Saddle recommendations? Long femur rider, TB-type horses

[purpsgiraffe]

Hi all
So, unfortunately, it appears that I’m in the market for a saddle again. I have a fairly difficult-to-fit build and multiple horses so I would really love some general recommendations!
Here are some relevant facts:

• Me: 6’, long in the leg, very very disproportionately long in the femur. Prefer a forward-ish flap, very narrow twist and very set-back stirrup bar. Usually 17.5" seat.
• Pessoas seem to generally put me in a terrible chair seat, as does my beloved CWD
• Horse 1: 4 year old, 16.2hh TB, fairly wide spine and large shoulders with some wither definition. Slight hollow behind the shoulder that is gradually filling in as he matures.
• Horse 2: 7 year old, 16.3hh TB x WB, a little narrower than the TB with steeper withers, similar hollow behind the shoulder. (I also expect this to change, he is a rescue and has just recently gotten back into work)
• Horse 3: 6 year old, 18.0hh TB, pronounced withers and large, broad, fairly steep shoulders. Very very slight hollow behind the shoulder (by far the flattest of the three in that respect).
• I have a Hampson & Scott model no. 3 on trial right now, medium-narrow tree with wither clearance. It fits the two smaller horses pretty well aside from some very slight bridging which disappears when they are working. I love the stirrup bar placement, the flap shape and the width of the twist, however I would prefer something wwool-flocked, and perhaps with a bit more knee roll.
• Also tried a Dominus (not sure of the model, I just know it’s not the Bruce Davidson), which was too wide in the twist, too far forward in the stirrup bars and not forward in enough in the flap.
• I understand that I will more than likely have to buy two saddles to give the big guy and the smaller ones an acceptable fit. However I am interested in opinions on some of the convertible/exchangeable gullet saddles as the three horses are a somewhat similar shape - just different widths.
• I would prefer not to spend over $1500 on a saddle unless it will likely fit all three horses.

Aaaaaaaand go!

[Synthesis]

PM kashmere on here
She has a nearly new Passier Military II monoflap she is selling that is almost exactly the configuration you describe needing. Its not trendy, but fabulously balanced, forward in the flap and cutback pommel that suits the TB wither so well. Its in your budget

Not my saddle, no vested interest. I own one myself and it is amazing. The only one that was close was an extra forward Voltaire for almost 3x the cost.

[purpsgiraffe]

[QUOTE=Synthesis;8855572]
PM kashmere on here
She has a nearly new Passier Military II monoflap she is selling that is almost exactly the configuration you describe needing. Its not trendy, but fabulously balanced, forward in the flap and cutback pommel that suits the TB wither so well. Its in your budget

Not my saddle, no vested interest. I own one myself and it is amazing. The only one that was close was an extra forward Voltaire for almost 3x the cost.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, I’ll consider that

[Linguini]

Im 5’11 with a disproportionately long femur- i finally found a 17.5 devoucoux biarritz with a 4L flap that fit me perfect and has fit several different horses- currently an 18h relatively slab sided warmblood. I found it used for a little over 2k

[doublesstable]

Sounds like a Butet may work for you.

[Dewey]

Call Smith Worthington. They have a lot of saddles on clearance (more than are listed on their website) and are very accommodating about adjustment. Their saddles, though not trendy, are very well made and tend to suit riders with long legs.

[kashmere]

Ha! Thank you, dear Synthesis I was about to make a general Passier recommendation - truly, seriously fabulous saddles. They will live long after we all die. The apocalypse will be over, and I am convinced the earth will just be covered in cockroaches and German saddles.

[Atlas_Shrugged]

And Cher

[equest]

Black Country Quantum or Maelstrom (the calf version of the Quantum).

I have read many reviews here on COTH that indicated this saddle for both TBs with wither definition, and long-femured riders. I am a long femured rider with a pretty standard high withered TB and I really like this saddle. My trainer likes it too (compared it to a County at a lower price point).

I found my saddle gently used for just about the price you quoted as your max.

[jaybird660]

If you are looking for a changeable gullet system, you might think about Kent and Masters or Pessoa saddles but they might not be forward enough for your leg. Changing gullet plates, however, is not something you would want to do between every ride.

If they are similar in shape but different widths, you might fit to the widest and use a correction pad as long as they are not too off. I also think you should consider something with full front gussets that gives lift in front but helps support the width of the shoulders.

[Albertabound]

We tried literally dozens of saddles for our hard to fit TB and my daughter with very long femurs. The one that worked in the long run was a Barnsby Diablo with a forward flap, adjustable tree and wool flocking. The saddle fitter can adjust it as needed. TB’s are quite changeable, so having the option to adjust the fit is very helpful.