My first bit of advice would be to do some serious ground work before you even think of searching for a saddle. If your horse is out of shape, and since you have a year to get ready, spend 6 or 8 of those weeks getting your horse into some semblance of shape, or it’s highly likely that whatever fits your horse right now will be a “right now” saddle that may not work a few months down the road. And remember that ground work does NOT have to be limited to the ring; you can ground drive or long line a horse on the trail, and I can tell you from personal experience that after a month of doing that (especially if you live in a hilly area), you’ll BOTH be in much better shape (I’m a crone too, and know whereof I speak!).
Once you have a baseline of fitness, you can start thinking about a saddle. If you don’t have a fitter nearby, I’d recommend working long-distance with someone who has experience in that area … and I highly, highly recommend Nancy Okun. She worked at Trumbull Mtn. for about 15 years (and I worked with her for 14 of 'em), and not only can she fit saddles through the use of templates and photos … she’s also a competitive trail rider. She will speak your language, and can help you find the saddle that will work for both your horse AND for you. Her e-mail is nancybokun@gmail.com - give her a shout.
As far as saddles for Arabs, the recommendations you’ve received already are all worth considering; the exact “make and model” will depend on what you and your horse need. Nancy and Ann Forrest at Equestrian Imports are also offering the new Albion K2 trail (http://equestrianimports.com/shop/new-saddles/albion-k2-trail-saddle/1167.html) - either can tell you more about it. Good luck, and have fun!
