issues as the Freeform where it takes me an age to arrange everything, then I get on board and find that the pad isn't symmetrical. As you say, best to ring for a chat.
Silver
Posted - 27 Jan 2015 : 8:22:30 PM We have had Strada saddles and LM saddles and problems with both.
glo
Posted - 27 Jan 2015 : 07:41:52 AM The saddles are wider than a ordinary saddle, they will put the saddle on the horse to see if it sits right on the horse, if it's ok then a back pad and saddle cloth will be added, if your horse is very wasted or high withered a small pad may be added over the front on the bace pad. When it's girthed up as if you are going to ride, with 2 fingers on the back, side of the saddle it should not tip forward and lift up. If you can lift the back of the saddle it's to narrow!
Latvian is very good and I am sure that any fitter she has said is ok would be. Best though to phone for a chat before you do any thing. Balance is the same to fit. Lavinia also has second hand balance saddle for sale and she worked for balance for a long time before making her own saddles.
You would be well looked after, but it will be very different riding in either saddle, so that is why you a try them, and they can explained how they work. They won't just sell you a saddle and leave you to get on with it.
Liz100
Posted - 27 Jan 2015 : 06:36:13 AM Thanks, as it turns out my RI has a Solution (that she doesn't use) which she says I can have a sit in.
Still liking the Lavinia Mitchell idea best - although I wouldn't be seeing Lavinia herself as she's too far away, but one of the approved saddle fitters on her website. Do you think that would be a problem?
Also thought about trying a Balance saddle, although that looks a bit more complicated, they seem to have something called Test Ride Facilitators, which I assume means you can try a saddle but the TRFs aren't approved fitters. Not sure.
The thing I can't seem to find on either website, is how the pad systems work - I mean do you use them all the time or just if your horse needs shims? And are they easy to use?
Thanks for all your help. I'm going to give the LM fitter a ring later.
FireLight
Posted - 26 Jan 2015 : 11:44:51 AM I had a Solutions saddle and it was a nightmare for me and my horse. It slipped and made me feel as if I couldn't ride as I was constantly trying to keep it from slipping. It also cost me a small fortune in physio bills for my boy as he had soreness in the wither and girth area. They are popular though and I know people who love them, just not for me - a very expensive mistake!
Faracat
Posted - 26 Jan 2015 : 12:20:15 AM I have a 2nd hand solution freestyle dressage saddle for my grey and it's lovely. I do always mount from a block, I can do the girth up when mounted and it's never slipped.
The SMARTs are expensive. I keep trying to save up for a jumping one, but vets bills keep scuppering that plan. :(
. It was a show style one though, so minimal knee rolls. I then tried an Ideal Jessica - v. comfortable and secure, but Lily wasn't quite right. Then went to a master saddler with a vast array of second hand saddles and a good reputation, tried a number of different dressage styles but ended up with a Silhouette Working Hunter (no I hadn't heard of them either). It didn't have the knee rolls I wanted to make me feel secure, but Lily moves noticeably better in it, I have hunted and hacked in it and haven't parted company with her (yet). Am praying that this one is the right one, as our saddle saga would fill a short and depressing book.....
