Saddle Fit Question for Rider with Long Femur

[Hawks_Nest]

My coach is 5’2" with really long legs (I’m 5’8" and she and I ride at the same length) and she has both a 17" and a 17.5" inch in a BC quantum and monoflap respectively. The difference in seat size comes from the difference in the balance point of the saddle. The quantum has a balance point a little further back so she has enough room for her leg, while the monoflap is more of an XC saddle so the balance point is a little closer to the front so she needed the extra room in the seat.

Moral of the story, is depends on the saddle and where the balance point is. The flap size (in my opinion) should never be so far forward that you can’t get your leg underneath you, so again it depends on the specific saddle.

[yellowbritches]

I am 5’3" with short legs but a LONG femur. I ride in a 17.5 high forward, short flap saddle.

A lot of things make up how a saddle will work for you. It really depends on how you are built and how your legs hang off your body. Not all long femurs are created equal. Re-read Jay’s post…everything said there j have encountered in my limited time helping people find saddles.

Fwiw, I ride in a County Conquest. I’ve also like the Albion Kontrol, loved my original Berney Bros, and have fit well in Pretige Nona Garsons and Eventers. Devoucoux Ioldys work well, too, but they are very extreme.

[jaybird660]

Hawks Nest, do we have the same trainer? I don’t necessarily agree on where the balance point of the saddle is relative to that question. If the saddle is balanced correctly on the horse, the rider should be balanced depending on the variables I mentioned above. The rider will be in a chair seat, regardless, if the saddle is cantle low or pommel high. The long femur, short calf can create this as well, although my trainer has the opposite of short femur… One needs to consider how the leg is influenced by the position of the flap, blocks, stirrup bar, etc, assuming the saddle is balanced on the horse.

Yet, another variable would be the width of the twist, whether because it is wide as in a hoop tree or the depth of panel. Some find the K panel pushes their legs out and that can influence their position in the seat.

Now, I’m sure, I have really confused everyone!

[fordtraktor]

I have a very long femur (and long calf too). I would not buy a saddle with the intention of trying to fix it with a radiator clamp. I have never been happy long term with a saddle I have done that to. They all had other issues with balance that ultimately made them continue to be unsuitable.

I ride in a Smith Worthington Jumper with the knee blocks removed, and a Tad Coffin A5G. I like flat saddles with a low forward flap, and balance point is everything in a saddle to me!!!

I also rode in a Voltaire Palm Beach I really liked.

I have never ridden in an extra forward flap that did anything for me, my knee never fits up that high. The geometry is impossible.

[3s1]

Bogie was correct. The main accommodation in saddle construction for a long femur (and most women have a longer upper leg to lower leg ration) is an extended stirrup bar, which will allow your leg the proper position when in the stirrups. The natural inclination for a leg with a longer upper leg (relative to the lower leg - regardless how tall you are or what seat size you need!) is to hang forward to find its natural balance point, so to help position the leg properly the extended (or in same cases extra-extended) stirrup bar replaces the normal stirrup bar to help with this.

[Right_on_Target]

I have a long femur and a relatively shorter calf. I ordered a custom saddle with a “low forward” flap, where the forward part is lower, which is necessary for my leg ratios. The saddle is the first one that feels so balanced and no chair seat.

I ordered adjustable stirrup bars, but I admit that I’ve never adjusted them. Having the low forward flap fixed all of my problems, so the adjustable bars were unnecessary for me.

[mvspencer]

I am a member of the Giraffe-Leg-Club as well. I am 5’10 and 145 lbs. I also have a short-backed horse who also happens to be a true narrow with long, high withers. I feel your pain.

I work in a tack shop and I sit in saddles when the days is slow. It is different than riding in them of course, but my knee sticks off the front of 90% of the saddles that we have so I wouldn’t bother to ride in most of them anyway.

I would stay away from Stubben close contact saddles for the most part, although I do have a Stubben dressage saddle that I think is pretty perfect for me, and fits nicely on my short-backed horse.

