Ok saddle experts, help?

[Synthesis]

So I ‘thought’ I found the perfect saddle… But after the first ride I’m not sure.

2009 county innovation, xtr leather, 18" forward flaps, MN tree. Gorgeous condition and it fits a nice variety of horses, comfortable and a nice balance point in 2 point.

Problem is I’m kind of bouncing of the pommel in the posting trot, and it might be putting me in a bit of a chair seat. No mirrors in the arena so I haven’t been able to verify yet. I’m wondering since a fellow rider mentioned my leg looking a bit forward.

The pommel thing has me wondering though. Sigh, saddles. It’s like trying to find a pair of jeans perfect for two people at the same time.

Thoughts?

[vxf111]

Hard to tell anything without any photos. You say you feel like you’re bouncing off the pommel. I did find that Innovation to be a little “aggressive” in the pommel when I tried it a few years back. My crotch wanted a little more personal space. I don’t think I’m the only one to feel that way-- but so much of this has to do with your build. We don’t know you and it’s hard to speculate.

[Appsolute]

I would be surprised that a medium NARROW would fit a large variety of horses.

I suspect - that the saddle might be sitting pommel high - which will cause a chair seat and cause you to hit the pommel.

Sitting pommel high on a horse can be a sign that the saddle is TOO NARROW.

Here are two examples of saddles that are too narrow - and you can see how the pommel sits too high:

Too narrow

Too narrow again

I have only owned one horse that took a M/N tree. He was a slab sided, very narrow TB. Wore an 82" blanket, yet only a 48" girth.

By comparison my current horse wears a generous medium tree, same height as the TB, same blanket, but she takes a 54" girth, he was a narrow guy.

[gumshoe]

:yes:

@Appsolute;7308682

I would be surprised that a medium NARROW would fit a large variety of horses.

I suspect - that the saddle might be sitting pommel high - which will cause a chair seat and cause you to hit the pommel.

[vxf111]

The Innovation has a crazy wide tree. A medium narrow in that saddle is as wide is a medium in many other saddles.

[Synthesis]

I can confirm the tree is crazy wide for a MN, the inside dot to dot measurement is a generous 5 inches. I remeasured a couple times to make sure I wasn’t insane

[jaybird660]

Happy to assess the fit if you post photos. If the saddle is pommel high in a jump saddle it would seem harder to hit the pommel and harder to get up into the post since your balance would be behind center as in a chair seat. If you are bouncing off the pommel as mentioned, it may be the rise is too steep for your comfort or that the area of the seat doesn’t quite fit your conformation shape.

[Kitt]

If you’re hitting the pommel, it could be that the saddle is too narrow for the horse and is sitting pommel-high. It could also be that the overall balance of the saddle isn’t right for you, or that the rise is too steep, or that the stirrup bar isn’t placed correctly for you, or that the seat is too big, or …

Photos would be a big help here. In the 15+ years I’ve been fitting saddles, I’ve seen precisely two horses that needed MN trees … and they both grew out of them in just a few months, since the fitting issues they’d been struggling with had been addressed.

[sweetpea]

Had innovation not good position for me

The tree of the innovation is wider than most , the medium narrow is nothing to compare to in other saddles. I had to send mine back cause the tree kept flexing and sinking . My position was forced in this saddle. It was super comfy just ineffective.

I now have a butet that fitter and I did awesome panel configurations that fits the horse like a glove but nice and generous under the stirrup bars.

[Synthesis]

Saturday was extremely cold, so please forgive the mega layers and blankets etc. I did discover that my stirrups were out of whack, which has almost completely eliminated the pommel problem.

So disclaimers attached, here’s a photo, as requested.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152109850026350&l=250122bada

[vxf111]

I think the saddle looks a little small in the seat for you, which might be the problem. I also think you look slightly over the flap but I think that would be resolved if you slide your leg back a titch (and maybe drop a hole even). But the seat looks just too small.

[pattnic]

I agree that it seems a bit small in the seat.

[QUOTE=vxf111;7314206]
I also think you look slightly over the flap but I think that would be resolved if you slide your leg back a titch (and maybe drop a hole even).[/QUOTE]

Might also improve with going up in seat size.

[Synthesis]

sigh I have to agree with how it looks.
It doesn’t feel small in the seat or like I’m at the limit on the knee, unlike a lot of saddles. But I really look shoehorned in there.

At my height (5’3"), an 18" seat is as big as I should probably go due to stirrup bar to deepest part of the seat distance. Looks like I need a more open seated saddle, but an equally or more forward flap.

Great … now what?

[vxf111]

I think you just need a bigger seat size. Even 18.5 would give you more room. Which sucks but… maybe you’ll find one cheeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaapppp since it’s a less common size?! one can hope, right?

[alto]

[QUOTE=Synthesis;7315586]

It doesn’t feel small in the seat or like I’m at the limit on the knee, unlike a lot of saddles. [/QUOTE]

Can you meet up with a County rep so that you can try various options? or any other saddle reps that have multiple demo saddles in various sizes?
Don’t get stuck on numbers, just find the saddle that fits!

At my height (5’3"), an 18" seat is as big as I should probably go due to stirrup bar to deepest part of the seat distance. Looks like I need a more open seated saddle, but an equally or more forward flap.

Try a County Stabilizer with a forward flap.
If your budget extends to new, you can try a Stabilizer with a Conquest flap (don’t imagine there are many of these on the used market)

[Synthesis]

No County Reps in my area. I’ve emailed the closest one to think of ideas, and the picture.

Nope, no budget for new. Definitely looking for used, or a trade now. Its a shame, such a beautiful saddle.

[Bogie]

How does it feel now that you’ve fixed the stirrups? Do you feel balanced? You are in a slight chair seat but not terrible. If you think about sinking down into your knees (imagine sitting on one of those kneeling chairs), does it get better?

I often ride in a saddle that really doesn’t have forward enough flaps for my femur. My knee is right at the edge of the flap. BUT, the balance of the saddle is great for me and I’m not competing in the saddle, so I ignore it.

So while the saddle looks a tad small for you, don’t go by how it looks, go by how it feels and positions you.

I’m surprised that with a forward flap the saddle still looks so tight. Perhaps it doesn’t actually have forward cut flaps.

[vxf111]

Maybe a fitter can adjust the tree for you?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/18-5-COUNTY-INNOVATION-BUFFALO-close-contact-jumping-saddle-sr-panels-/151188357590

[Synthesis]

I’m 5’3" but my lower leg is 18" ground to knee joint and upper leg is 17.5" hip joint to front of knee. So, 16" femur if I measure joint to joint, not including my ‘ballast’.

The flaps are definitely forward. This isn’t a new problem for me with saddle fitting. I need forward but end up higher on the flap than the larger seat sizes are typically built for. It was a problem even as a much slimmer teen.

Its a problem in dressage saddles for me too. That’s why I love my older 18" Passier PSL-E with the pencil rolls yet can’t ride in the same seat size in their AP or CC saddles.

So … long legs, short arms, big head, big tail … what saddles are built for a T-Rex anyway? :lol:

[Bogie]

Maybe look at a Conquest? Flatter seat, more forward cut flap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/County-Conquest-XTR-Saddle-and-Black-County-Contour-Girth-Eventing-17-5-Medium-/281225041863?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item417a5197c7