Ken & Masters Dressage Saddle

[outerbanks77]

Hi, just curious if anyone has experience with these? I’m trying to decide on a first saddle for my 3 year old Westfalian filly. She is a modern, fairly narrow type with a fairly flat back. The changeable gullet of course is an attractive option with a baby, and I want something secure feeling. The lower price point is also attractive, given that she’ll get something different when she matures in a couple years.

My main saddle for my other horse is a Black Country Vinici, and the seat doesn’t look wildly different. I have long legs and would be looking at getting an 18". (my BC is regular length, but forward flap with short blocks) With the moveable block, I’m thinking this would work OK?

Thoughts?

[CanteringCarrot]

Yeah, it may be ok. I sat in a Kent & Masters and the twist was too narrow for me. I cannot recall the model. Otherwise it was a nice saddle for the price point.

I ended up with a Fairfax Gareth, which was pricey IMO, but has worked out wonderfully. The changeable gullet has come in handy as my horse went from wide, to medium wide (out of work for a bit), then back to a wide. My saddle fitter is quite a distance away and I do have fit and flocking checks regularly, but she showed me how to determine if the gullet fits and how to change it (super easy!). I wish that I would have liked the Kent and Masters as it cost less! They seem to fit flat backs well and aren’t terribly curvy for the most part.

I don’t know how the Kent and Masters are, but the Fairfax comes with such a long flap, I had to get a short flap for the first time ever.

You can also easily adjust girth billet positions on the Kent and Masters.
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[no.stirrups]

Deleted my comment as I was actually thinking of another brand. Brain fart! I have little to no experience with them. Sorry!

[LetItBe]

I’ve got an S-Series and really liked it. Unfortunately it’s now for sale as it didn’t work for my new horse who needs a smaller saddle. The changeable gullets are nice, I ordered a wider size just to have on hand if needed.

LetItBe

[arabiansrock]

They are very nice saddles for the price. However, if you are looking at it as a temporary saddle, you might want to consider the thorowgood T8 instead. It is exactly the same saddle, but it part synthetic. the seat and knee pads are leather, the rest is synthetic and it can be had brand new for $900. And I know they are the same and sit the same because I have a T8 and my DD has a K&M.

[outerbanks77]

@arabiansrock

They are very nice saddles for the price. However, if you are looking at it as a temporary saddle, you might want to consider the thorowgood T8 instead. It is exactly the same saddle, but it part synthetic. the seat and knee pads are leather, the rest is synthetic and it can be had brand new for $900. And I know they are the same and sit the same because I have a T8 and my DD has a K&M.

How slippery is the synthetic? Is it any grippier than a non-suede Wintec?

[arabiansrock]

it isn’t slippery at all. you really can’t tell the difference between it and leather. and like I said, the seat and knee pads are leather, actually really nice leather. I just love this saddle. I would say it is definitely tackier than a non suede wintec.

[Displaced_Yankee]

I would recommend the Kent & Masters/Thorowgood/Fairfax lines to anyone with a young horse. It has allowed us to tweak the fit as the Yankee Pony has grown and developed. I have it checked about every 6 months. Mostly we tweak the flocking, but have changed the gullet occasionally. Yankee Pony ranges from a medium to a medium wide.

I had a new K&M with the moveable block on order and just as it arrived my fitter found me a used Fairfax with the surface block. I opted for the used Fairfax as I preferred the surface block. I am in the Cob style and the leather has held up well.

[wildlifer]

I have one. I love it. Owned for about 7ish yrs now? Still looks new, very comfy, I have used it for 7 hr mtn rides too. On its 2nd Tb, it has lovely wither clearance also. 1st Tb went in wide gullet (turf bred hulk), current one dialed way back to medium, saddle sits equally well on each (both flat backed, which this tree is shaped for).

It’s not the epic butt candy of my Black Country Eden, whose curvy tree only fits the Appendix, but I still consider it a very nice saddle.

The Thorowgoods use the same trees, my friend just got one of those, also quite nice. Not slippery, well made.