One of the only ones that my leg fits on is a 17.5" County Extreme. I like the leather on it too, and even though the seat was probably too big for me, I didn’t feel like I was swimming. County in general has a lot of flap options, so maybe you could contact a local rep, even if you are looking for used. They should have access to a network of people who could help you locate something that will work for you. The one thing I will say is that the panels on the County Extreme are quite long lengthwise and I doubt it would work for a short-backed horse.

A 17.5 M. Toulouse monoflap fit me, although the leather was horrid and slippery. My butt was also much too small for the seat.

And finally, the craziest one that fit me, and fit me the best, was a 16.5" Crosby Hunterdon. I’d bet money that it is the same saddle that is referenced in post 4. I bought it too, and I am happy with it. It is so tiny that it swims in any saddle pad that I put under it, so I think it would be fine on a short-backed horse. The stirrup bars may be a tad forward for most long-legged people, but it is such a minimalist saddle that I don’t feel like my balance is compromised. And because it is old, you could probably find someone to add a knee block if you really wanted. Finding tack to match it even remotely is a whole other issue though, and if anyone has any suggestions about that, let me know

[fordtraktor]

The Hunterdon is pretty much a smooth leather PDN. Great saddle, I jumped around the Junior Jumpers (4’6) in the long flap version of the PDN. Terrific balance, classic saddle.

[BigMick]

[QUOTE=subk;8422643]

The bit of hose on the stirrup bar might be the best trick ever if it works![/QUOTE]

I’m struggling to visualize this radiator hose solution. Don’t radiator hoses typically have big diameters? How would you put it on the stirrup bar?

Does it make the bar longer so you can move the stirrup leather towards the cantle more?

Does the leather go over the hose?

[BigMick]

[QUOTE=Madeline;8423028]
I just get a small bit of radiator hose of the right diameter and slip it over the stirrup bar. Use as much as you have room for, as stirrup bars are not all the same length. I can get about 3/4 inch on, and it makes all the difference. Then put the leather back on.[/QUOTE]

Ah!! Now I get it!!

[Bogie]

@mvspencer;8486994

One of the only ones that my leg fits on is a 17.5" County Extreme. I like the leather on it too, and even though the seat was probably too big for me, I didn’t feel like I was swimming. County in general has a lot of flap options, so maybe you could contact a local rep, even if you are looking for used. They should have access to a network of people who could help you locate something that will work for you. The one thing I will say is that the panels on the County Extreme are quite long lengthwise and I doubt it would work for a short-backed horse.

I have the Extreme. It’s a really nice saddle. It hasn’t been made for awhile but when I see them come up on the used market, they are reasonably priced.

I also have a Schleese mono-flap that is nice and forward and a Jeffries JMX. I like the Jeffries a lot. Nice saddle with grippy leather. A bit hard to find in the US but very competitively priced, especially compared to the County and the Schleese.

[Maya01]

I have almost identical proportions to you and I ride in a Devoucoux Chiberta 1A flap, 17.5" seat (extra room in the seat is nice for XC). The saddle fits me perfectly, unfortunately I have to sell it to do the hunters in a ‘normal’ saddle

The 1A flap is perfect because it isn’t too long/disproportionate, but it is slightly forward (what the ‘A’ means) so it will fit my odd body proportions.

[Madeline]

Why in the world would you sell it? I would talk to a R judge. You may get a few funny looks from teenage twinkies, but I suspect that a real judge wouldn’t even notice, much less penalize you.

[Rugby350]

Omg, I’m not alone! I struggle so with long femur problems. 5’6 I have a long femur and kind of a short lower leg, so I feel ridiculous in some saddles. I’ve found monoflap saddles to be the best as they have the thigh block and allow freedom for my knee. Discussing the adjustable stirrup bar, I agree sooo much as I have a lovatt and ricketts dressage saddle which has 3 adjustments for bar location. I loooooove it! And felt so different just moving it one whole, went from chair seat to feeling super balanced and effective on my seat, and the knee role doesn’t feel like it shoves me into place! https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10102378464614699&id=5811865&set=a.10102366752331209.1073741849.5811865&fs=0