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peg
Silver Member
United Kingdom
349 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 09:52:06 AM
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Hello,
My saddle nightmare continues and I did a websearch for "arabian saddles" which came up with Ken's name, stating that his company understand the issues with arabians and have fitted many arabians succesfully. I can't recall anyone here ever mentioning him and this seemed a bit curious to me. If anyone has any experience of him/ his saddles I would be grateful to hear.
Thank you,
P
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 10:05:52 AM
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Peg whereabouts are you? I've been down the specialised arabian saddle route and the m2m route and ended back with Ideal saddles properly fitted by David Dyer (used to be Frogpool Manor but now independant)... would highly recommend him  |
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peg
Silver Member
United Kingdom
349 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 10:12:55 AM
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Hey Pasha,
Thanks for your email! We are near Stansted. My goodness , I used David Dyer years ago to fit my old boy and yes he was fabulous! I didn't realise he was working independently.
I have three Ideals sitting in my tackroom which Madam is unimpressed with, one with Flair. At the moment I am waiting to try a newer version Ideal from my current saddler but both she and I are starting to feel pessimistic (she is lovely by the way). I would very much appreciate a contact number for David though - could you pm it to me please? By the way which Ideal do you have?
xx
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Bebely
Gold Member
United Kingdom
813 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 11:00:33 AM
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What a coincidence Peg. I googled yesterday evening whilst having a good sob over Tamba's saddle fitting issues. I also came up with Ken's name and after reading the interesting article in his diary I gave him a ring.
He asked me to email some photos which I did and I am waiting for a call back. He's probably much too far for me as I am in Leicestershire but I am getting very despondent now.
I'll let you know if he gets back to me and what the outcome is. There is also a lady in Northamptonshire who says she has one saddle which might possibly fit. That'll be the fifth then! |
Bev |
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loulou
Silver Member
England
464 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 12:39:16 PM
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Hi Peg
I believe Ken works for Saddle World or something like that and has saddle fitters working for him. He is very good but not the cheapest but can't comment as he has not fitted anything for me. I think that most saddlers do not like the show saddles, I have used most in our area and am also giving up the will to live at the moment. Mine are currently in a fylde Haydon but when my saddler looked at it said there was little he could do as they are not flocked like a conventional saddle but with rubber???? I would imagine similar to the Cair system and that it couldn't be altered.
Let me know what you settle on. I am currently waiting to hear about a second hand Ideal Ramsey but the last one of those I tried was too tight even though it was an XW - I think they come up quite narrow.
Traceyx |
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misterei
Silver Member
United Kingdom
455 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 2:01:24 PM
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We are on the border of the M25 & Essex so about 25 miles from stansted. Ken comes to us to fit, stuff and adjust saddles, he is well respected in Essex and is one of the few saddlers who understands arabs, as their withers/shoulders usually cause most less patient and experienced saddlers a problem. There are some in the area who refuse to fit saddles to arabs, and others who we have no confidence in. He has a range of saddles but ours are mostly Ideal.
He works with a lady called Christine and she is also very capable. As for whether he does a good job, all of our horses have come first in their first Arab ridden shows, except Fharida who let us down badly by coming second  (but we don't care). He has told us we didn't need a new saddle in his view. He is very competent and fair.
(Edited as I had an urgent phone call - sorry)
We have used at least one other we are very pleased with, but only somebody who sells saddles, not fits them.
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Here they are
Emira......Mazie...Fharida.....Shahi......Mazie.....Saffee..Malika...Emira
More at www.purespiritarabians.com |
Edited by - misterei on 22 Mar 2011 3:16:50 PM |
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 4:04:27 PM
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Gosh I used Ken donkey's years ago and I seem to remember him being quite competant and a very interesting man. I think he used to go out to Jordan to fit for the Royal Stables but that could have been a mists of time thing  !
He came out to Bucks for me so I guess if he will fly to Jordan then Leicester is probably not out of the question ! |
     
Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 6:38:09 PM
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| I went to a talk on saddle fitting he did years ago in Aberdeen, so I don't think he minds travelling , very good talk, but haven't used him as a fitter. |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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Jess.And.Tiger
Silver Member
England
344 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 7:20:14 PM
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I always have him he's great, has some great stories too and he really loves arabs!!!
He is expensive but I have always had decent saddles and a decent fitting from him!!!
xxxx |
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kimzi
Gold Member
865 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 7:54:06 PM
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| Have had a shambolic and expensive experience with saddle world, would not recommend, fortunateley not being a novice i knew when i was being fed a load of old arse. |
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T42
Bronze Member
England
215 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 9:03:42 PM
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| Don't despair! Took me 13 attempts to get something that fitted. Along the way I spoke to Ken. He would have made me a made-to-measure saddle for ~£800 (2010). Seemed to understand the problems & was quite happy to discuss with my saddle fitter. He would have made the saddle from templates & measurements that she had taken & then come up to Glos to fit it. Found a nearly new Jeffries Falcon Adler in the end. |
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peg
Silver Member
United Kingdom
349 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 9:32:05 PM
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Brilliant,
That is all very helpful! Thanks to all for responding and will give an update in the interest of fellow saddle sufferers! |
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Bebely
Gold Member
United Kingdom
813 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2011 : 10:40:29 PM
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I haven't heard back from Ken or from the local lady but will remain positive
Jaj - he said he had recently been to Dubai so Leicestershire no problem but I did comment that they possibly have a bigger budget than me....sigh....
