Short and sweet, sitting in my saddle is like trying to put Barbie on a horse. It’s become downright painful. Looking for recommendations on where to start looking for something narrow for me and would fit my TB. Well under 2K used. I don’t need big thigh blocks or anything fancy. Just something I can sit in.
Passier saddles can be found used and inexpensive and ought to fit your TB well. Sit in a few and see if they suit you.
3 Likes
I would try a Wintec Pro. They are cheap, and I love them. I’ve been riding in one for 25 years (on my third one) from training to GP. I originally got it because it was the only saddle I cold find without spending a fortune that fit the TB back and whithers.
I did have a Passier, too, that fit.
I have been there. I finally admitted the saddle was the problem and was getting in the way of our progress.
I looked a lot of places - Craigslist, local tack shops with consignments, FineUsedSaddles.com, yoursaddle.com, TrumbullMtn.com and Pelham-Saddlery.com and the FB groups English Tack Trader, Dressage Tack and Clothing Swap and Dressage Saddles for Sale and Wanted. And ebay. The variety was astounding. As much as you can, narrow the field by price, width, panel shape, seat size, twist, color, flocking material - whatever is important to you.
I sat in every saddle I could get my butt into - either on a horse or in a store. Another COTHer talked about sitting in saddles at the tack store playing on her phone and I did that too. Anything that felt good in the store I took on trial (I started locally with trials). I was about to start trying saddles from one of the online shops. In the end a friend of my trainer had a saddle for sale and messaged my trainer about it. We took it to try, and it was a great fit for horse and me! In the end you will have to try them out. Even though my “new” saddle is the same make and model as my trainers, and similar vintage, they fit the rider a bit differently.
And when you find the right one, you will kick yourself you didn’t do it sooner! Best of luck on your search.
1 Like
Assuming your TB is fairly narrow, you shouldn’t have nearly the trouble riders do with wide horses! I know exactly the feeling you’re describing, though. If you are able, try saddles from riders who are similar in height to you - I had a Stubben I bought from another COTHer who is far taller than I am, and I felt much as you describe. I gave it to a friend who is close to 6’ tall and it fits her very well.
Farm House tack usually has used Prestige… narrow twist, good fit for TB type. Saddles are listed online.
1 Like
What are you currently riding in?
I’ve had a Thorowgood for the past 4 years. I used to love it, but somehow my range of motion has decreased and it’s now too wide for me. I’ve tried a Black Country and Anky recently. Both were as wide as my Thorowgood and honestly, not as comfortable despite they are both higher end saddles.
I’m far from a Barbie, but I like a narrow twist. On my two TBs I’ve had luck with the following (from narrowest twist to narrowish twist) :
• Exselle Piaffe
• Kieffer Wien
• County Competitor
I’ve been riding in the County for the last nine years: 5 yrs on a high withered TB; and the last 4 on a high and wide withered TB. My fitter calls him Mr High Wide.
From just sitting on a saddle rack or on someone else’s horse, I liked the County Connection, l’Apogée, and Passier PSL-VD.
I will add that personal conformation is everything. I’m short, and short-legged.
The Stubben 1894 is very well priced and has a narrow twist. Super comfortable, fantastic value at $1,999 new and considerably less used.
1 Like
Realize that this is a quest.
You need to sit in a million different saddles and pick your top 5 or so to try on your horse. Your budget is a challenge, but you should be able to find the right thing with patience and persistence.
Also budget to have whatever you wind up with professionally flocked for your horse.
Or, maybe try outside the box with a treeless. www.enlightenedequitation.com
Kieffer?
Every single one of my TBs has gone very well in various Kieffer saddles. I have an older (it has to be at least 15 years old) Kieffer Wein in particular that you would have to wrestle with my dead body to let go of, and even then, I think I’d put up a fight. I love how secure it is without having any big flaps or blocks, it’s very close contact and “down” on the horse, and fits TB backs very well.
I had originally purchased it for my quarter-horse-shaped, round-backed, blocky little TB, and when he died it sat on the shelf for a few years before it was passed along to my newer project, who is the complete opposite - tall, rangy, but wide in the barrel with a big long wither – the saddle is so flexible (with saddle-fitting adjustment) that it was no problem having it re-adjusted for the new horse.
We liked the Wein so much, that my sister got one for her TB as well, who is narrow as a toothpick but big massive shoulders - the Wein fits him very well.
The Wein has a cutback pommel (stock), narrow twist, adjustable tree (all Kieffers do, I think), most models should have gusseted rear panels (all of my TBs seem to prefer saddles with gusseted panels) and flattish seats. We have three Kieffers in the barn, an AP saddle and 2 Weins and I can’t say enough good things about them.
ETa: I have heard some people can’t stand the Wein, I guess I’m not one of them. I’m not too tall (5’6"), and I love how unobtrusive the saddle is for me - I personally cannot stand a lot of flap between me and the horse.
Don’t go treeless, that won’t help. I tried the Heather Moffett Vogue and loved it for my bony butt and back problems, but it was horrible on my hips.
I’ve recently had the same problem, OP, and found that I really liked the County Competitor. I’ve tried two that weren’t fits (first was too narrow for my pony, good for me; second was just right for my pony but too small for me) but have a third one on trial that I’m going to try today. Should fit Pony as it is wide and if the twist/seat is the same as the other two, it should fit me (bigger seat to accommodate my long thigh). Here’s hoping!
I also tried my friend’s Schleese Link II and liked the seat/twist for me, but my knee went over the flap.
I sat in a lot of saddles in the tack store one day and for a long time, just reading on my phone. First impressions of what I thought I might like changed after just 10 minutes of sitting there. I tried a Prestige, Passier, Schleese, Stubben, Bates, Albion, and a couple others that I don’t remember.
Pelham Saddlery has a few County Competitors in stock.
Saddle shopping sucks!
If you are on the tall side, a Passier Grand Gilbert would be a good one to try. They can generally be had relatively cheaply, are very very adjustable - trees have short points and can be adjusted by a saddler, and they are wool flocked so can be fine tuned for the horse. They are quite close contact for the rider and I’ve found from previous Passier’s I’ve used that they have comfortable twists.
I have one coming on trial for myself this week and I am crossing fingers hard that it works for my mare. I have also been riding in a Thorowgood for my dressage saddle - and I hear you about the hip issue. I have meralgia parasthetica on my right leg (basically a crushed/compressed femoral nerve causing numbness and/or tingling/burning pain). I will report back on how the saddle goes! My CC saddle is a Stubben and it’s also very comfortable for my stupid hip.
What’s the twist like on the Wintec Pro? Just finished a trial ride on the County Competitor and it didn’t work for me after all.
You are not the first person who has said this. I have a call into a Stubben saddle fitter to come out and look at my horse and hopefully leave me with a trial 1894.
I have seen both the Passier and Keiffer Wein mentioned several times over, so those two will go on the list too.
I actually did have a Wintec Pro as my first saddle. Yes, it’s narrow enough, but it pitched me forward and I don’t want synthetic anyway. I’d rather eat mac & cheese for a few months and have a nice quality saddle.
Of these three saddles, which would have the softest seat? I know the old Stubbens have a reputation of feeling like you’re sitting on a rock. Definitely need softer seat. Also, do any of these tend to run large or small in seat size?
The new Stubbens are lovely and cushioned on top of the famous old tree which lasts forever. It’s a great improvement. The one I have is a 17.5 and seems true to size.
I purchased a Passier for my high withered TB and he seems very happy in it. It is not a sofa-type saddle with tons of padding, but it is very comfortable!
Baines Elegance. Pelham saddlery has them used.
