Tekna saddles on an oddly shaped horse

[CanterandCandor]

Hey folks,

I’ve had my OTTB for a month now and been bouncing around trying to find a saddle that suits him. Honestly, either dressage or jumping, since we’re doing almost all flatwork right now with some jumping thrown in on the occasion, 18" crossrails at most, and I can borrow trainer’s CWD for that.

He is young (nearly 4) and we are expecting him to change a lot in the coming months/year. If he were going to stay remotely the same size/shape I would consider a custom saddle, or a higher end one that fits properly. As is by the time a custom saddle arrives it wouldn’t fit. We are 4 saddles down with no luck and none of the school saddles fit him. My trainer’s Arc de Triomphe dressage saddle fits him well for now and has been the only one so far that hasn’t resulted in soreness through the back. There is one for sale on eBay for $1300 but because I anticipate he’ll change so much… I’m reluctant to invest that much money in something that may not even fit him now (trainer’s saddle has been adjusted/flocked), let alone in 3 months.

Point being! I am looking at buying a cheaper saddle while he grows. I can pad it up as necessary. We aren’t doing any super intensive work and no real shows either, so a fancy saddle isn’t necessary. It just needs to A) be balanced and B) not make him sore.

With that in mind, thoughts on a Thorowgood T8 Jump or Tekna (jump & dressage) saddles for a very flat-backed horse? He’s not wide, mind (narrow tree) just straight across the back. Everything we’ve tried has been like a rocking chair on him but we have neither of these brands at our barn so I don’t have a chance to try them.
Let me know if you have experience with these saddles, and what they were like? I’ve read many of the threads initially posted but I’m more curious of the shapes they fit and whether they are at all adjustable.

Thanks so much in advance for your input! Pony will appreciate it too.

EDIT:
photo of the flat back thing.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/12196043_10206182487855242_4615427592425333858_n.jpg?oh=6d33c22f814e38e64d4ceae652edf4d5&oe=56C28786

[McVillesMom]

No personal experience with Teena, although it seems as though I’ve heard they have a fairly curvy tree. Have you tried Wintec? The newer models are pretty flat.

[Dramapony_misty]

I love my Tekna dressage saddle, but it does NOT work on my long-flat-backed semi-retired mare (basically a 14 hand grey version of your guy back-wise). She did much better with flatter panels like the Ovation Klimke dressage saddle. I do also have an Ovation Competition Showjumper saddle that I used on her for years without any issues. Maybe check them out?

(Just an FYI, you will also have no luck with Prestige because the Tekna trees are modeled after them).

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

For both wither clearance and tree/panel shape, I would choose a Wintec over a Tekna for the horse you’re describing.

[Rainier]

You are smart in my opinion. I should have listened to my fitter that told me to find a reasonably fitting adjustable saddle (and pad if necessary) until my horse was 5 1/2 before going custom. i have suffered the consequences. In my experience, the wintecs are the best for flatter backs.

[SolarFlare]

The Tekna jump is very curvy also. My friend had one, hoping it would fit her barrel-on-legs mare (no withers, literally a round barrel on legs) but clearly a no-go. I took it to one of my friends to try, and on the way sat it on my flatter-backed TB and no way. It was way too curvy.

[galloping-gourmet]

I have a flat backed 1/2 draft, probably wider than yours, but tried both the Tekna and Thorowgood and sent them both back…Am riding in a collegiate eventing saddle from ebay that is actually more like an AP saddle, but seems to fit him fine…

[Lusoluv]

There is a pretty long T8 adjustable gullet thread in here somewhere. I have one and love it, plus the panels are broad, pretty flat with wool flocking that can be adjusted. I saw one on Ebay last week I think.

[LJ55]

We decided to do the same thing with my 4 yo tb she also has a bit of a flat back and goes in the wintec 500 with no extra padding fine. The saddle fitter advised the 500 as the panels are wider and a bit flatter. She has already gone up 2 gullet sizes in 8 months since we bought her and anticipate she will go up again soonish.

[ThirdCharm]

I have Teknas and Wintecs, definitely a Wintec for a flat backed horse NOT a Tekna. my flat backed stallion goes in a Wintec dressage and Bates jump, curvy mare wore the Tekna.

Jennifer