what wonderful sturdy legs on your guy. Love so much about him…neck, rear…and his face!! omy he’s cute!
Such a feminine creature…so refined and she looks like she’s built to have foals 
There’s no big knee roll, just a small knee block under the flap:
It does not sit higher off the back. I think the two tone color of the serge and leather is giving that impression.
I really like the flatter more open seat.
I had this one made in the buffalo leather with reverse doe on the seat and knee pad, there are other leather options.
The serge breathes more than leather so is cooler on the back. It is softer so also conforms a bit more than leather panels. One consequence is that the flocking then compresses a little faster than with leather panels so reflocking should be done a little more frequently.
Some info on serge panels: http://saddlefitter.blogspot.com/2010/10/serge-and-durability.html
My oldest saddle with serge panels is from 2008 and the serge still looks great.
1 Like
Well, it looks swell! Don’t know about serge though…how do you clean it?
So far, my mare is easily saddled and goes fine in a cheap plastic saddle. If we continue on this dressage track, i’ll be getting her into something nice. I am seeking a flat one for me. Next to nothing for re-sale that i’ve found yet. Even the ones that folks call flat aren’t. I’ll just see which comes first, a used dressage saddle that i like for me, or her ascendence to being worthy of a custom expensive one.
But oh, my next one, the up coming broad mustang…he’s going to be challenging to fit. Huge shoulder broad back. Fourteen so not a flat back either, not dippy though I’ll get a pic one of these days. i’m thinking hoop might be the answer for him.
I’ve barely done any cleaning of the serge panels over the years. I use a saddle pad which absorbs most of the sweat. Serge panels can be brushed or even lightly vacuumed if needed. I use “saddle mattress” pads on my saddle racks for all my saddles, but I think using padding between the saddle and the saddle rack is even more important for serge panels. (Before I had the saddle mattress pads, I used thick layers of saddle pads as cushioning between the saddles and the racks)
I have Arabians with pretty wide round backs so the serge has been helpful in helping to keep the saddles from slipping.
The BCS Kur is not heavily marketed by Black Country so is much less common in the used market, but some are out there. Hastilow sometimes has a few in their used inventory. I recently got one on ebay that was essentially new (the horse had died shortly after the new saddle arrived 
)
1 Like
Patrick is another brand you might look into. I was lucky to find a used Leggero last year when I needed an XW hoop tree for my girl. I think they have seven different trees they can build on, including a cob tree.
The Patrick and also my BC Vinici have serge panels, and I love them. 8-Pond, I think if anything, the serge molds more to the horse’s body, so it will be sitting more down/around the back. My Vinici is a very close contact feel. The serge does not require any special care or cleaning. However, it’s good to have a fitter who is used to working with these panels for adjustments, as many fitters are not used to it, and it can be a little different to work with. BTW, monoflap can be a nice option on a wide horse because it makes the whole thing ride a little narrower than if you have a regular flap. I have seen some used BC saddles for sale that are a hybrid of more than one model, so a “Kur Vinici” might be a possibility. They also will shave down the standard cantle on their other models if you want a more open seat.
I don’t think Lovatt & Ricketts has been mentioned, but they started out as Arabian Saddle Co. and as such are geared towards fitting short/wide horses. They also make saddles with serge. In the world of bespoke, UK built saddles, they are priced very reasonably.
2 Likes
I recently picked up a haffie and am in the same boat as you. I ended up finding a Black Country rep and ordering directly from BC through them. Having the saddle made to my specifications is coming in a bit under 4k so well within your budget.
For a lot of these short/round/curvy guys, English brands are a good bet because they cater to cobby types over there.
3 Likes
Schleese has various size panels for back length… I ride a short backed Lusitano in one.
My next guy is thick as a brick, but normal length back…very huge shoulder though. Just got him out of his confined space today…he’s been in a 36x36 space in the barn for 4 days and now is approachable plus i can get him into and out of a halter fairly easily. So he earned a promotion and can now go in and out of a 90x90 corral He’s easily 16h.
edit: I started a separate thread for him on Off-course topics called “Diamond-in-the-rough project horse”.
4 Likes
I took this photo to try to convey just how WIDE my 14.0H Arab mare is.
She feels bigger than 14H due to her big barrel and big gaits. She’s a powerhouse!
She is also the one with a very short back (14 inches weight bearing area in front of T18):
She’s been being a momma the past few years, but I look forward to riding her again!
6 Likes
Here are some pictures of Harry Dabbs saddles for short backed wide horses:
Editted to add: this is a WIDE: They go up XXW.
3 Likes
My saddle fitter described my horse as flat, short back, round barreled with a long wither. She recommended a semi-custom Equipe Bocelli which has worked well for both of us.
M Toulouse Wilmina, it’s made for a short gently curved back, also has shoulder freedom panel, a cut back open pommel and has the genesis system.
1 Like
My broad shouldered, short-backed (Arab/Hanno cross, so short weight-bearing surface) is going well in a Bliss Loxley on their Warmblood tree. It is nicely made and very comfortable, and with a bit of flocking foofing, fitted us both off the rack.
1 Like
My short-backed, wide barreled, big shouldered Westfalen is now going in a Shleese Obrigado that I purchased used and had fit by a Shleese Rep… He seems to like it a lot, as he has very little room for a saddle to fit on his back.
