Another question about saddles! A typical rider of multiple horses, most of them having similar back shapes/sizes. However, I’m a bit stumped on the adjustable or wide with padding as needed options. Specifically looking at the Toulouse Genesis saddles. At times, I ride multiple horses a day, and I don’t see the saddle holding up to being adjusted before each ride. Thoughts?
For me personally, I would prefer a fixed tree and some whatever quantity of pads.
That way I know that Dobbin gets my saddle with a front lift, Suzie gets my saddle with a thinline, and Johnny gets my saddle with a bump pad. Is it ideal? no. But I’m not going to get out a key and try to remember exactly how many cranks from fully narrowed each horse is.
I am not saddle fitter or anything, but I would not imagine a saddle would hold up to daily adjusting. I also ride multiple types of horses and I have a medium tree that fits most types reasonably well. The only thing I could see being a problem with a wide tree, would be if you had a narrow or medium narrow horse and the saddle sat too low due to width. I’m not sure how much you’d be able to pad up (but I defer to someone with more experience).
Very very luckily, I have ridden only a handful of horses out of innumerable others that would be considered narrow. One was (is, actually) because he’s VASTLY underweight and undermuscled. Once he gets both up to par, I’d wager he’ll be quite a bit wider. All the other horses have been at least a medium, most up to a typical wide (and a few extra wides…holy cow). My typical rides are QH, TBs, crosses of the two, rather chunky ponies, and other sturdy things. VERY rarely have I ridden a full TB, and even then those have not been narrow.
Personally, I would go wide & use a Mattes pad with shims as needed. I had a Toulouse w/ Genesis for a brief time, I hated it- the tree “unlocked” during a ride and it ended up sitting on my horse’s withers :no:
[QUOTE=designequine;7497873]
Personally, I would go wide & use a Mattes pad with shims as needed. I had a Toulouse w/ Genesis for a brief time, I hated it- the tree “unlocked” during a ride and it ended up sitting on my horse’s withers :no:[/QUOTE]
How old was this saddle? I’ve been told they’ve made some pretty serious progress in the quality of the Genesis trees recently, but I’m not positive on it. Another reason I’m concerned!
It is my understanding that adjustable tree saddles are meant more to accommodate a single, changing horse rather than hold up to multiple adjustments per day.
I would opt for wide and pads.
I’m not a saddle fitter, but I would assume that “adjustable” saddles are meant to be adjusted infrequently, say if your horse changes as it develops, or if you sell and buy another horse.
Some saddles, like the Black Country, don’t have a lock and key mechanism, but their trees can be adjusted in a press. I think those can be adjusted 1-2 times, according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
I think it would be better to use a wider saddle and pad up. That might work for a larger variety of horses, but not necessarily all of them.
Some friends have suggested getting a medium (or if it can be found,a medium wide) tree over a full wide. Thoughts on this?
[QUOTE=swillowness;7510680]
Some friends have suggested getting a medium (or if it can be found,a medium wide) tree over a full wide. Thoughts on this?[/QUOTE]
I think it depends on the saddle. A true wide in a british made saddle can be pretty wide, whereas a wide in a french saddle might not be that wide. For example, the dover saddles, I don’t think their wide is that wide.
it also depends on shapes. If you ride a lot of TBs, you’ll need a lot of padding to balance out a wide on most of them. If you ride more QHsy types, then maybe the wide is closer to the average.
Most everything I’ve ridden thus far has been a QH or something mixed with a QH. I haven’t ridden a full TB in months, and even those lacked the typical shark fin withers. Other horses have been draft crosses, stocky ponies, a few dainty ponies, and WB crosses.
[QUOTE=pattnic;7498078]
It is my understanding that adjustable tree saddles are meant more to accommodate a single, changing horse rather than hold up to multiple adjustments per day.
I would opt for wide and pads.[/QUOTE]
This is correct. Not only are the saddles not meant to withstand a daily adjustment, it is not a quick, easy process. It would be ungainly and time consuming to do so between rides not to mention it does eventually wear on the saddle. The adjustable trees are meant to either grow with a horse through its lifetime or perhaps change a few times as you buy and sell horses over the years.
I bring along sale prospects so generally don’t own the same horse for more than a year. I recently bought a MW tree (4.5") and was sure to also buy something foam flocked so it doesn’t break in to a particular horse’s shape and with a wide gullet channel to accommodate a variety of horse sizes. If I get a lanky baby I can always pad up.
