Saddle fit help! Update- finally found one, thx everyone for all the help!

[Equkelly]

Hi all,

I know I’ve posted here before but I’m having a hell of a time finding something to fit my 4yo warmblood mare. She’s built like a large pony, she’s just round with big shoulders and nothing I’ve tried works.

This weekend I tried a medium-wide Adam Ellis and it just looked too tight in the shoulder IMO but I’m thinking a wide of extra wide could work… Am I crazy? I almost think I need to suck it up and order something new/ semi-custom with a hoop tree but I just hate the idea of buying something new for a 4 year old.

Ugh… anyone else have ideas? I don’t need something really fancy I just want something that fits. When she’s 6 or 7 I’ll be more ready to buy something custom but at 4 I’m just so hesitant.

[akhunterrider]

It appears from the photos that the saddle is sitting on her scapula, so I would start with moving it back. It would also be nice to see some pictures from a little farther away.

[beowulf]

I am with you - hold off on the custom until she is done growing. If you ever are curious how much a horse “grows” in their 4-6 y/o years, start to take wither tracings. Looks like yours is still rather muttony - the wither is usually the last thing to “pop” up in a growing WB. :yes:

I am riding my 4 y/o in an Ainsley - so no glamor necessary - but I had a fitter look at it first and okay it. I suspect when she fills out and her wither appears the Ainsley will no longer be a good fit.

Anatomically, your horse looks like a pretty common young WB. They tend to be round and flat until their withers grow (5+6 y/o).

Best photos are taken level, with you standing about 5ft+ back, straight on (position yourself where the stirrup bars are). Then, from the front, stand about 4ft in front of the horse’s leg - that photo is so you can see spine clearance and fit across the shoulder (which is hard to see in this photo).

I agree with the other poster, it seems this saddle is sitting a bit too far forward (or the flap + seat is too long, as it doesn’t look like you have much room to move back without resting on the last rib) – you want the saddle to end before the last rib, but also needs to have shoulder clearance and the tree points should be set right behind the shoulder. You can usually figure out where the tree points are by looking at the brand logo button.

Run your hand under the panels from front to back, and back again; you should feel even pressure from front to back of saddle - any uneven pressure (especially over stirrup bar) is an indication the saddle doesn’t fit or may need to be reflocked.

Put hands on the pommel and the cantle - does the saddle rock up and down if you try to wiggle it? Does it sit stable? Rocking usually means the tree might not be the right configuration (too wide) or padding may be uneven. Sometimes it can be fixed by reflocking, but usually not.

Stand back and eyeball the relation between pommel and cantle - is one higher than the other? From a preliminary glance, this looks a bit pommel low, which will place pressure across the shoulders. To tell, I usually look at the seat - to me it looks like the seat is downhill.

From the photos, I think this saddle is too wide… But you should be involving a (good) saddle fitter to help you find a saddle to work for your mare.

[catchcan]

I agree that you are looking for something temporary as the back will certainly change in the next several years. I also agree that it is worth it to work with a qualified saddle fitter, preferably an independent one who will work with you on finding something lower cost/temporary for now while your horse is still young and growing. Have you looked at the Kent and Masters or Thorowgood Cob saddles? They are made for horses with a back like your horse -flat, broad, and lower withers. Both brands feature changeable gullets and are wool flocked, so they are very adjustable. Great for growing babies!

[Ceffyl_Dwr]

I have Thorowgood GP and a dressage cob (both are collecting dust, but I’m too lazy to list). I mention the dressage cob because I thought it would be the better fit for him, and surprisingly, it wasn’t. I would absolutely second the Thorowgood recommendation. While not all leather, it’s certainly passable. It’s very comfortable, put me in a good position, and most importantly, is adjustable. Will your saddlefitter let you send them a list of possible saddles from eBay or give you a list of brands that will work for your horse’s type? Trumbull Mountain and Pelham were great with offering advice on brands to try and stay away from. After running the numbers on cost of trial shipping and the fear that I’d be out if I just bought off eBay, I decided to go custom. I now have a Black Country for my wide guy, who I also assumed would need an extra wide hoop tree, but when templated was a regular tree wide. A tree can be widened once, and even though young, I’d be a bit surprised if the tree changes twice, but what do I know. I’d think diligent monitoring of the flocking might buy you many years.

