Inexpensive saddle help for the new horsey please? I’ve looked for 3 days straight and can’t find a “deal” anywhere. Need 17.5-18" jump type saddle, prefer brown. Prefer front and rear blocks, but at least fronts will work. I’m 5’6" and a size 8. New horsey is a HIGH withered TB (shark fin!) with a moderately straight back after the wither drops off. Shorter backed horse. My hip to knee measurement is 20.5" so I think that is fairly long. I’m most happy in a County Conquest, but even used I cannot afford one as I have a Wide Conquest I need to sell first :eek:. Need something quick, NOTHING I have fits this guy even remotely well. Was thinking Thorowgood T4 High wither option, but not sure if my leg will fit on a GP type flap? Don’t really care about leather or synthetic at this point, just want something that will not rest on his wither so I can RIDE! Will be investing in a nicer saddle once I sell mine, but need something in the interim please HELP! Woo-hoo-might have my County Wide sold, so if so the budget went up! $1,500-maybe 2k!
pictures, please
How can I post a pic here?
It does. Is he roach-backed?
Maybe a tad. Definitely didn’t get him for his conformation, went for personality-LOL!
That budget is a little tough. Have you checked at Middleburg Tack Exchange? You might look for Berney Bros saddles. They tend to fit this combination well. For example http://www.horseclicks.com/berney-bros-saddle/saddles/742139
Ainsley another reasonable choice http://www.pelham-saddlery.com/allpurpose175/ainsley17394used.html
Michael Stokes Centaur could work
Prestige http://www.mmtackshop.com/store/CONS1745-2!CON/Prestige+Red+Fox+Jump+Saddle
Some like the Toulouse (it doesn’t fit me well) http://www.classicsaddlery.com/closeouts/consignments.htm. Classic also has their own line of new saddles that appear very nice for the $1400 price point.
Good luck.
I did not have luck with aBerney on my flat backed TB, but I had lots of luck with the Ainsley’s. I just sold my older Ainsley XC that would have fit your guy great through Middleburg. I would try to search for one of them that you can try through one of the larger on-line tack shops.
My guys have the same wither paired with a big shoulder but have more curvy backs-- I ended up with a Stubben in a MW and ended up using a half pad that fills in the hollows a bit. You might be able to find something that can be shimmed to fit?
I have a friend with an Ainsley Chester in a 17.5 medium tree that’s for sale. No idea what she’s asking for it, but I can put you in touch.
Same horse when he was with me https://www.flickr.com/photos/11833417@N05/5065754331/sizes/z/in/set-72157623419018151/ He does have withers and a bit of a curvy back in my opinion for a TB. Almost a bit of a roach but not quite? He can really jump! So glad you got him and just think of how good he can look :lol:
Thanks Jess! My pic was this week and one above is about 5 years ago, so maybe some age or work-related changes. Either way I’m needing something to fit him pronto!
Check at Sullivan’s Saddlery in Aiken, SC. Lorrie has at least a hundred quality used saddles there on consignment.
I have a 27 (narrow) Stubben Excalibur monoflap jump saddle 17.5, forward flap. I’m 6’ tall and it fits my leg great. My ottb has plumped up a bit and graduated to a wider saddle. Shoot me a PM if interested.
The Thorowgood T4 my friend has is not very comfortable. The T8 has a much nicer feel in my opinion.
How wide is he below that sharkfin wither? I ask because some horses with that kind of wither need a wider saddle with a cutback pommel, or a panel configuration that will allow for a good fit–I would not automatically assume he needs a narrow. Passier often fits this type great, but it’s hard to find their jumping saddles used, especially with the specs you need. I’d look into the good wool-flocked, British-made saddles. I second or third or whatever Ainsley, and would also throw in Barnsby and Hastilow. You may even be able to find a used County with a workable panel configuration that could work. Prestige might work or might be a bit too curvy for his back–that said, a lot of horses seem to love them even when they don’t appear to fit quite right. Their jumping saddles, though, unlike their dressage saddles, are not generally wool-flocked.
If you end up needing to go custom, I got a great saddle from Matt Marlow at Heritage in the UK that I still love 7 or so years later, and which gets compliments all the time!
He’s not that wide, kind of a slab sided fellow. Although with my feeding program that may change! LOL! But he’s not a “big” horse at all. I may have found a used County that will work, fingers crossed!
I’d try a Passier, see if you can find a narrow or med-narrow (because you mentioned he’s slab-sided). Our barn is full of them from all the shark-fins of the past. We also have some mediums which fit just about everything else, give or take a saddle pad or shim pad.
A saddle that has similar qualities sometimes to Passier is Kieffer.
Cheap 17.5 in Ainsley
http://www.ebay.com/itm/17-5inch-Ashley-Close-Contact-Jumping-Saddle-Medium-Tree-/131414867317?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e98efbd75
If you can find something to get by with in the mean time (older Stubben, Passier, etc), you could get a custom saddle from Heritage Saddlery (or one of the other smaller UK Saddle Makers) for that budget range.
http://www.heritagesaddlery.co.uk/
My Heritage LS model:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/SempiternalAmor/library/Heritages%20Saddle?sort=6&page=1
