Prestige saddle fit question

[Lindsayah]

Just a quick question for anyone who rides/owns/has sat in a Prestige saddle. I sat in a 17" Prestige Versailles and it felt quite roomy- but comfortable- and according to VTO saddlery, Prestige’s run big (so a 16" fits like a 17", etc.)

Can anyone attest to this?

I’ve found both 16" and 17" used saddles that might work, however am unsure which size to go with. My pony is short backed so the 16" means shorter panels (which is good) but my current saddle is a 17" County Sensation that I love. Im 5’3" with short to average length legs but do have muscular ( masculine?) thighs.

[purplnurpl]

Can’t give you an opinion on seat size.
I squish into a 17". The 17s ride generous. Not sure about the 16s.

However, what I do know is that these saddles have upswept panals. You won’t need to with about your horses back.

[3chestnuts]

Yes, the seat size on Prestiges do run about an inch large. I’m usually comfortable in a 17", but I was totally swimming in the 17" Prestige I tried.

I’m 5’4, and I would choose a 16" Prestige over the 17" if I was given the opportunity. However, your tastes might be different and you never know unless you try both.

[LadyB]

![]('m 5’4 and fit comfortably in a 18" prestige. The 17" cupped me in. I have a picture of me sitting in both of them… will go find it.

The 17" is on the left and the 18" is on the right. I ended up going with the 18" as I felt way less squished. sorry for the poor photo quality.
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/taylor_blitz/IMG_2798_zpsvjqarqjw.jpg)

[visorvet]

I don’t personally think that their seat sizes run large.
I have a 17" Red Fox jump saddle - it measures at 17" and looks/rides like a 17" saddle - the only thing that makes it work for me at 5’7.5" 130lbs with long legs is the long/forward flap. I just tried out a 17" Nona Garson at a tack swap and it also looked/fit like a 17" saddle. I mostly think they say this to ease the minds of people who worry a given size might be a bit small but don’t like the idea of going up a full inch. The tack equivalent of vanity sizing! Or perhaps the newer models are sized differently?

Don’t get me wrong - Prestige jump saddles are my all-time fave, but I would recommend that you try them out and see what size fits you best. I usually ride a 17.5" saddle but have a long thigh, so an 18" Prestige would probably be a better fit for me. However, I buy used and 18" saddles with an extra long and forward flap were very thin on the ground when I was shopping. Another caveat to my comments is that I tend to prefer a roomy/open seat that gives me some added flexibility with my position cross-country, versus for example a hunter rider that might want to avoid the look of extra seat length.

[Lutecia]

I have a prestige dressage saddle 16.5 seat. Feels exactly as 16.5. My jump saddle of different brand is also 16.5 and they both fit me well the same.

[Hilary]

I have a 17" Eventer, and think it rides pretty true to size. Fwiw, I am not quite 5’5" with long legs, and of those legs, the length comes from the lower leg, I am comparatively short from hip to knee.

[soloudinhere]

[QUOTE=Lutecia;8248397]
I have a prestige dressage saddle 16.5 seat. Feels exactly as 16.5. My jump saddle of different brand is also 16.5 and they both fit me well the same.[/QUOTE]

Prestige doesn’t make half sizes.

[horsepoor]

IME, the seat size discrepancy varies among the Prestige models. I had two different Hunter D saddles and both measured and rode the same as their stamped seat size (17). But I had another model (Carisma – and yes, spellcheck, that IS how they spell it!) that was stamped a 17 but rode huge and measured well over 18. So you pretty much have to ride in the different models to get a feel for how they run.