[Equkelly]

@beowulf

I am with you - hold off on the custom until she is done growing. If you ever are curious how much a horse “grows” in their 4-6 y/o years, start to take wither tracings. Looks like yours is still rather muttony - the wither is usually the last thing to “pop” up in a growing WB. :yes:

I am riding my 4 y/o in an Ainsley - so no glamor necessary - but I had a fitter look at it first and okay it. I suspect when she fills out and her wither appears the Ainsley will no longer be a good fit.

Anatomically, your horse looks like a pretty common young WB. They tend to be round and flat until their withers grow (5+6 y/o).

Best photos are taken level, with you standing about 5ft+ back, straight on (position yourself where the stirrup bars are). Then, from the front, stand about 4ft in front of the horse’s leg - that photo is so you can see spine clearance and fit across the shoulder (which is hard to see in this photo).

I agree with the other poster, it seems this saddle is sitting a bit too far forward (or the flap + seat is too long, as it doesn’t look like you have much room to move back without resting on the last rib) – you want the saddle to end before the last rib, but also needs to have shoulder clearance and the tree points should be set right behind the shoulder. You can usually figure out where the tree points are by looking at the brand logo button.

Run your hand under the panels from front to back, and back again; you should feel even pressure from front to back of saddle - any uneven pressure (especially over stirrup bar) is an indication the saddle doesn’t fit or may need to be reflocked.

Put hands on the pommel and the cantle - does the saddle rock up and down if you try to wiggle it? Does it sit stable? Rocking usually means the tree might not be the right configuration (too wide) or padding may be uneven. Sometimes it can be fixed by reflocking, but usually not.

Stand back and eyeball the relation between pommel and cantle - is one higher than the other? From a preliminary glance, this looks a bit pommel low, which will place pressure across the shoulders. To tell, I usually look at the seat - to me it looks like the seat is downhill.

From the photos, I think this saddle is too wide… But you should be involving a (good) saddle fitter to help you find a saddle to work for your mare.

I know that it’s common for them to have mutton withers at this age but I think my issue with her is that I’m also dealing with her shoulders being large and set back and then her back also isn’t very long so I just don’t have room to go anywhere.

[ClassyJumper]

My mare is pretty similar to yours, very wide shoulders, short backed. I found an older circuit in wide fit her decent and some of the older collegiates (before the changeable gullets) run pretty wide. I made due with those saddles for a year until she filled out a bit and then upgraded to a used delgrange. For whatever reason its much harder to find used saddles in wide, super frustrating! If you happen to be tiny a pony saddle or a 16 custom for a pony tend to be wide and can be gotten for a steal. Good luck!

[IPEsq]

Look at the new Amerigo HC. Made for backs that don’t have much space for the rider. Wool flocked and adjustable. Unfortunately it’s a new model so there isn’t going to be a used market. If you can get an independent fitter out that has some different brands to try that would probably be best to find a used one, which the fitter could adjust for you at the same time.

[Belmont]

The pictures aren’t the best, but from the side profile picture I hate the balance of that saddle… especially on a 4 year old. It looks like you might eject out of the front.

i also agree with other posters. Don’t buy a custom now! You have time to wait and see what her body does.

[Equkelly]

Thanks everyone for all the help on this thread and others. I had a baseline knowledge of saddle fitting but I was really feeling overwhelmed and couldn’t figure out why every saddle I tried would not work. I read so many old threads about hoop trees, and French made vs the english made and it helped steer me in the right direction.

I worked with a saddle fitter as well and I finally ended up with a lightly used Stubben which works perfectly for her mutton withers and round back. My mare loves it and i actually really like it as well. Every other stubben I’ve been in has been rock hard but this feels super soft and grippy.

Thanks all!