Saddle for an average OTTB

[SonnysMom]

In the spring I plan on buying a new horse, most likely an OTTB. I would be looking at something on the smaller size 15.1 to 16 H, maybe 16.1. I am short and am fine with smaller horses.

The problem is my current saddle is heavily customized for my current horse who has a very unique back. He has very high withers, hollows, wide shoulders, slight sway in back but behind the withers he is very flat backed. I plan on not buying such a saddle fitting nightmare. I do try to learn from my mistakes.

So I will need a saddle for a potential new horse before I get a new horse. I am looking for something that would fit the average OTTB back. This way I have a saddle to try on horses that I am looking to buy. Yes, I realize that if I buy something straight from the track I do not get to ride. However if I go through a re-seller or rescue I will be able to try them.

I would prefer to go used and wool flocked. I am hoping for something less than $1,000. I want something that has a decent resale value so if it doesn’t work out for the horse I eventually buy I can sell it and roughly break even or at least not take a bath. I really want to avoid the old school Stubben Sigfried’s as I want something with a tiny bit more cush that does not put me in a chair seat. I would love a monoflap but I really doubt that is in my budget.

I am mostly looking for brand/models to keep an eye out for. I am not putting what size saddle in this description so that I don’t run afoul of the advertising rules of CoTH.

I don’t mind a fairly minimal saddle as far as blocks. I had a Beval Devon 2000 that I loved. It was one of the newer ones in that it had a padded flat but only a pencil roll. I do think I want a saddle with a padded flap versus an all leather flap with no padding. No suede.

Anyone have thoughts on Northrun Ashland, a Harry Dabs Jaguar, or a Stubben Edelweiss?

I do have a good independent saddle fitter that would eventually vet out anything for fit once I buy the horse.

[Auburn]

My older event mare has an odd back, too. I had her saddle custom made. She needs a banana shaped tree. My OTTB mare needed a straighter tree, so I had to look for a new saddle that did not cost an arm and a leg.

I ended up getting a Pessoa monoflap. It has a changeable gullet. It has better balance for jumping, than the custom made one for my other horse and cost, brand new, much less than what the custom saddle cost.

[Mia_Sorella]

I have a Harry Dabbs Future Jump that fits the typical TB shape really well–not sure if the Jaguar’s are similar?

Prestige and Barnsby may also be good options to look into.

[beowulf]

Many of the older Stubben and Kiefer saddles fit your criteria and budget, and go well with most TBs… there isn’t really an “Average” TB back, so it’s hard to say whatever you buy would fit… that’s kind of like putting the cart before the horse, but I get why you’re doing it.

[gypsymare]

My two 16.3 TBs both take a super narrow tree… 28cm. I’ve seen others take a wide. I would go with a 29-30 cm Stubben Edelweiss, or Roxane should be inexpensive and an easy resale.

Can you borrow a saddle while you’re shopping? Yours might not be as off as you think.

[kcmel]

I think I would try to borrow a saddle–unless you make fitting the saddle you have part of your search criteria. (I almost did that since I had just bought a custom saddle for my horse when I had to retire him. Luckily the new saddle does fit Wally–at least for now). Or buy a cheap Wintec to use while you look for something that fits. (Actually, I have a 17.5 Wintec 2000 you could borrow if that seat size works. It has fit all my TBs relatively well and I feel secure in it jumping to about 2’3"-2’6").

Have fun shopping! If I see anything on FB I will send it your way.

[beowulf]

I would almost look at MW-W instead of just M or MN… I have never had a TB in a narrow tree. Almost all of mine have fit in the MW (with professional adjustments, of course).

[fordtraktor]

Don’t buy a saddle until you have the horse. I promise you, “average OTTB” is not a thing.

[Kodidog763]

[QUOTE=beowulf;8949423]
I would almost look at MW-W instead of just M or MN… I have never had a TB in a narrow tree. Almost all of mine have fit in the MW (with professional adjustments, of course).[/QUOTE]

My 16.3 TB gelding needs a narrow tree, my 15.3 TB mare is a “slightly wider” than medium, and my 15.2 mare is an average medium. My gelding and 15.3 mare were super hard to fit, the 15.2 mare seems to fit anything. I would wait until you have the horse.

[The_Centaurian]

I found an ancient Barnsby with new billets on eBay for $400. It just fits the TBs, no special pads needed. It was advertised as a foxhunting saddle, it looks very old school with a plain flap and no blocks or rolls of any kind, and was a bit larger seat than I would usually look for. I am so glad I took a chance, because I LOVE it more than any other saddle ever, even the cushy cloud-like French ones.

An ancient Hermes also fit great, but the one I tried had a broken tree.

My old County Stabilizer was a lovely saddle, but despite special flocking, the tree shape never quite fit the TBs the way it should.

