I am looking for a saddle that would fit my high withered TB/WB. Currently we have tried a Tucker Meadow Creek and a Crates trail saddle. Neither has enough clearance on the withers, both are medium or semiqh. Just a little too low. So, has anyone found something that fits their high wither horse? We just trail ride. Thanks for your help!
I bought a Crates Reining saddle and it fits my sharkfin withered TB. Unfortunately it kills me to ride in it, wrong twist I think. I tried a lot of saddles before I found one that actually fit the TB body type.
Ok, you will probably not like this suggestion,lol. I bought a saddle from Mr Saddle on ebay for $300 and it fits my Tb well. Good wither clearance, sets on his back nicely. It is not the best made saddle out there, but it does have a wood tree (supposedly) and I’ve had no problems with it. I use it for lessons, etc. Good sweat pattern…just a suggestion.
Look at good quality barrel saddles, especially Martin. They have lots of wither clearance and come narrower. Also, cutting saddles, but they are usually more money.
A nice barrel saddle is very comfortable.
I have a very nice high withered roping saddle that fits my thoroughbreds well…
What’s really important isn’t always the height of the withers but the shape of them. If the horse has high withers that end before the girth begins then you need a high withered saddle. If the withers extend past the sholders then the saddle will rest on the sholder and neck nerves and pinch them regardless of how high the tree is. If it is the second issue an Aussi stock saddle should fit. They have a hollow air channel down the length of the horses spine supported on both sides by padding. You can get them with full length western style sturrups and a horn so all that’s different is the forward seat.
What you want to do is try the saddle on without a pad, cinch it up and sit in it. See if you can get your fingers under all the edges (So they aren’t biting in) and under the tree and back end. If you don’t have room for fingers between the saddle and the withers when seated it’s not a good fit and no amount of padding will help.
Good luck!
Post a picture of his back?
Try one made for gaited horses. They tend to allow extra clearance and to be made for a smaller through the shoulders horse.
National Bridle Shop has several different brands.
Starting race colts, I used my Stubben Rex, that fit everyone fine, especially since I was 98 lbs then.
Since we wanted them also used to a flank cinch, I had an old Courts barrel racing saddle that also fit many colts well, especially skinny, high withers ones.
Many good ranch using older saddles were made in less than full quarter horse bars, for those horses that were in full hard work and on the lean side.
So many of today’s horses are a bit on the chubby side and that makes saddlers build most western saddles for those kinds of horses.
I have a Teskey’s cutting saddle that has good clearance for my retired OTTB. We trail ride too…but only around the pasture since venturing off the property sends him into a fit!
Try taking pics of his back and take it in to a big tack store. At my local place the sales people are really helpful and will even let you try a saddle on before you buy. I’ve seen people park their trailer in the parking lot and try the saddle on right out in front!
Good luck!
