Definitely a stunner! I’ve been in saddle fit hell forEVER but then I knew what I was getting myself into from the get go over 30 years ago. Very hard to find a tree/panels short enough with the shoulder freedom and appropriate accommodations for the barrel on what I gather is the conformation. At least I keep find myself settling and maybe one day will be able to spring for a total custom. Of course of my ponies, none can wear/fit the same saddle, sigh.
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Thank you, he is my dream pony. The only thing that would be better would be if he was full Welsh instead of 3/4. 
I am hoping to settle on something that works for now because I’m sure he’ll change from 4 to 6. Then perhaps either a custom or at least something designed for the UK native breeds. 
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Oh huge congrats!!! What a handsome boy and you two look great together! Here’s to many happy trails to you both <3
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I’d suggest taking a look at the EQ Saddle Science or Reactor Panel saddles depending on which flavor you like. I now have three and the way the panels are really frees the shoulders while still working on a shorter back. They’re the only thing that I could find that fit my very round Friesian with a narrow enough twist for me. Both Arabs I have are also super happy. The panels also let you adjust fit yourself if you need to which is nice as horses love to change shape and muscling. They aren’t cheap but the degree of flexibility and being able to send in back tracings and do a trial on the saddles made it very worth it to shorten saddle fit hell.
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Thank you. I have given both consideration. I used to have an orthoflex for a Clyde x Tb I had decades ago but the problem (fit her great) was that the twist was way too wide for me. If I could find a demo then I’d be more incline to go in one direction or the other but the sending away for and returning of demos and saddles on trial at this point would almost buy me another decent saddle. Still haven’t ruled either out yet.
Omg, and I bet he loved every second of it!!
You’re right about the short pasterns. About 15 years ago, I was lucky enough to be adopted by a Percheron gelding in his early 20’s. Worked as a commercial driving horse his entire life. I don’t believe he’d ever been ridden, except perhaps where someone rode & steered off the left horse of a team.
Anyway, he w/t/c with a normal stride while out in the field. His way of going would completely change in harness. Never had occasion to canter him while driving as I’ve yet to encounter highway robbers on the road . However, as soon as we hitched to our little farm cart, his walk & trot became very vertical & he wouldn’t step “out”. If that makes any sense!
Eta: @cmdrcltr – omg, he’s stripey!! (My 18yo’s very technical term for a dorsal stripe ) She would approve!!
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Ah, but cantering in harness is such a rush! My Hackney pony just wouldn’t do it, but my grade pony, Salt, would. We’d tear around starting from my back yard and across my property and two other five acre properties (with permission, of course). I had to remember to duck going under my clothesline. Part of our route was along the fence separating the property belonging to the neighbor behind me from mine. The neighbor had over 30 alpacas, and the ones in that pasture (usually about 15 of them) would run with us as far as they could.
And yeah, I know my harness needed a lot of adjustment in that picture. This picture was shortly after I started driving Salt, and I was still making a lot of adjustments. It was the first time I fitted a harness and was quite a learning experience. He’s long gone now, died in 2018 well into his 30s after a few years of retirement. I miss him every day.
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