If he likes the Equilbrium, I have one in the 18.5" DSL Medium which is just sitting. It’s old style, plain flap, well cared for and seems to actually be a 19".
I like Stubbens but not the CSs which stand to me for “chair seat”. You might also look at the old Crosby Mark IVs and Vs and VIs and the Pandurs and Hussars if you can find any.
Black Country Saddles
My husband & I love our Black Country saddles for hunting. According to our rep, they are highly customizable.
Many of the men at my hunt ride in Stubben Roxane’s. I (long legged 5’5" woman) actually have one also and love it. Most of them have far more money than I do and went the custom route, but I’m very pleased with mine that I found on consignment.
My 6ft female friend rides in an ancient 19" Siegfried and loves it.
Two thoughts. Have a look at the Thornhill saddle range. They go pretty big. The other would be to talk to Matt at Heritage Custom Saddlery in the UK. They make nice saddles at very reasonable prices, and his seats tend towards the generous.
I have an older 18 inch Passier Comet for sale that is great for the long-legged rider and will fit most horses.it is Passier’s close contact jumping saddle with a forward flap and pencil thin knee roll
Very long legged person chiming in here! I have never found Crosbies to be forward enough…my knee has always gone over the flap, even in the long flap models. Have you tried Ainsley? I’ve had several. They really vary from saddle to saddle but the Chester I currently have has plenty of room for my leg and does not put me in a chair seat like some of them do. I have found that they are generously sized too, so an 18" rides like a larger saddle. Good luck! Hopefully your horse is not hard to fit, which adds a whole 'nother dimension to saddle shopping…
It would be very helpful to see conformation shots of the horse in question. Several saddle companies offer the forward flap at no extra charge. Typically, for example, we would send a trial saddle in a stock size to fit the horse, take photos of the rider and determine where on the flap and how much forward the flap needs to be.
[QUOTE=SonnysMom;7108531]
Middleburg Tack Exchange ][/QUOTE]
would def start there…Mrs. Motion is a great resource for foxhunters and might have a good recommendation for your DH.
The tall guys I know evented in the Ainsley Chester or Berney Brothers Dublin. If you just need the seat size, but not the forward flap, Thornhill is the way to go.
there’s a couple used Courbette Vision Extra’s available on eBay and if you Google them, especially for longer-thighed riders.
I am so sorry about my extreme delay in responding to everyone’s kind suggestions! Things have just been insane at the farm and now that everything has stopped growing (and of course we now want rain…) I finally have some time to catch up!
I really appreciate everyone’s suggestions and all of the offers of different saddles. I was hoping to find something perfect without having to drag him in and have him try out loads of things, but that is the way we will have to go as he is just incredibly picky! But of course, also difficult to get to go in and try things out. We will head into the Tack Exchange today and see what we can find, maybe it will at least give us some insight as to where we need to head next!
So far all I know is he hates the Smith Worthington Avalon and he likes my tiny Crosby Equilibrium. The Equilibrium does not fit his horse, who is a QH- not super wide, but wide enough he needs a wider tree than an old Crosby!
Thanks for all the input again and I will update with how our adventure goes!
For most guys, Crosby’s are horrid and cripplers of anything male. Passier and Stubben seem to do well of the more commonly found saddles at a “decent” price.
You didn’t really say what he wants to do with riding? Dressage, jumping, trail riding, foxhunting?
Middleburg Tack also has a 19" Jeffries Flyover. Might not hurt to test that one out. I’m not nearly so tall as your husband, but I simply love mine. Too bad my horse no longer does.
[QUOTE=see u at x;7189514]
Middleburg Tack also has a 19" Jeffries Flyover. Might not hurt to test that one out. I’m not nearly so tall as your husband, but I simply love mine. Too bad my horse no longer does.[/QUOTE]
My experience with the Flyover is that you need to go up a size. So it will likely fit more like an 18".
[QUOTE=Bogie;7189522]
My experience with the Flyover is that you need to go up a size. So it will likely fit more like an 18".[/QUOTE]
That’s interesting! I normally ride in 17.5-18" saddles (depending on model) and I tried that 19" Flyover before I bought mine. I was SWIMMING in the darned thing! I ended up finding an 18" and it’s perfect. Maybe just depends on how you’re built? Perhaps worth a try just sitting in it, though, if they’re heading over that direction anyway.
[QUOTE=NRB;7122234]
Appsalute
Love the saddle and the horse! (I had a leopard appy that I showed under the name Appsalute)
So is that a normal flap? Not a short flap?[/QUOTE]
The saddle only comes in one flap size - and it IS pretty short! But it is also very forward so it accommodates my long thigh / shorter calf very well. I also prefer a short flap - like to be able to have my full leg / calf against the horse.
Finding pads that fit (long enough in the seat, not super deep so that I have 6" hanging below the saddle) is a bit of a challenge (hence the mattes pad + old Navajo!)
(small world?! Leopard App by the same name! - although mine started out a bay with blanket, I am sure she will be totally leopard soon)
My BF is 6’4" and events in an 18 inch forward flap Courbette Vision.
Wool flocked so wonderful for the horses (fits both our WBs very well and the random thoroughbred he’s ridden). A really forward saddle so great for those who are all legs.
You should be able to find a used one for less than $1000.
[QUOTE=see u at x;7189632]
That’s interesting! I normally ride in 17.5-18" saddles (depending on model) and I tried that 19" Flyover before I bought mine. I was SWIMMING in the darned thing! I ended up finding an 18" and it’s perfect. Maybe just depends on how you’re built? Perhaps worth a try just sitting in it, though, if they’re heading over that direction anyway.[/QUOTE]
I guess I had the opposite experience. I also ride in a 17.5 or 18" but the 18" flyover was just a smidge too small for me and when I asked about it the saddler told me to go up a size. However, I have very long femurs.
Okay!
So we went into the Tack Exchange and I got him to sit in everything I could pull down (despite many being far too small…he could still get some sort of idea). No luck, but he prefers the fit of the Crosbys and Collegiates. Surprising I know, but somehow the Stubbens and saddles that are supposed to be more comfortable for guys are less comfortable for him! I wonder if it has to do with not having much of a rear end (I am the same way) so Crosbys, etc are really comfy maybe?
We are going to go try some other things soon, but other than PJs maybe…not sure what else to try!
DH wants to eventually foxhunt. But right now, I need a saddle that fits his horse (QH) so a slightly wider tree than the old medium tree Crosbys. I am hunting his horse right now and will hunt in whatever he ends up with, but as of now, he is just slowly getting back into riding. But it needs to be a saddle that works for both me hunting the horse and DH getting his feet wet! Arg…I think this is going to take a while…
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