Saddle for short backed horse

[LJ55]

Hi, so I am currently looking for a new saddle to suit both myself and my horse and am getting desperate. I am hoping some of you could offer some brands/models to try.

Horse is only 5yo and still growing so have been trying to avoid spending much but she can only wear a max 17" saddle but I need a 17.5" seat (5’10 and not super slim). I am after a jump saddle which I use for everything - plan is to get a dressage saddle once horse has finished growing. I prefer a monoflap with a flat seat and not much in the way of knee or thigh blocks.

We are currently using a Wintec 500 CC because it fits her well and is okay for me, I can ride in the 17" because of how flat the seat is but it is not very comfortable and I do not like it for flat work.

Thanks

[no.stirrups]

I like Harry Dabbs and Black Country best for short-backed horses. Harry Dabbs has an upswept panel which comes off the back earlier than a gusseted panel. Black Country has a gussetted panel, but it is still shorter than most other saddles, plus they can make the panel up to an inch shorter on a custom order. Both companies have a variety of tree designs to fit differently shaped horses.

[SaddleUp158]

I recently purchased a Takt dressage saddle for my short backed mare. It was one of the few I tried that was short enough for her. If I needed a close contact/jump saddle I would look into their saddles since the dressage was short enough for my mare.

[mdp9]

+1 for Black Country! I have a short backed TB who is not built like a TB.

I really like the Schleese Obrigado as well, but it’s just silly how expensive they are.

[solarflight]

Try a Kentaur. I have had them fit short backed horses very well, specifically the Titan and Eventer models.

[charlieTBD]

Try a BUA. They are short. Really nice equipment and amazing for growing horses or one rider who rides many. My friend has one and everyone had to have a try. I was very impressed to see how many horses liked it better than their own expensive custom saddles, lol. If they make the flaps a little different I would be happy to use one always.

[Jackie_Cochran]

The Pegasus Butterfly saddles are good for short backed horses.

Because of the lack of a pommel arch I can put the saddle as far forward as I need to without running into the withers with the pommel.

However, since these saddles give great shoulder freedom, my seat would be shifting around in the saddle leading to the saddle not being centered at all times (amazingly none of the horses cussed me out about this.) This is what converted me to silicon full seat breeches/tights, and I think that these breeches are sort of necessary for us “normal” (non-elite) riders who ride in this saddle.

One horse I am riding with this saddle has a very small “saddle place” on his back before his spine slopes upward steeply until the croup. He moves much better in the Pegasus Butterfly than the other saddles I used on him. I HAVE to use a six-pocket shimmable pad on this horse for this saddle to work, with bridging shims it works well on his weird back.