[SonnysMom]

[QUOTE=kcmel;8949233]
I think I would try to borrow a saddle–unless you make fitting the saddle you have part of your search criteria. (I almost did that since I had just bought a custom saddle for my horse when I had to retire him. Luckily the new saddle does fit Wally–at least for now). Or buy a cheap Wintec to use while you look for something that fits. (Actually, I have a 17.5 Wintec 2000 you could borrow if that seat size works. It has fit all my TBs relatively well and I feel secure in it jumping to about 2’3"-2’6").

Have fun shopping! If I see anything on FB I will send it your way.[/QUOTE]

I may take you up on the that Wintec come spring. A 17.5 should work fine.

I am planning on sending pictures to my saddle fitter before I buy anything to I make sure new horse appears to be an easy fit.

I tend to like a horse that will be a Medium or maybe a MW. Anything that is Narrow and under 16 hands will likely feel too small.
I don’t have a problem turning down a horse that won’t be an easy fit. I don’t mind starting with an inexpensive Stuben, Kiefer, Crosby, Harry Dabbs that is used and already depreciated. This way if I it doesn’t fit the new horse and I have to sell it I likely won’t lose 50% on the sale.
I currently have my old Patrick for sale. I shrunk out of it. I expect to take 6-9 months to sell it. Since I bought it new I will be LUCKY to sell it for 50-55% of my original purchase price from only 3 years ago. I then will have to pay the store commission. So maybe I will clear 45-50% for a saddle that is in really great shape but a little known brand, heavily customized and an 18/18.5 inch so not a popular size. That is primarily what I want to avoid.

I have a friend that I could borrow her 18 Devoucoux. However I have ridden her horse in it and just can’t find my center of balance. I am not 100% sure if it her horse or the saddle. I am leaning towards it being the saddle.

I also hate to borrow things. Just a pet peeve of mine.

[fordtraktor]

Is your saddle wool flocked? Maybe you can just keep it and have it stuffed more neutrally. If it fits you, that is half the battle. Really impossible to suggest even basic saddles without knowing about your conformation too. Are you tall? Short? Long femur? Short femur? What saddles have you ridden in and liked? What didn’t work for you? And dimensions/models, not just brands.

If the custom fits you I would keep it until I was SURE I couldn’t make it fit the next horse.

[no.stirrups]

Harry Dabbs has a tree that was designed for the typical thoroughbred back. We had it at the Thoroughbred makeover competition, and it was really amazing how it just absolutely fit 90% of the horses we put it on, usually in either a MW or W (adjustable in a tree press). They have a slightly different one for horses with a more steeply rising topline, common in TBs.

Here’s an article about them: http://www.thesaddletree.com/Thoroughbreds.html
Page is under construction, so please excuse the blank spaces!

[Chestnut_Run]

It might just be MY conformation, but the 3 Harry Dabbs saddles I’ve ridden in really put me in a chair seat position.

I ride pretty much nothing but TBs and like several others said, there is not really a typical TB back. I will say that most of my personal horses are in a wide or extra wide tree.

I really love my wintec close contact saddle. It has fit all but one of my horses. That particular horse has a REALLY curvy back, unlike the rest of mine who tended to be very flat backed, very wide backed, all with average withers. So my recommendation would be a wintec with adjustable gullet.

[jaybird660]

Although most TB’s have similar traits, their backs vary in how uphill or curved their toplines are, how broad the mid back is and how steep the wither area is. Very few are true narrow and I find that the most common size is medium or medium wide but have had some wide ones. Most need a deeper front panel and wither or full front gussets but not all and some need deeper rear gussets and some thinner.

Therefore, it’s best to wait and see what your horse needs unless you are looking for a short term or very inexpensive saddle. Then, you might try a Thorowgood or Kent and Masters hi-wither model.

[visorvet]

+100 unless you have plenty of both don’t waste your time or money.

I ride OTTBs exclusively. I own around 8 saddles with a range of shapes, some of which are adjustable, and can generally get one of those to fit a new horse. Even so, I just had to buy a new semi-custom one because I got tired of spinning my wheels trying to find one suitable for both me (long femur) and my current guy. I am a cheapskate who doesn’t buy new saddles so that was NOT something I wanted to do.

Ditto also on the narrow tree thing - admittedly I don’t buy less than 16 hands or horses with a petite build but it has been 20+ years since I’ve owned an OTTB that went in anything less than medium wide. And if I have them at least a year we usually end up at W. I do NOT buy huge TBs - they are all 16 - 16.2. I have had some that were very slab-sided so felt narrow while riding, yet still took at least a MW tree. My current guy is 16.1 and was purchased on the track as a 4yo. He was a MW when he was racing fit but after 6 months of gaining both weight and muscle he is much more of a tank. I had my Prestige widened as far as it can go (35.5) and it is still too tight for him, even with nothing but a baby pad. The 2 saddles that are wide enough for him are inappropriate for the shape of his back.

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8949537]
Don’t buy a saddle until you have the horse. I promise you, “average OTTB” is not a thing.[/QUOTE]