My head hurts...got the horse ...need a saddle... Does it ever end?

[ghettozoo]

After four months, 15 horses, and three vet checks we have a horse! We have a horse that does not fit our saddles! I am afraid that the search for a saddle is going to equal the horse search as I am learning as we go and we seem to fall into the odd sizes for both horse and rider. Please let me know of any used saddle shops between Atlanta and Charlotte.

What we have learned so far…DD is 5’3"/98# with a 14" thigh
The horse is a blk/white 3/4paint&1/4TB with a downhill confirmation, has a defined wither with broad shoulders, a flat back that rises.

The tack store fitter suggested a saddle that does not have gussets as the rear of the saddle will need to rise up to his back. Look for a saddle bottom that turns up not a long flat bottom,
The dip behind the shoulders could be helped with a saddle with wool flocking.

A dark color would look better than light leather.

I have a phone call in to a local saddle fitter. If she is booked do you have other names for the Greenville,SC area?

Presitige runs large and it seems a 16 M, MW would be a good fit.

Do you have any suggestions as to brands and their quirks to fit my DD? I would not have looked at a 16 saddle until I was told the Prestige runs large. Our budget is $3000 for a quality used CC/Eventing saddle. It scares me to read the prior thread of a experienced rider using terms about narrow twist, support, and after FIVE rides doesn’t feel right. Will we buy a saddle and be disappointed after five rides? Will ignorance be bliss and she won’t know if it feels right? Our first concern is the horses back and wanting to make sure we do everything possible to ensure a proper fit. Any saddle will be run by our trainer and a saddle fitter prior to purchase.

My original thought was to find 3-4 used saddles that fit my daughter and had the possibility to fit the horse. Set up an appointment with a saddle fitter and end the evening with a saddle that will work with a little adjustment.

I have looked at Trumball Mtn., Pelham, High-End Saddles, Ebay and two tack shops. I do not see many 16.5 M/MW wool dark saddles. Do I move up to a 17?

Any help or direction is greatly appreciated to narrow my shot gun approach down and keep the shot aimed at a saddle and not my head.

[AKB]

We have had very good luck with County saddles and our wide Irish Draughts. They are wool flocked, so a bit adjustable. The County website has demos, which are less expensive than having one made for your daughter. The County Eventer demos are well within your price range. Our County rep is an excellent saddle fitter. I don’t know if this would work for you, but it is worth a try.

[retreadeventer]

And don’t stress over it. Sometimes the horses change so fast it’s just as good to get something that generally fits, then pad to get close to perfect, and when you have them further along and more schooled, get more serious.

Saddle fit is like the ocean. It could be infinite. I feel your pain!

[ghettozoo]

I will look up their site and see if the rep will be near our location. I wonder if reps will be in Aiken,SC for this winter season.

[ghettozoo]

Does the County run true to size? or should I look at a 17 or 16? Will moving up to a 17 with a longer thigh be ok?

[The_Crone_of_Cottonmouth_Count]

I feel ya. I bought an awesome new horse last summer and still haven’t found the right saddle. It is a daily source of agony. O how I yearn for the days of yore, a simpler, gentler time, when nobody had ever heard of flex-trees or cair panels or saddle fitters.

[Socprof]

Have you checked Middleburg Tack’s website? They generally have a broad selection & I think reasonable prices. Super nice & easy to work with.

[Carolinadreamin]

I believe Patty Merli will be in Aiken sometime in the next few months.

[ghettozoo]

No I have not this is a new name to me. I did fail to mention Maryland Tack Exchange. Thank you!

[ghettozoo]

Patty Merli is associated with? County?

[vineyridge]

Patti Merli did Black Country as well as a number of other lines, IIRC.

Stubben does custom fitting now, and the Roxane S has upswept panels. Stubben now has quite a few really nice saddles for jumping and eventing.

What do people think these days about Berney Bros saddles? They used to be very popular, and they build the saddles to fit a particular horse. The Dublin Jumper is now about $970 or slightly less. I looked it up just yesterday.

[asterix]

Ok, don’t panic. It’s true that some folks have a devil of a time with saddle fit but others do not. I vetted 7, yes, 7 horses over 8 months before I found my guy. No one had ever heard of such bad luck. When I needed a saddle, fitter came out with four likely candidates and one was nearly perfect for both of us.

