I have been a die hard County fan for years. Fortunately almost every horse I have ridden is the ideal shape for a County. Enter my new OTTB who is narrow compared to my very table like mounts from the past. I am fairly certain I can make a medium County with skid row panels work so I have been searching for a used Conquest.However, I know there have been lots of additions/changes in the saddle world. I see the popularity of the mono flaps like the Stubben Zaria and the Devoucoux Chiberta. What can you tell me of the monoflap saddles? Specifically ones that will fit the slab sided TB’s well. I seem to remember reading somewhere that some brands are hard on the horses backs yet these also seem to be the most popular choice.
My Amerigo Vega monoflap has been a great saddle for narrow/medium TBs. The panel shape is very compatible with an average TB back, and it’s wool flocked so it can be adjusted by a saddle fitter. Leather is soft but very durable, mine is 10yrs old and for 7yrs was used on 4-5 horses a day. I had to replace the billets a few years ago, and the seat shows wear, but it’s still very usable. It did not fit my wide horses, but great for typical fresh off track skinny horse and anything up to a true medium with med tree.
Saddle has great balance, easy to gallop in but secure for drops and Oops moments too. I had no trouble show jumping up to 4ft in it, either.
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From my understanding, countys tend to run wide as is so you might be surprised to find your medium conquest is too wide. I had a county innovation in XN (!!) for my semi-narrow but not that really OTTB and even that was a hair too wide - I still had to use a shimmable pad with it. I then switched to a lexington voltaire (monoflap) and that medium tree fit better than the innovation. However I went through a love hate relationship with it and ultimatley sold it. I now have a narrow county sensation that fits my mare well but is so-so for me. I’ve ridden in the amerigo vega before and really enjoyed it. I also tried the chiberta (eh) and the chiberta lab (heavenly) when the Devocoux rep came out. But the price tag on a brand new Devocoux made me throw up in my mouth a little. Personally I do prefer the monoflaps a bit better as I do like the close contact feeling. Downside to monoflaps for me (again, personally) is that I can never tighten the girth from the horses back. This may have something to do with me being about 5’1 on a good day, though.There’s always this “great debate” on wool v foam and the effect of each on the horses backs …honestly, if the saddle fits your horse and fits you then I don’t see the issue.
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What size tree Amerigo Vega do you have EventerAJ?
I’ve heard Devocoux’s can be hard on the back, but I also know some people who love them. I used a Stubben Excalibur monoflap for my impossible to fit TB. I like it–and the Zaria’s I think are even nicer.
I have a medium tree. For really fit (skinny) OTTBs I add a sheepskin shim pad, and reduce the padding as the horse fills out. I bought the saddle for my advanced mare, who was too narrow and the wrong shape back for my medium-tree Berney Bros. Since then, it’s fit a lot of average TBs well (especially 3-4-5 year olds) but I have had several “outgrow” this saddle as their backs and shoulders developed and they needed a wide tree. Horses who will always be a little slab-sided or narrow through the wither/shoulder fit in it very well, even as they filled out and aged.
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one of my fav saddles that I will likely never own again. Was great on my OTTB
The County saddles do run quite wide. I had a Med Tree, Amerigo Vega (not wool) for my TB which was fabulous for both of us - actually still have it & it’s for sale because it didn’t work for my current WB once she filled out. I have a Chiberta Lab for her & we both love it.
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I have a County Solution Monoflap with a medium tree on my TB. I have the skid row panels as well and it fits perfectly. I absolutely love it and it is hands down the most comfortable jump saddle I have ever sat in and its effortless to jump in. I have recently seen 2 of them for sale used on FB, one a medium and one a narrow. I would look into a a narrow model, if the medium is too wide for your horse, but I found that the medium was a true medium as all my saddles have been mediums, County or not. The SR panels help fill in the hollow space at the wither that many TBs have, and keep it from creating extra pressure there, not necessarily making it fit “more narrow”. I did try a the narrow/MN tree in the same model as a trial for a HT once, and ended up with the only stop on XC I have ever had, and she refused to complete the rest of the course at fence #2. My mare just said NOPE, even though it still fit decently. I guess she appreciated more room to move her back. Its interesting how the tree on both fit, but slight modification with and without the SR panels, and extra flocking made a huge difference.
I am not a Devoucoux fan for fitting TBs or riding in them, even fully custom. It was the most rock hard, awkward feeling ever. And the Amerigo I rode in had a weird tree shape that did not agree with my TB’s conformation with a more "banana shape, whereas my County has a flatter shape, but I can still sit deep without feeling stuck.
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I had a TB that was slab sided and I bought a Black Country mono flap jump saddle for him and loved it on him. Unfortunately, I only got to compete him a few times because of my shoulder injury and no longer have him. I still have the saddle and plan to list it on Sport Horse Nation or consign it to a Tack Shop. It’s a one of a kind that is like the Vinici Solare but with the billets under the flap like most mono-flaps, not like most of the Black Country mono flaps which are on the topside of the flap.
Mary in western NY
My narrow TB loves his Amerigo DJ - which isn’t supposed to fit his back - the DJ tree is what they say for the WBs, but it fits his back better than the Vega tree. His is a Medium and right now it’s fitted with a shimmed sheep because he lost a lot of muscle after his injury/lay up but before that it just fit.
I find it comfortable as well - some might complain that the flap isn’t forward enough, but it’s working for us now.
