Thoughts on transporting saddles?

[TheJenners]

So I’m beating myself out of my funk

I have a friend with a mare who needs wet saddle paddles and a diplomatic rider who is going to let me ride several days a week and I’ll take lessons on her as well. Additionally my trainer (badass 70 yo lady!) has three horses who she needs to keep in work and her husband was just told he cant ride anymore and has invited me to come with her on the weekends…

So I’m so happy BUT I’m also schlepping my very nice hastilow jump saddle and my fairfax dressage saddle around fulltime. What’s a good option? My truck has a bed cover so while a stand that might work for the jump saddle will fit, the dressage saddle will be too tall. And as you can see in the picture, I have my fury piranhas with me (they are probably fine buuuuut why tempt them, esp the adolescent). Thoughts? To add, the tail gate hits me right below the boobs so nothing that is out of reach deep in the bed.

[erinmeri]

I don’t have a truck, much less one with a bed cover, and I don’t have a dressage saddle, so feel free to ignore this! Lol.

For the jumping saddle, a barnmate used an XL USPS mailbox in the trunk of her car. There is also the Stubbs Saddle Mate.

For the dressage saddle, what about maybe something like this padded case, perhaps with a pillow or something to support it while it’s on its side?

Dura-Tech® Padded English Saddle Cases | Schneiders

ETA: I mean like a pillow between the flaps, like a saddle rack, kinda. May be unnecessary…

[TheJenners]

Yeah I’m thinking about the mailbox for the jump saddle but I don’t want to deal with zipping and unzipping a saddle cover two or three times a week…

[Posting_Trot]

Would something like this padded storage bag work:

Dura-Tech® Horsewear Storage Bag | Schneiders

There are zippers involved, but you wouldn’t necessarily have to zip them (LOL). Just going by the measurements it looks like it could hold a saddle, maybe put an old towel on the bottom to provide some extra cushioning.

[Jo]

Alternate thought: could you use the saddles that are assigned to each horse? Both of my mares have custom saddles and I wouldn’t want someone riding in their own saddle.

[LCDR]

I would go with transporting the saddle vertically. I would build a box, with a floor, a back and two sides, and slide the saddle into it positioned like in the picture. Then add some custom positioned glued or stapled in foam padding in the appropriate spots (back, both sides, and the floor or bottom) to protect the saddle from rubs.

In this position it should fit easily under the bed cover of your pickup.

[Greys]

Perhaps you meant “furry piranhas” but I laughed more than I should have at “fury piranhas”. The Fury Pirahnas: Get the band back together!

That looks like a Ram? If so, there are slots in the side of the bed that you can slide a 2x4+ into to cross the bed and keep things from sliding forward.

So if you build the box as LCDR suggested, you could use the 2x “gate” to keep things within reach.

(As an aside, that’s also a handy way to transport full sized sheet goods and lumber in a short bed truck. Leave the front at bed height and slide the materials on top of the 2x4. The 3-1/2” gap leaves plenty of room to attach a c-clamp and then run straps back to the tie down points in the bed. )

greys

[TheJenners]

@Greys

Perhaps you meant “furry piranhas” but I laughed more than I should have at “fury piranhas”. The Fury Pirahnas: Get the band back together!

I mean it’s not surprising I did that, I call the red dog The Red Fury and Rage Floof

@Jo

Alternate thought: could you use the saddles that are assigned to each horse?

Well, the mare I ride with my jump saddle has no saddle I’d be able to ride in (I don’t want to dis my friend, but she doesn’t have more than a few hundred to drop on a saddle, so it isn’t like they are a. comfy, b. actually custom fitted to the horse) and my custom adjustable Hastilow fits her well. My instructor’s horse doesn’t have a saddle because she’s using the saddle that fits her and him on a different horse, and she does equine massage as well and agrees that my dressage saddle is actually a perfectly yummy fit for him and he likes it. I agree, I wouldn’t normally let anyone bring another saddle to ride my horse either except I have snooty saddle tastes already and they are on par or better than what the horses currently have for them.

@LCDR

I would go with transporting the saddle vertically. I would build a box, with a floor, a back and two sides, and slide the saddle into it positioned like in the picture. Then add some custom positioned glued or stapled in foam padding in the appropriate spots (back, both sides, and the floor or bottom) to protect the saddle from rubs.

I didn’t think of this, I like it!

[luvmyhackney]

Instead of building a box could you use the higher end plastic storage containers they sell at Home Depot and add appropriate padding?

I transport my saddle in in a zipped cover and buckle it in the front seat. And if it has to ride in the trunk it gets put in the zipped bag, then a cardboard box that I added a piece of Velcro to the bottom so it doesn’t slide around. The velcro grips my trunk cloth just enough but still easy to remove.

[pony_baloney]

A Playmate cooler is the perfect size and shape for a saddle. However it can topple over, even with weights inside of it. If you can find some way to prop it up so it can’t fall, it’s great. You can even store stuff in it.

[TheJenners]

My Dad and I are going to make what @LCDR suggested this weekend! We had some back and forth last night on the orientation of the saddles but I think it’ll work great because the two saddles will essentially nest and create less space, and then my helmet bag will tuck into the space under the flaps of the “small spoon” saddle. So hopefully I can post an after picture