I ride in a Voltaire Palm Beach with an 18” seat and a 3aar flap so long and extra extra forward. I’m a pretty slender and fine boned 5’9” but all my height is in my legs, especially my femurs. I find that set up works well for me, even though most people would say I should be in a 16 or 17”seat- my Voltaire rep said ride in what works for you as a rider and don’t compromise for what ‘should’ be correct.
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flap length is independent of seat size. Not all models offer longer flaps, even if they offer varying degrees of more forward flaps. Uuuusually, femur length of more of a concern (flap forwardness) than tibia/fibula length (flap length)
Where is the Saddle Fairy to come toss my lower half in a glob of plaster, emerge with a perfect me replica, plop that thing in saddles around the world and say, “Ta-da! We have the perfect fit!”
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I thought they were actually related. Seems like that’s the case for Brunos, at least. What constitutes length or forwardness is proportional to seat size on Brunos from what I understand, and the varying lengths and categories of flap forwardness are offered in each. Perhaps I am incorrect, but that’s what I understood.
I am not particularly tall (5’8") but I’m extremely long from hip to knee and I jump with a pretty short stirrup, so I need a very long and very forward flap.
Because saddle brands link seat size to flap size, I have an 18.5" DelGrange and an 18.5" Meyer. I also have a Stackhouse and when they came to look at my horse and measure me they were like, so we’re going to make you a saddle with a seat that actually fits you (around 17") aaaaaaand flaps that work for your leg 
.
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I’m 5’9"ish and leggy. I ride in a 16.5" Antares with a 4A (extra long but not extra forward) flap – definitely an outlier here! I do like a longer stirrup even over fences, and my leg length is more from knee down than hip to knee. I wouldn’t say I have a ton of spare room in the seat, but the angles/stirrup bar placement/balance works perfectly for me.
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I think that’s very interesting.
When I was recently saddle shopping I demo’d several that were the same make / model but in various configurations of tree style, tree size and seat size. The fitter was confident about what panel configuration suited my horse so all the demos were alike in that aspect. I was surprised at how differently they rode! On the recommendation of the fitter, when I custom ordered my saddle I got it with a low pommel and it is fantastic for me. For reference this was a dressage saddle, hoop tree, fairly deep seat. The saddle brand has a reputation for wide twists though the model I got has the narrowest twist they make.
To OP, I’m a fluffy 5’8” with a long ish leg mostly in the femur (I require short tall boots). My jump saddle is an 18” moderately deep seat with a relatively forward flap and my dressage saddle is a 19”. I do not ride with a particularly short stirrup in the jump saddle (my idea of jumping is cross rails) but if I did I would need a different saddle to keep my knee behind the blocks. I can not abide riding with any part of my leg crammed against a block nor with my knee over the edge of the flap. The jump saddle is also hoopishly treed.
I am no help as I am no where near tall (5’3 here) but think this discussion is fascinating, especially as I look for a new saddle for myself.
I agree flap lengths are all over the place, even in the same seat size and even within the same brand! I have a CWD with a 1 (short) flap that measures 13.25 but have seen others that measure 1/2 in shorter. As well as other brands with standard flaps, in the same seat size (17), that are 12.5in.
The stirrup bar placement is what I’m struggling with (I think). My brain wonders why the bars aren’t placed directly under the deepest point in the seat/ the balance point. We want our ankles below our hips right? Maybe an inch or two forward? But mine are like 6+ inches forward of the deepest part of the seat?
Again, I’m not tall so no real world experience here - but I wonder how the extra forward flaps effect the horse. A friend rides in a 4 AAA flap which looks to sit on the shoulders a bit due to the forwardness. We worry about the panels sitting on the shoulders or restricting movement, should we worry about flaps as well?
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Go on, @kaya842, you lucky person who can ride ponies while the rest of us need Mr. Chunk-Chunk-Chunky Barrels to take up all that leg. Get outta here. Git! Git!
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If you compare an 18" saddle to a 16" saddle, of the same make/model, then yes, the 18" saddle will have a longer flap because it’s all made for an overall bigger person, but the proportions are usually still the same.
But each of those saddles may still come with an option for a “long flap”, since 2 people of the same height and same seat size may have knee to ground lengths with 4" difference, and the longer lower leg may not work with the shorter flap, especially if you’re in tall boots.
Another brand’s 18" saddle may have a shorter, or longer flaps as their standard, as well as more, or less forward flaps as their standard.
There IS no standard, is what it boils down to. There’s no standard pommel height, or twist, or cantle height, or seat size, or width. There’s only comparing between models and brands.
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Ugh. Trying saddles today, new and used. The only thing that looked remotely doable was an Excelle? And a Bates was tempting.
Oh yes, that is very true and very annoying.
I’ve been borrowing a saddle that love, and which I believe is a good fit. (How kind is my fellow tall-girl rider to let me borrow!) But when I think of buying one, I can’t quite get over the saddle maker’s giant logo and other branding on the thing.
Not passing judgment on anyone with this wonderful saddle. It’s just me. For this many thousands of dollars I don’t want to be a billboard.
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5’9” here but so much length from hip to knee. I ride most comfortably in a forward flap 19” at jumper length stirrups. An 18” will do, but then my knee is kind of on the edge of the knee roll instead of where it could do any good and it looks “off” to my eye which bugs me.
Interestingly my dressage saddle is only an 18.5” but it has a wide open seat, extra long flaps, and very little roll. But I’m typically riding much longer in it.
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No matter what I try – except perhaps for this wonderful saddle that I’ve been borrowing – my knee never has that ideal 9’’-or-so-to-the-bottom-of-the-flap thing. The damn femur just goes and goes and goes. It might even be the case with this borrowed saddle. I haven’t checked. It’s such a big fluffy couch, and instantly felt like home.
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I hear you… however, sometimes they can be tasteful IMO. Which sellier? Are you talking about a Bruno? Brunos have very loud logos, but I actually Iike mine, which is brown. But I couldn’t deal with one in a loud color… the blues and oranges and the like make my eyes bleed. So logos can be a bit much.
On the other hand, Arion’s logo literally just looks like stitching to me and if I didn’t know it was there, I wouldn’t notice it.
I don’t want to disclose the brand and potentially turn this thread into a slugfest. I do like the Bruno brown logo. Pretty texture. Very subtle.
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Lol, well I guess I didn’t consider that when I dragged their other, louder logos. But I do love mine!!! (And I really do like Brunos for taller riders, like me!)
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Too late 
Actually I don’t care - I ride in an extreme off brand. Despite one minor stitching flaw that didn’t show up until 3 years in, it has been the best saddle I have ridden in in years. French calf leather. $900.
Not kidding - not sure if the brand is still sold but I got a major deal.
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If you are lucky enough to find a saddle that you love and that fits your horse well I wouldn’t worry about a saddle makers logo…
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