It seems that with a new horse must come a new saddle. I like an English type with spread-the-weight type panels and some D-rings. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
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My top two picks:
Thornhill Jorge Canaves (sp?) trail saddle- leather, soft seat, d rings on both sides, wonderfully balanced saddle. New for about $1000.
Thorowgood Jill Thomas Endurance saddle- synthetic, comfortable, wide panels, d rings. New for about $750.
I have seen a few of the older Thorowgood Jill Thomas saddles for sale cheap on tacktrader.
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Treed: Solstice (Arabian horse saddles) - super soft, lots of rings, designed for the flat wide Arab, high quality leather, totally English. Not cheap (about $2k)
Treeless: Sensation - super soft, lots of rings, totally English (comes in hunt seat and dressage seat), high quality bridle leather, totally English-looking. (about $1.2K)
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, D rings, very comfortable. You don’t “need” a saddle pad, although I use one to protect the underside of the saddle. I ordered a suede seat.
When I received it (finally), I didn’t remember ordering these big 2" thigh rolls, but I tell you, they really are comfortable, especially on hills which we have a lot of around here. Seems like it helps my leg stay in a balanced position more than a chair seat and I need a balanced seat on this horse! They’re also pretty secure which helps when riding a “scooter” like my horse. Fits both my horses BTW.
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Stubben Scout.
http://www.stubbennorthamerica.com/stu09Scout.html
It’s got 11 D-rings which ought to do the job. 
G.
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Very good suggestions so far - they have sent me to searching the COTH archives, ebay, and elsewhere. Other factors:
I am tall (6 ft) and take at least an 18 inch seat. Sounds like the Jill Thomas doesn’t run that large.
I like more of a dressage seat.
I like a tree (old and set in my ways).
I can spend about $750.
So far a Thornhill sounds like a maybe. In my dreams a solstice or Stubben! I am not sure of the fit though. My boy is a NSH with a wider Arab back and high withers.
Thanks guys!
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Ditto on the Thornhill!! You’ll be so suprised by the incredible high quality for the low price. Thornhill makes wonderful saddles and this one is one of my favorites.
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I really like the specialized saddles
For a traditional english treed saddle I really like the Smith-Worthington Trail Maxx. Very wide panels, wide gullet, nice style flap, sorta a VSD type. Not too straight, not too forward. Also has double foam cushioning the seat. They are expensive but you can find them used. I rode in one for years but have switched to treeless. I may have to have one reflocked for you young horse as I think it would fit him and give me an alternative saddle for when i need the traditional look. Oh, they have a full set of D rings all the way around the saddle. And Smith-Worthington can adjust the width of the saddle for you should your horse change. I got mine used for $800, they are $1500 now.
Specialized saddles have a new english style model that has panels that you can adjust your self to customize the fit of the panels for your horse.
then there are the Freeforms http://www.freeformusa.com/
bonnie S.
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I also like the Smith Worthington. It is a very well made saddle. I got mine “used”, but it was really new with tags, for under $1000 (they are much more expensive new). I think there is one for sale on Tack Trader now.
It is definitely a VSD style saddle. The only quibble I have with it is I am short-legged and I am riding on very hilly trails and have some problems getting my stirrups short enough. I think I should have a 16.5 instead of the 17.5 seat. I only have the problem on our hilliest trails, not on flatter trails. If you have longer legs, it would be perfect for you - my husband is 6’4" and the saddle fits him better than me!
If your horse is very flat backed, the Duett Companion is a nice trail saddle for less money.
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thank you!
You are all great references! I sat in a Courbette Charles deKunffy today in my price range which seemed ok - will take my horse to the store tomorrow and try it on him and maybe borrow it for a few days. The saddle has two “D” rings on the side which is two more than my Passier had.
Now I have more brands to think about if this one does not work out - the Smith-Worthington looks like it would be good for my long legs if I could find one used. I will get a better idea of the horse’s saddle size when I go tomorrow. Thank you all so much for your input.
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thornhill makes great stuff… I own the Venienna II (I can’t spell… but I’m not done w/ my coffee so don’t judge me)
but my favorite trail saddle is my German Cav saddle…
go check out any of the leather covered cav saddles, more up right good seat…
aussie saddles are great too if you can get past the thigh blocks, I tend to ride just a scosh to forward and rub the hell out of my thighs but shrug it is what it is. =)
good luck!
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German cavalry saddle? There’s one on ebay - very interesting saddle! It is very old (1935) - do they make knock-offs of the original?
