Need help finding a saddle for my growing 4 yr old OTTB!!!

Hi All!

So I bought a lovely 4 year old OTTB about two months ago, and began using a friend’s Collegiate that fit him pretty well at the time. Well, you know how these things go and now he has developed some back muscle and is filling out a bit more and the saddle does not fit him at all anymore.

To all of those OTTB and saddle lovers, I was hoping to get some advice on a direction to go in looking for a saddle. I know that he is going to grow and fill out more in the future, so I was wondering what kind of things you all have done; whether it is buying a cheap saddle for the time being or interchangeable gullets or anything else.

Thanks so much!!! :slight_smile:

As with every other saddle fitting thread, it is most helpful to have well-posed, appropriate photos (google “saddle fitting photos” for some examples) as well as a list of saddles that you have tried that have and haven’t worked.

There are many aspects that go into properly fitting a saddle, both width, breath, and shape front-to-back of the back. Photos is the best way for people to give you good advice.

Additionally, budget is helpful. There is no use in giving you $3000 suggestions if your budget is $500.

I just got a Tekna S jump saddle… Has a changeable gullet, seems to fit my TBs… Supposedly has a tree like the Prestige saddles. Seems like a nice piece of equipment and can’t beat $500 new…

Jennifer

Oops, I totally forgot pictures, but I will try and get some updated ones tomorrow! As for a budget, being a graduating college student, and because he is still growing I think that I would be looking for something less than $600 and max $800.

I’d go with a series of used Stubbens as he grows. I’ve found they generally fit TBs well and you can usually buy/sell them fairly easily without losing much, if any money if you shop carefully.

I know I say this all the time but most TB’s have similar attributes such as withers, hollows and some shape front to back. They also tend to be more angular. However, some are more uphill, some more withery and so on. That is why photos at the very least are helpful and if you can send tracings to a fitter, ( we regularly work long distance with these), more appropriate suggestions can be offered.
That being said, most, TB’s need a deeper front panel of offer support to allow the width the horse needs without compromising comfort. They are called trapezius, K, dropped, skid row, etc. Wither or full front gussets can also be helpful. Depending on the topline shape, some TB’s might need a deeper rear panel if they are very uphill and some might need a shallower rear if they are more curvy.
Some links for info needed are under this link:
http://www.trumbullmtn.com/saddle-fitting/
Knowing your price range and likes and dislikes also factor in.

[QUOTE=ThirdCharm;7467000]
I just got a Tekna S jump saddle… Has a changeable gullet, seems to fit my TBs… Supposedly has a tree like the Prestige saddles. Seems like a nice piece of equipment and can’t beat $500 new…

Jennifer[/QUOTE]

I’m a big fan of the Tekna products, but FWIW, the Tekna S line does not have a Prestige-like tree. That’s the earlier Tekna A line. The Tekna S line has a changeable gullet system, similar to–but not identical to–the Pessoa/Ovation/Anky XCH changeable gullet system. That said, it’s still a great budget pick. Better than the newer Wintecs for the price, IMO.

Photos would indeed be a help in making more accurate and detailed recommendations. A good conformation photo (examples at http://pantherrunsaddlery.com/?page_id=494) can tell us a lot about your horse’s fitting needs, though we can’t make recommendations regarding tree width/type without seeing a template (instructions on taking a template at http://pantherrunsaddlery.com/?page_id=434 if you’re interested).

As you know, your youngster will go through a lot of changes before hitting maturity, and even after that, his back will change as he progresses in training, so please don’t believe anyone who tells you “this saddle can be adjusted to fit your horse his entire life” - it just ain’t so. At this point in time, something like a Thorowgood might be worth considering. They offer conformation-specific models (high-wither, cob/broadback and standard) that have fitting features geared toward their “target” fit, and have a changeable gullet and flocked panel. This won’t guarantee the saddle will work for years, but it will give you some flexibility of fit. The T4 is fully synthetic, and retails for about $695, while the T8 is synthetic with leather seat and knee pads, and sells for about $895. Either model will give you good bang for the money; they’re manufactured in the UK in an SMS shop, so the quality and workmanship will beat Wintec or pretty much any other synthetic.

Sorry for the delay, here are the pictures, and I hope that they are the correct type!

Thank you guys all so much!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/119949204@N05/13066648764/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/119949204@N05/13066431573/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/119949204@N05/13066641884/in/photostream/

Your horse would do better with a K, skid row, or trapezius panel and wither or full front gussets to offer support in the dip and wither area. I think in this case a saddle with a thinner rear gusset or more upswept feel would be good as well.

A flattish tree, K or skidrow type panel, and thinner rear gusset will all be good features to look for. A more forward-hung billet config. will probably be a help, too. You could try the Thorowgood T4 or T8 standard model (I think the high wither model would be too thick in the rear gusset), or a used Albion K2 jump (pretty easy to find); both offer the options mentioned, and the latter are pretty easy to find.

One more question. I have am Cloud9’s mother. I have an older Ainsley Chester with a medium tree. Do we think that might work as a stop gap?

I like the Pessoa cross country saddle with changeable gullet. It’s a really really nice piece of butt candy.

usually can find them used.
http://www.pessoausa.com/saddles/legacy-xp3-w-adjustable-gullet-465209

Thank you all so much for all of this information, it is so helpful!
My mother, IFG, told me that I should bump this to see if her older Ainsley Chester with a medium tree would do the trick for my little guy, or if I should start looking at some of the options you all suggested.

Just adding, I also have a narrow tree (though it fits wider than your typical narrow) older Smith Worthington Avalon.

Cloud9, if you can post some photos of the Ainsley on your horse (like the photos shown here: http://pantherrunsaddlery.com/?page_id=485), we can evaluate the fit.

Kitt, thanks so much for your offer to help!

Cloud 9’s mom here. The problem now is the Ainsley and the Smith Worthington are in MA, and Cloud9 is in IN. I am trying to decide which to send her. The Ainsley Chester with a M tree or the Smith Worthington with a widish N tree. Not looking forward to shipping both saddles if I can avoid it. And BTW, Cloud9 is hoping to be in VT this summer, so, who knows, you may yet meet.

Bumping for opinions on which saddle to send, the SW Avalon (N/m treet) or Ainsley Chester (m tree)

in my experience, the TBs tend to be narrower. Both of mine have needed a MN tree. That is not to say you couldn’t pad up a medium tree. What fits daughter better?

She has ridden in both. Right now, she is looking for a stop gap until she heads East the beginning of May. I really only want to ship one saddle though. Her horse’s back seems similar to mine. The SW fit him when he was younger, but once he muscled up, it was too narrow.