ETA - I also have freaky long femurs, had forward flap on BC, so I got the 18 in the K&M and it fits just fine.

[outerbanks77]

@wildlifer

I have one. I love it. Owned for about 7ish yrs now? Still looks new, very comfy, I have used it for 7 hr mtn rides too. On its 2nd Tb, it has lovely wither clearance also. 1st Tb went in wide gullet (turf bred hulk), current one dialed way back to medium, saddle sits equally well on each (both flat backed, which this tree is shaped for).

Do you have the high wither or regular? There is a used high wither for sale on FB, but my filly doesn’t have a shark wither, so clearance probably wouldn’t be an issue.

Thank you all for the great info. Sounds like this might be a good option; cheaper and more flexible than getting a used Custom to start out with!

[wildlifer]

I’m not certain, I suspect it is high wither, I seem to pick horses with big withers & shoulders. I like that their gullet plates have longer points than the plates in my collegiate jump saddle, so I have never had any issues with pressure points & I’ve never needed any special pads under it.

[sheltona01]

I sell Thorowgood, Kent and Masters and Fairfax and have some comments about them for you.

I find that most horses even Tbs do not need the high wither model. The regular models have plenty of clearance for most horses.

If your horse is flat, you may need to look at the Kent and Master Original Series. I find that they fit the flatter backs a little better.

[outerbanks77]

@sheltona01

I sell Thorowgood, Kent and Masters and Fairfax and have some comments about them for you.

I find that most horses even Tbs do not need the high wither model. The regular models have plenty of clearance for most horses.

If your horse is flat, you may need to look at the Kent and Master Original Series. I find that they fit the flatter backs a little better.

By flatter, do you mean barrel shaped (wide) or flatter front-to-back (e.g. not a banana panel candidate?). My mare is the latter, still pretty narrow “A” frame and probably a medium tree.

[sheltona01]

Flat front to back.

[meupatdoes]

I love this whole line for both jump and dressage saddles and consider them Real Saddles, not just “good for a young horse” saddles. Trained a horse up to our bronze in one (schooled higher), went to several clinics with $$$$ clinicians.

Interestingly, one clinician was also repping a $4,500 saddle. When the ladies who couldn’t sit for sh*t came on their imports and did very trainer-managed rides, he sold them all his 4.5k saddle.

When I came in on my horse in my Kent & Masters (eeeeaaaasily the cheapest saddle there) he taught me an excellent clinic in transitioning a horse to the double bridle and improving canter pirouettes, without saying a peep about the saddle.

[outerbanks77]

@meupatdoes

I love this whole line for both jump and dressage saddles and consider them Real Saddles, not just “good for a young horse” saddles. Trained a horse up to our bronze in one (schooled higher), went to several clinics with $$$$ clinicians.

Interestingly, one clinician was also repping a $4,500 saddle. When the ladies who couldn’t sit for sh*t came on their imports and did very trainer-managed rides, he sold them all his 4.5k saddle.

When I came in on my horse in my Kent & Masters (eeeeaaaasily the cheapest saddle there) he taught me an excellent clinic in transitioning a horse to the double bridle and improving canter pirouettes, without saying a peep about the saddle.

Love this story!

Obviously if it keeps working well for us, we’ll stick with it, but it’s nice with a baby to know you didn’t blow too much money on something that might not work in 6 months or a year.

[Maude]

Do they come with shorter points?

[CanteringCarrot]

@Maude IIRC, yes.

I am not sure that the dressage saddles can be configured with shorter points. Maybe @sheltona01 would know.

Here is info from their site:

The shorter S-Bar to fit the lower-headed trees with shorter points and a square cantle.

The longer R-Bar to fit the high-headed trees with long points and a round cantle (NOTE: The S-Series Jump saddle takes an R-Bar despite having a square cantle).

[sheltona01]

They used to make some, but I do not think the current models use the s-bar.

[PaddockWood]

My Arab loved my K&M Cob and it was the only saddle that stayed put behind his shoulder. You can’t beat the price and my saddle has held up great. The changeable gullets were super handy given his change from winter to summer muzzling days when he get so much more round.