Saddle fitting and the obese pony

[Heinz_57]

If you don’t want to talk about saddle brands, best move along!

New pony (hony? still haven’t sticked her) is coming along nicely and I expect to climb aboard sometime in the next few weeks. I threw my saddle on her today and it might/could/maybe work, but I need to get a girth in her size before I can really fiddle with things (Schleese with FLAIR). When I got her a few weeks ago she was obese; spine channel, fat pads and all. She’s dry-lotted and sulking about her boring new diet, but I can actually maybe feel a rib and she’s lost the spinal fat, so progress is on the way. Downgraded from obese to just overweight. :lol:

If anyone wouldn’t mind, I’d like to get some suggestions on brands/shapes/etc of saddles that might fit her. Definitely going to need a dressage saddle, but maybe a CC too, so I’m happy to hear both. Pics here, and sorry about the quality - I have no help: https://goo.gl/photos/a7wPpKVK2QKBEmSQ8

Probably not buying anything until she’s at a healthy weight, but I’d like to have some idea where to start when we’re ready. How much will her shape change without the extra fat? I’m new to this air fern territory. :lol:

[Inclined]

We have two air ferns. My 14.1ish QH/Belgian goes beautifully in a Thorowgood Cob saddle. We tried a Wintec Wide, but the angles just weren’t right for him. The Wintec did measure better for DD’s truly flat-backed Welsh pony/ paint cross, but neither she nor I could ride in it comfortably due to all the extra padding on the knee flaps in the newer model (it forces your hips even further apart than the horse’s conformation already does). The newer Thorowgoods also have adjustable gullets so that as the horse slims down, so can the saddle.

Edited to add: Now that she has lost some weight, the Welshie cross fits into the T’good cob saddle reasonably well also.

[sheltona01]

it would be helpful to know the budget, because that does change what I would recommend. She looks like she will need a hoop tree. My other concern is the length of the saddle. She looks like she has a pretty small surface for a saddle.

[fjordmom]

What a cutie. If she were a different color, she’d look just like my newest Fjord. He too is a tad rotund with quite a short and even flatter back than she has. (Ya small hole hay net, muzzle, and diet adjustment didn’t thrill him at first, but he is slowly getting more svelte. Exercise helps too.)

I’m using a Stubben Tristan on him, 32". It works and so far I haven’t found anything better (and I’m not up for custom at the moment). Mainly I have to be careful not to have it too far forward so it doesn’t get in the way of his shoulders. At the same time, he doesn’t have much length to let me put if back much either. It’s a fine balancing act. My other Fjord has a longer back and this same Tristan fits him very well. In general I have found the Stubbens to do a rather good job of fitting a variety of horses. I also have a Siegfried, that is 45+ years old, same tree as the Tristan. My kids used it when they jumped the longer-backed pony and it worked out well for all concerned, - pony, DS, and DD.

Good luck, these rotund ones can be a challenge to find the perfect fit. At least yours looks like she has withers, my two hardly do.

[walkers]

AH my horse’s back is flatter totally table backed and wider but just as short backed. The Stubben Siegfred 32 did not fit him. I’m still searching. I was told to try Duett but now there is a new owner and I’m told lots of changes. I’ve also tried the wintec and though they look like it fits he hates it so have to listen to the horse.
I hate to tell you I have tried so many saddles and failed, if they fit him they don’t fit me. I wonder about older saddles being made differently than new ones as a friends 25 yr. old 31cm Stubben siegfried fits him fine but she won’t sell it!
Has anyone ever tried an Icelandic saddle on these short backed, flat backed small horses?

[Heinz_57]

@sheltona01

it would be helpful to know the budget, because that does change what I would recommend. She looks like she will need a hoop tree. My other concern is the length of the saddle. She looks like she has a pretty small surface for a saddle.

Well, I won’t be going full custom, but I have time to save up a bit so for the sake of discussion let’s say <$2k.

