Need a jump saddle for short back high wither horse

[lr9]

I’ve been reading that brands like Thorowgood, Kent and Masters, Albion, and Wintec are decent for fitting high wither thoroughbred horses. I’m assuming my horse needs a MW gullet? A saddle fitter is coming to measure in 2 months, but I need a new saddle ASAP.

The Thorowgood and Kent and Masters jump saddles measure too long for my horse’s back unfortunately. But their GP saddles are shorter so they might work, but can I jump well in a GP saddle? (I jump for fun up to 3’, no showing).

I’m finding some used Albion k2 jump online but not too many under $1200 (budget). Should I try the Wintec jump saddle?

Any other brands I should look at?

[NancyM]

My sharkfin TB goes in an old Courbette Stylist, with a “narrow” tree. Fits her like a glove. And I didn’t even actually buy it FOR her, I bought it for $50 to rescue it… because I loved my other Courbette Stylist that I’ve had since 1977. I didn’t even know that this one WAS a “narrow”, didn’t care what it was. It just needed rescuing. It had been badly abused, the leather was like wood. I got the billets replaced by my local saddler, but other than that, it had hardly been used, practically in “new” condition. Tried it on my “narrow” mare, that I had previously had to pad up the old Courbette for use on her. It’s just perfect. It has taken some time to rejuvenate the leather, but it is looking great now. You would never know what torture someone put it through, or why? Old quality minimalist saddles were built to last.

[JB]

@lr9

I’m assuming my horse needs a MW gullet?

Wither and back conformation don’t tell you anything about the width or shape of the shoulders

@lr9

The Thorowgood and Kent and Masters jump saddles measure too long for my horse’s back unfortunately. But their GP saddles are shorter so they might work, but can I jump well in a GP saddle? (I jump for fun up to 3’, no showing).

Do you have a side view of the horse? What does “too long” mean? It could be truly too long, but often it means the panels are too flat for the upward curve of the back

Your saddle fitter is your best option, but if you can post a side view conformation-type pic, a 3/4 front view of the entire wither and shoulder, and a rear view from above showing the shoulders, that might help get some starting point suggestions.

[lr9]

Thanks for your response!

[lr9]

I was told my horse probably needs a MW based on her shape, but she hasn’t been measured.
By “too long” I mean that the saddle would extend past her last rib. That’s the problem I’m having with my current saddle which is why I’m looking for a new one.

[Frivian]

Try Amerigo Vega. My horse has a similar conformation with a very short back but long wither. He’s got a pretty big shoulder so I had to get a MW and use a Mattes pad to shim the front. I went through what felt like a million saddles and he’s been happy in this one for years (it is wool flocked so it also needs adjusting occasionally).

[JB]

@lr9

I was told my horse probably needs a MW based on her shape, but she hasn’t been measured.

shape doesn’t tell the whole story, do you mean someone looked at her size and assumed a MW? That is more reasonable, BUT, MW in what saddle? There’s no standard for saddle widths at all, so a MW in Brand A could be equivalent to a W or M in Brand B. There’s just so much variation on how a brand decides on width, whether they call it a M, or 32cm.

Yes to the Amerigo Vega! I was trying to remember that name earlier but couldn’t pull it out of my heat. My TB mare is built similarly to yours in terms of wither height and length, hollows beside the withers, and the bit of curve to her back. BUT, she also has wider shoulders than just looking at her suggests. The Vega was a phemomal fit for her. I didn’t end up getting it for her because the tack shop (who was the fitter, a very good one) didn’t have it in MY size, and a new one was $$$$, and I ended up getting a used County dressage saddle for her.

BUT, the County CC saddles we tried that day didn’t fit her terribly well, which is why I didn’t mention them earlier.

Prestige is another brand to consider, as Prestige also fits my mare well. Taller pommels, some curve to the rear panels.

What size seat are you looking at? Someone needing a bigger seat can run into problems with the last rib, which is why looking for upswept panels gets important.

[PNWjumper]

The saddles I have had luck with for my OTTB who did the big jumps for many years with tree widths in parentheses:
County Stabilizer (narrow)
County Sensation (narrow)
basically all CWDs (medium)
Meyer (medium)

Saddles that I’ve used as emergency back ups (though I, as the rider, HATE):
Courbette Stylist M
Stubben Edelweiss M

My guy is a big broad 17h horse with very stereotypical TB withers.

