The most versatile fit dressage saddle... Yet another saddle thread?

[JB]

@slp2;7050523

My Tb has an older Passier GG in a narrow tree (to clear her withers).

I don’t know if this was done on purpose, but no saddle should ever be narrower than it needs to be just to clear the withers. Wither clearance is a factor of a saddle that fits the rest of the horse first, and then is cut back and/or is tall enough to clear the withers. Going narrower just to get wither clearance always makes the fit too small for the rest of the horse. Guaranteed.

I’ve never, ever met/seen a horse who was truly a narrow. I’m sure one must exist. I cannot imagine a horse with a “large heartgirth” takes a narrow in any saddle.

Other horse measures as a Wide. My WB cross has back issues (injured her SI ligament) so I ended up buying a used DK saddle (the Freedom). I was very skeptical about the air panels but heard that they are good for horses with back problems so I thought I’d give it a whirl.

Anyway–the saddle is a cutback style and amazingly–it fits my Tb and doesn’t even come close to her shark fin withers. AND it fits my flat backed mutton withered horse too (that’s the one that it’s fitted to). Weird.

That’s more like it The fact that the wide fits the TB means he’s NOT a narrow-saddle horse. It’s the cutback factor of the pommel that allows it to not interfere with the withers.

[3Spots]

FWIW, another Stubben Genesis D here that fit both my wide AppyxTB and AppyxTrak. 31cm tree.

[Winding_Down]

So I just bought, on trial, a Niedersuss Symphonie, 17.5 with a medium tree. It’s off ebay from a reputable seller. Not sure when it arrives but I will give a full report when it does. I will try it on everyone and then give it a test ride.

It will be quite an adjustment, since I now ride in a County Perfection on three horses and a Luc Childeric DAC with extra padding on the other two. I’m used to close contact but with big external knee rolls. whoo hoo!

[Winding_Down]

[QUOTE=evenstar;7048508]
Haven’t gone through all the replies yet but I would have mentioned KN (Neidersuss) since I have an old Symphonie that I’ve used on several horses without problems. And at one time it worked for two horses - one a warmblood and one a fairly high withered anglo-arab with a “curvier” back. I use a thinline under the saddle all the time which may or may not help but I like to do it because it certainly does no harm. I don’t think it is forgiving enough to work if one horse is quite narrow, though. But perhaps using a saddle pad that allows for inserts would help.[/QUOTE]

^^^ this is what is coming my way. If this doesn’t work, I’m going with Stubben.

[Winding_Down]

So I got the Niedersuss and it was in worse condition than it looked like in the pics. It is going back. It was $600.

Nice saddle. Nice balance. It fit the two horses I had bought it for. They are both unremarkable tb top lines, perhaps in the medium to almost MW sizing.

Then I brought out the Luc Childeric DAC and I am convinced that this saddle will work, with a bit of extra padding. It’s much more pricey than I need but heck, I already own it. So for now, I won’t sell it.

It’s a lovely saddle, foam flocked, and I think excellent in its versatility. It does not work on my very large shoulder UL horse, because it interferes with his shoulders. He has a custom County Perfection that he shares with another horse.

It is not a cheap saddle though so if I was starting with nothing, looking for a saddle for horses that are growing, it wouldn’t be on the list. One can find a Niedersuss or stubben used for less than half of the Childeric.

[candysgirl]

I gotta say, my Stubbens fit a lot of horses fairly well. My Roxane (jumping model) fits both my Arab (its really his saddle) and my TB mare reasonably well. My ancient Aramis (dressage model) fits both of them too. It also fits my friend’s QH. None of them have terribly high withers though. I also have an old Wotan (jumping model) that fits all of them.

Another friend has a TB/Clyde cross who’s got a pretty sizable wither on her. She actually wears a 29cm Siegfried (mine are all 31 or 32 cm). Her’s also fits another friend’s small Quarab.

[sid]

The most versatile in fit I found, hands down, to be a med/wide Larische.

[Spartacus]

I do love my Lemke Saddle. So does my trainer----SOOOOOO comfy. You can occasionally find one on eBay used, but your best bet is to get in touch with Sheryl Lemke herself. She has a FB page, and is very friendly and easy to work with.

[DancingArabian]

Didn’t read the entire thread but…

Have you considered going treeless?

[Manni01]

Maybe try a Roeoesli. I have a Pilatus and its very versatile. It fits my fat whitherless warmblood as well as my skinny Warmblood with high withers… And its very comfortable…

[Cluck]

I have found the Albion SLK to be pretty versatile, as well as the Amerigo Vega. Both of these saddles fit my huge-chested/shoulder Lusitano and my 14hh GRP. The latter wears a sheepskin half-pad. I really like both of these saddles.

A friend of mine uses her Vega on her TBs with good success.

[Skyedragon]

My Collegiate Diploma has fit a lot of different horses, though most of them have been more flat backed with moderate withers. I don’t think I would recommend Collegiate, Wintec, or Bates to anybody with a TB. Especially the newer ones are built on straighter than a board trees. I have also heard that the leather quality of the newer Collegiate saddles has really suffered since they became part of Weatherbetta.

[JB]

Vega/Amerigo does tend to fit TBs well, but the stereotypical TB really - higher withers and deceptively wide shoulders. AKA my OTTB mare LOL But they won’t fit a really curvy back, won’t fit a very flat back, won’t fit a very broad back, won’t fit a very A-frame back.

[kathyagnew]

I’m a little late to the party, but found this a quite interesting thread. I’ll add my two cents… I just sold a lovely old MW Barnsby Raven. It fit my aging, shark-finned, huge shouldered, well-sprung, curvy backed Anglo like a glove. (I need a narrower twist) A QH and a huge Hano also went nicely in it and the new owner has been showing her round, no wither Heinz 57 (we speculate Morgan x Clyde) in it for some time.

For whatever that’s worth…

[Vesper_Sparrow]

My County Connection MW fit my very long withered, very high-withered TB with a broad back and big shoulders well. With restuffing, it fits my normal withered, normal backed with a slight dip in the back TB mare well, too.

[Kitt]

Kent & Masters or Thorowgood high wither model might be worth a shot, though without seeing the horse(s) in question, it’s not possible to make really comprehensive recommendations.