Other fitting questions notwithstanding, my 17" CC sits within the available space of her back as far as I can tell, estimating where her ribcage ends as best I can. :lol: I have a friend with a similarly built GRP (this girl is Conn/TB, @fjordmom ) that ended up ordering custom to get the right panel/seat configuration in a dressage saddle. I’m hoping I don’t have to go there, though.

​​​​​​​I completely spaced Thorowgood, thanks for the reminder @Inclined.

[UrbanHennery]

She’s built a lot like my QH, looking underneath the excess. He fits in all the saddles built on the Simatree (Thorowgood, K&M, Fairfax, etc), the County Connection in a W, the Frank Baines Elegance / Reflex, Adam Ellis, and several of the other British saddleries.

He’s inbetween a MW/W in Ariat but I haven’t found one I like for me.

[LetItBe]

My Hennig fit my 15 hand Connemara but sadly doesn’t fit the 14.1 Connemara so is going up for sale. Until I can get something ‘perfect’ I got a Kent and Masters S-series dressage and it’s a nice saddle for the price. Wouldn’t recommend the people I bought it from but would recommend the saddle.

LetItBe

[jaybird660]

I would also suggest a hoop tree. Depending on budget,
Jump:
Thorowgood T4 Pony long leg jump, Black Country Quantum X, Duett

Black Country Eloquence X, BC Summit in black,
Baines Capriole Extra, Balance, Duett

The issues are saddle length and balance combined with your needs.

[Heinz_57]

@jaybird660

I would also suggest a hoop tree. Depending on budget,
Jump:
Thorowgood T4 Pony long leg jump, Black Country Quantum X, Duett

Black Country Eloquence X, BC Summit in black,
Baines Capriole Extra, Balance, Duett

The issues are saddle length and balance combined with your needs.

Thank you!

I’m not sure what I need, so I hope to sit in as many as I can in the meantime. Pretty much the only thing I know for sure is that dressage saddles with a long rise to the pommel (older Kieffers, for example) don’t work for me, I need a flat spot to sit in with a short rise.

[Displaced_Yankee]

I had a 17.5" K&M Cob Dressage on order for my 14.3 Connemara cross until my saddle fitter found me a discontinued Fairfax (upgraded leather, external block) Cob Dressage used. I have been so pleased with this saddle for my little “propane tank” hony. It is the exact same tree as the K&M and my fitter was very pleased with the fit. He is in a medium wide, but my fitter felt it would be no issue if he lost some weight or filled out with work. It is compact enough that there was no concern about length (the alternative was cramming my butt into a 17").

Highly recommend the K&M/Thorowgood (or Fairfax if you can find one) cob saddles. In your budget too!

[no.stirrups]

In addition to the brands already mentioned, consider Jeffries Liberty or XP trees, and Harry Dabbs Hunter and IB trees. Dressage, jump and GP saddles are made on each tree.

[Black_Points]

I have 2 connemara/TBs that I bred and finally (about 6 yrs ago) found the perfect saddle for them. It’s a Black Country Equinox. It is an endurance saddle built on a hoop tree and more like a dressage tree. I love it and my dressage instructor says I sit better in that saddle than any other. Both horses love it too and I use it for dressage, trail riding and jumping. Every time I get on one of my horses, I say “I love this saddle”. There are some for sale used now and then on Trumbull Mountain Tack website.

Good luck with your new mare. She is adorable and built like my mare. I’m sure you will fall in love with her.

Mary in Western NY

[jaybird660]

@Black Points

I have 2 connemara/TBs that I bred and finally (about 6 yrs ago) found the perfect saddle for them. It’s a Black Country Equinox. It is an endurance saddle built on a hoop tree and more like a dressage tree. I love it and my dressage instructor says I sit better in that saddle than any other. Both horses love it too and I use it for dressage, trail riding and jumping. Every time I get on one of my horses, I say “I love this saddle”. There are some for sale used now and then on Trumbull Mountain Tack website.

Good luck with your new mare. She is adorable and built like my mare. I’m sure you will fall in love with her.

Mary in Western NY

My son rode did his eventing dressage in an Equinox on his 12’1 xxw pony!