[lr9]

I’ll take a look, thanks for the recommendation! A quick check on EBay even the used Amerigo Vega ones look out of my price range but I’ll keep looking for a really old one.

[lr9]

I’m looking for a 17.5 seat, but I might be able to make a 17 work. I’m average height at 5’ 4”

[HipNo34]

@NancyM

I didn’t even actually buy it FOR her, I bought it for $50 to rescue it… because I loved my other Courbette Stylist that I’ve had since 1977. I didn’t even know that this one WAS a “narrow”, didn’t care what it was. It just needed rescuing.

Just came here to say how much I love this – and feel enabled by this. I haunt ebay on the off-chance my old Stylist turns up there. I had outgrown it but needed the money (and full disclosure, wasn’t even riding at that point) so sold it shortly after the turn of the millennium. I regret it near every day.

[candyappy]

It is not difficult to get a saddle fitting curve , some instructions and do your own measuring to get something now while you wait for a pro.

It would at least give you the general gullet width, back shape / width and length so you aren’t going in blind. Draw them onto cardboard or a file folder and a saddle shop should be able to help you.

I had a fitter out to measure my gelding and she used the exact curve I had here.

[PNWjumper]

For those of you who love the Courbette Stylists, I would happily pass mine along cheap. I really do not need it any longer and I hate riding in it. I don’t really care either way, so not trying to pitch a sale, just willing to part with it if someone is really hunting for one.

[NancyM]

Well I don’t really NEED any more, I’m a bit of a collector myself, and not only Courbette Stylists. But perhaps @HipNo34 might take you up on this LOL!!! They are rare these days, to find one.

[trakehners]

I jump in an Erreplus on my short-coupled TB with stereotypical TB withers (my dressage saddle is a Kent and Masters) and I am absolutely in love with it, lol. It definitely wasn’t cheap but I have ridiculously long legs and it fits me really well, and my horse likes it too. I know my trainer has also used Bliss of London saddles on some of the shark fin TBs that she’s had come through her program.

You really do have to see how the horse responds to different saddles before you really start quibbling about panel length, though. My jump saddle is technically too long in the panels by the standard fitting measurements (I am technically too long in the femur for my horse if you’re going by saddle size), but it’s the saddle that my horse has been the happiest in (and he will buck to tell me when he’s not pleased with something, so I’m not just making that up—I trialed a Stubben Zaria on him and he immediately noped out of that one as soon as I asked him to canter). Our fitter is independent and certified by the Society of Master Saddlers and she said everything else about it fits perfectly so it’s really just a case of listening to what the horse has to say, and mine clearly does not care about the panel length on my saddle (especially because my weight ends several inches before the end of the panels).

[lr9]

Ok thanks for the suggestion, I will try that for sure

[lr9]

Ok good point, I’ll definitely see how my horse reacts. The vet told me my horse was sore in that region of her back (past her last rib). After riding in my friend’s saddle which is like 2 inches shorter for a couple weeks, I tried to put my longer jump saddle back on and she tried to kick me

[HipNo34]

Enabler, lol.
ETA: I’m still trying to explain to loved ones why I bought a vintage Bruno without a horse to fit it.
“Because I sat in one once in the mid-90s and never, ever forgot it – and the price of this one must’ve been set by Satan himself” apparently only makes sense to me.

[NancyM]

Hey, old saddles that speak to ya are a great thing to collect. They don’t eat, so cheap to keep. Makes perfect sense to me. And you neva no when you might acquire a horse that needs that particular saddle. Then “presto”, you’ve got it.

[hj.eq.xc]

I have had amazing luck with my Stubben Portos Elite. My horse has a short load bearing back and a longer lumbar area and prominent withers. It has slightly upswept panels as well which are great especially for short backs. Stubben also is a good price point and last forever. Best of luck in your search!!

Edited to add that based on the pictures, your horses doesn’t really look wide enough for a MW but obviously its just a picture but I know that Stubben’s offer great tree variety and there are second hand options around. I bought mine second hand and I will never buy new again. It was all lovely broken in and still in perfect condition. Also, Stubben has AMAZING “after market” service in replacing leather, trees, panels, flaps, and colors and all that so if you got something second hand that fit your horse but had some unwanted colors, they can sometimes remove it. Anyway, ending it for good now, best of luck!