Smith Worthington Saddle HELP

[KBC]

Help, I am lost here, as a long time Western Rider, all my English experience was years ago, and with very simple saddles. It seems my lease horse has an English saddle as well, and it turned up and, well, I can’t work out the girthing system at all. I get two long billets for a dressage girth, or 3 under the flap, with a buckle guard, but this set up has me scratching my head.

It seems like a nice saddle, and I would love to try it, but need to work out how to girth it up, and not ruin the flaps. It’s also the first saddle I have seen where you can adjust the stirrup bars, so can set the stirrup in the right place for you…

Video below, excuse the language, made for a friend who I thought would have answers.

IMG_4700

[CanteringCarrot]

The nylon loops are just attachment points for sewing on billets as needed. A lot dressage saddles have 3 and only use 2.

It looks like it’s just a dressage saddle that takes a short girth, maybe one that splits at the end? I am not sure about the lack of flap protection though. It is an odd setup. How does the owner use the saddle?

Smith Worthingtons are nice saddles, and an adjustable stirrup bar can be so useful.

[KBC]

Seems she hasn’t!

[frugalannie]

I’d call Smith Worthington and ask them. 860-527-9117 Best of luck! And let us know so we can be in on the secret.

[GreyDes]

I have a Smith Worthington jump saddle that is configured like that. It’s a V billet set up, which is more stable on round horses.

It definitely looks like it’s set up for a long girth. I’ve seen that done occasionally to help with saddle stability, usually on a really wide horse with no withers.

You can have the billets moved and replaced with longer ones if you want to use it with a dressage girth. PM me if you want the info for the saddler that’s worked on Smith Worthingtons for me.

They are fabulous saddles so if it fits you and the horse it may be worth changing the billets. Or just use a long girth

[GreyDes]

Example here - https://www.canyoncreeksaddlery.com/products/smith-worthington-maxx-english-trail-saddle

[KBC]

I rode in it today, feeling totally odd, apart from 2 one hour rides on vacation, I have been totally western for about 12 years,

As far as I can tell it fits her OK, and, apart from trying to get a girth around her, only to ask a friend to take up a bunch of holes when we had ridden for a while, it worked just fine. If I am going to ride in it I will definitely have to find some buckle guards.

Bonus shots showing the sweat marks after the ride.