It’s a bit of a crap shoot.

Find a fitter who reps more than one brand, so you have options. I am sure you can find someone this time of year near Aiken. Patty Merli has a good rep. Take good pictures of the horse. Take a look on Trumbull Mountain’s website for help in figuring out pictures and measurements. They are great to work with long distance on possible fits.

Ideally, yes, fitter comes out with several likely options. But you will definitely want DD to ride in the saddle over a week or so, not just once. Jump in it. Gallop up and down hills in it. Etc.

[jn4jenny]

What asterix said. Take a deep breath, stop freaking out, and pick up your phone to call some good local fitters. Sitting around browsing the Internet, getting totally overwhelmed by the 175+ brands of possible saddles, is just going to make your head spin.

Call some good local fitters. Patty is good. So are David Young and Mike Scott. Do yourself a favor and call all of them because chances are, some of them will have full calendars and/or be out of state for large portions of the winter circuit, so you’ll want to appraise who can get to you soonest.

Best case scenario, they’ll have something in stock that will work for your daughter and her horse. If not, you’ll walk away armed with lots of knowledge about what your daughter does or doesn’t like in a saddle, a better understanding of the horse’s back, etc. And from there, you can decide whether to walk the minefield of brand-specific representatives (which vary from “outstanding fitters” to “snake-oil salesmen”) or finding a used saddle on your own.

If you want to have an intelligent conversation about your wool-flocked options from Prestige, call Ann Forrest at Equestrian Imports in Florida. She’s a good saddle fitter and will help you appraise your options there. Or if you prefer, drive 45 minutes north to Farmhouse Tack. They carry Prestige too, although personally if I were going to buy a Prestige, I’d buy it from Ann or from Paul at VTO Saddlery in VA. (Both good fitters who know the brand well and believe in good customer service.)

[tnscvaga]

http://optimumsaddlery.com/
Http://www.harmonysaddlefitting.com/
Http://www.pattymerlisaddles.com/
Shirley Fargason has a consignment store Equine Consign in Madison, Ga. 100s of saddles to sit in. It may be worth a trip for you. She was previously the fitter for County.

[Beam_Me_Up]

On the sizing, Prestige are a little different–they don’t do half sizes so their 16-17-18 are like others’ 17-17.5-18.

Also, seat size is primarily determined by the rider’s femur length, so if your daughter is still growing that would be something to consider too.

[GotMyPony]

[QUOTE=ghettozoo;7938826]
A n Please let me know of any used saddle shops between Atlanta and Charlotte. [/QUOTE]

FYI, In the Tryon, NC/Landrum, SC area there is Farm House Tack, a Black Country dealer that also sells used saddles on consignment. Website is http://http://www.farmhousetack.com My sister bought her daughter a used saddle there, had it shipped to NJ for trial, worked out well.

Also Re-Ride a full consignment store within 10 miles (Columbus, NC)

[GotMyPony]

On consignment stores between Atlanta and Charlotte, I forgot The Tack Shophttp://www.tackshop.biz in Greenville, SC in my earlier post.

[AKB]

The saddle fitter from County who we used is named Ann Mary. I don’t remember her last name. She is based in Richmond but does a lot of traveling. She is excellent and easy to work with. I needed a saddle quickly 1 1/2 years ago. She looked at my horse, told me some options, and I had exactly the saddle I wanted 4 days later. It was reasonably priced, too. County could give you her contact information.

I think the smaller sizes in County saddles run a bit small. My skinny trail riding friend rides in a 17 1/2 County because she says that is the most comfortable saddle for her. My tall, skinny, daughter likes a 17 1/2 since she often wears several layers in the winter. Your daughter should sit in several saddles to see what works.

[ghettozoo]

Ahhhh!, great tips to remember. I have emailed Patty, left a voice mail for David, and received a reply back from Mike that Camden is a little far and he does not travel this way. He did suggest I talk to David. Hopefully we are on our way to a saddle.

[jawa]

AnnMary Bettenson 804-304-0541 County Rep in Richmond,Va

http://www.gallopinggrape.com/