I used to ride in McClellans - that was truly the saddle du jour for endurance at one time. I still have mine but it’s a relic now. We always used saddle blankets that were folded several times and “mushroomed” slightly up the center slit. You could refold them many times different ways - rarely cleaned them as they were old wool.
What all these saddles had in common were panels that effectively spread the rider’s weight. That was difficult to find in the 60s except in a western saddle which of course added a ton of weight back then.
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[QUOTE=prudence;4026846]
German cavalry saddle? There’s one on ebay - very interesting saddle! It is very old (1935) - do they make knock-offs of the original?
I used to ride in McClellans - that was truly the saddle du jour for endurance at one time. I still have mine but it’s a relic now. We always used saddle blankets that were folded several times and “mushroomed” slightly up the center slit. You could refold them many times different ways - rarely cleaned them as they were old wool.
What all these saddles had in common were panels that effectively spread the rider’s weight. That was difficult to find in the 60s except in a western saddle which of course added a ton of weight back then.[/QUOTE]
I hope so!!! I asked Guilherme about that, he pointed me to the society of the military horse I believe… I’m scared to pieces for when mine dies, I stole it from my mom who rides but not nearly as avidly as I. She let it go knowing it would get more use with me. BEST SADDLE EVER! we had it redone with all new leather essentially but its held up well to a regular amount of slinging in and out of trucks off horses, doing down etc… I usually carry it over my shoulder via the top strap of the breastcollar at the withers and the rings have all held great.
Fits a plethora of horses except super super narrow ones and comfortable as all get out… well assuming you like em hard not soft 
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The German cav. saddles are prized by many!
Personally, I’ve never like the Mac. It just doesn’t fit me. I know many other riders who find it just swell. A friend of mine in AK just moved from Macs and a Steele Plantation to a civilian Whitman. I’m not sure where he got them. They are light weight and give a permit seat than the Macs (according to may friend).
A line that is available and in numbers is the British Univeral Pattern (or UP). The original design dates to the 1790s and has been upgraded periodically ever since. The Trooper Saddles sold by many vendors are lineal descendants of the UP line. I’ve tried them and for me they put me too far “above” the horse. Again, I know a bunch of people (including some members of the Governor-General’s Horse Guard in Canada) who swear by them.
Saddle selection sometimes apprears complicated, but it’s principles are in fact fairly simple.
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The saddle must first fit the rider. If it doesn’t the rider will never be able to establish a good seat, will be constantly figiting around, and constantly annoying the horse with the movement.
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The saddle must secondly it the horse. If it doesn’t the horse will have pressure points, will be constantly figiting around, and will annoy the rider by not being able to focus on its tasks. It will be a very unpleasant horse to ride.
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The saddle must thirdly be appropriate to the discipline. You can ride endurance in in 60 lb. steer roping saddle buy why would you? You can cut in a TB jockey saddle, but the experience will not be pleasant. Tack rules can also dictate style by discipline. Buying a saddle that is not proper for the discipline (even it fits rider and horse) will be a waste of money.
I know I’ve reversed the traditional approach to fit in putting rider fit above horse fit, but that’s my view from my saddle.
G.
I also want to mention the quality of the Thornhill saddles…I have a dressage saddle by them and it is fantastic. Very inexpensive for the quality, durable, and just a beautiful saddle. It also fits a wide variety of horses which is always nice.
I also have an old European cav saddle (not sure exactly where it is from), and it’s super comfy once you get used to it. The seat is hard, though. Doesn’t bother me and you can always find a seat saver.
I have a friend who swears by the Wintec english endurance saddle, I’ve ridden in hers and didn’t care for it as it put me in a terrible chair seat and I felt like I was struggling to keep up with the horse, but she finds it very comfortable and seems to ride quite nicely in it. It is well made and does have the benefit of an adjustable gullet, too.
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I tried the Courbette but there was too much bridging of the panels - the weight was not evenly distributed. So I tried a Passier and that fits my NSH with high withers and a broad back nicely in a wide. But it’s $1600! I test rode it and yup it’s nice. But I have an older Passier - same dressage type - that is the same size but has flattened alot in the rear. I am thinking if I reflock or restuff (?) the rear may perk up and it will be similar for alot less money. But what a pleasure riding in the new Passier - it classed my horse, my rig, and maybe even me up a whole lot!
Very knowledgable people here - thank you for the comments.
Courbette Charles deKunffy
I used to own one of these. It put me in a chair seat and was green by the end of the year. bleah…
Yep. Awesome saddle. Maybe you could find a used one?
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