Look forward to updates Peg.
(I wonder if we all pool our 5,6,7 saddles we could swap around and find a fit for each of the problem boys & girls?) |
Bev |
Edited by - Bebely on 22 Mar 2011 10:43:41 PM |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2011 : 10:20:24 AM
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Oh, the woe of saddle fitting!
I backed my girl at the end of last summer, but started riding her regularly recently.
Saddles and ruby just don't seem to go together. After spending too much time riding a shuffley, irritated, downright furious arab, I've resorted to riding bareback! Ruby's never been one to suffer without telling it to me straight what she's thinking, so fortunatly i was able to ditch a nice collection of (treed and teeless) saddles without them doing her any damage. The main problem seems to be her short back, big shoulders, very forward girth groove, well sprung rib cage, low withers, resulting in the the saddle slipping up her neck at every available oppertunity (especially down hill, and we're just outside Peak National park so it's HILLY!).
So, rather than her formative training becoming so negative (she started running away when she saw the saddle!) we're back to nature here, and i have to say, I'm LOVING it! I haven't ridden bareback for more years than i'd like to admit, but I'm so glad i did! Ruby loves it, no more shuffling and being irritated, striding out happy and confident (the only problem is actually getting on! I'm not quite as flexible as i used to be!) and she come over ears forward again when she sees her bridle. It's so lovely to feel her movement under me, really using her back muscles.
I have on my list of saddles i'd like to try, Fylde show saddle (straight cut, extra wide, close contact), Farrington wh, and a second hand Specialised saddle that should be arriving this week.
Time will tell. If not, we'll carry on as nature intended. Now we're both getting out and happy, i'm not so stressed as i was. The awful thing was riding her when she obviously wasn;t happy. I ended up walking most of the way! If Ruby's happy, I'm happy!
Ros |
Edited by - mogwai on 23 Mar 2011 6:48:15 PM |
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basbob
Gold Member
France
1356 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2011 : 6:10:19 PM
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| He'll look into your eyes - tell you they're a beautiful colour and what an amazing horse you have - then you'll spend a lot more than you were planning. Many people have told me the same. |
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peg
Silver Member
United Kingdom
349 Posts |
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Bebely
Gold Member
United Kingdom
813 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2011 : 10:48:38 PM
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LOL. I'd also pay good money for that
Local Lady coming on Monday so I will save Ken as a back up or if I get really depressed and need cheering up ;) |
Bev |
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jasjmm
Gold Member
625 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2011 : 11:04:58 PM
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Just to add to the mix... I used a brilliant little Anthill 17" WH for the first year I had my mare (it was my friend's saddle). I was then lucky enough to find a new (but "last season's model" Albion Selecta with the WH panels. This fit both my mare and Madaba brilliantly. Again, 17", but this one was medium wide. I found the Albion came up much wider than some other makes.
I then bought a custom made (for a 16hh Ansata gelding!!) Ideal Event Int VSD, with extra wide seat, buffalo hide knee panels and flair fitted. This was the same size width as the Ideal, although it was marked as a Wide. I have since had the Ideal widened for Madaba and its lovely on him, but not really WH panels, more GP.
If you can ever find one of those Anthills (I do look at Exeter horse sales, etc, and on line, just in case) - they always had good reviews. Otherwise, both I and a friend have the Albion Selectas, pretty rubbish for exchanging the panels on (dressage panels will never fit same as dressage saddle as stirrup clips in wrong place for dressage, etc, etc), but brilliant little all round saddles for general riding.
Sorry if I've repeated anything anyone else has said, I had not read the whole post.
Good luck, I know what a pain it is, I waited a year to find the Albion when I first got my mare and was just lucky I was able to borrow my friend's Anthill until then.
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Bristol |
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2011 : 11:28:25 PM
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Girls, now don't go getting your expectations up too high re Ken being a bit of a laydee's man - he was pushing 50 odd (and I'm being extremely generous here) about a decade ago and I don't remember collapsing all of a swoon at any point during our afternoon together  !
Maybe he has a young protege though mmmm.... 
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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basbob
Gold Member
France
1356 Posts |
Posted - 24 Mar 2011 : 08:42:59 AM
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| Having always had leather saddles, I decided to buy a wintec pro for my boy when I backed him. Now, 4 years later, the saddle is still perfect, light enough for 5'1" of me to throw up onto his 16h back and more comfortable then anything else I have ever ridden in. Wouldn't go back to leather now. The changeable gullet is fab too. |
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Ken Lyndon Dykes?
