Yay! An additional saddle thread! Does this saddle exist?

[Bristol_Bay]

My dream saddle fits a high withered TB, so it has K panels or the like. It has a narrow tree. It has a cushy, soft seat, but does not hold me in. Also, it has a forward flap so I can ride with a shorter stirrup, and pencil or at least velcro knee rolls.

The closest I have come (for me) is a County Connection that had the bull leather, a forward flap, and skid row panels, but even a MN tree was too wide. I loved the seat and flap, but the panels were just not deep enough in the back so it sat weird. But for me, it was dreamy.

I can pay up to $1500 used.

And thank you, blease don’t suggest an older Stubben. I have ouchy hips and need more than a pancake saddle.

Alternatively, could I just remove the knee rolls from a saddle that meets all my other needs?

[fairtheewell]

Passier Grand Gilbert Extra?

http://www.passier.com/en/dressage/gg-extra/

[Bristol_Bay]

Close, but too much money. I used to have a GG, but my knees hit the edge of the flap. I need something a little forward.

[alto]

The closest I have come (for me) is a County Connection that had the bull leather, a forward flap, and skid row panels, but even a MN tree was too wide. I loved the seat and flap, but the panels were just not deep enough in the back so it sat weird. But for me, it was dreamy.

Did you have a County rep look at the fit? they should be able to tell you if the N tree would work & what would need to be changed on the panel configuration (what’s possible with flocking adjustment or would the leather need to be cut deeper …)
As I recall the Connection offers a relatively close contact & minimal blocks (though if saddle was used it may’ve been significantly altered).

[sweetpea]

Have you considered a used butet dressage saddle

The medium or regular tree with regular panels
Suit the narrower horse. The saddle balance is superior if you like a feeling of comfort but not a baby cart seat feel!! Haha I ride jumpers and my saddle is the butet close contact .
I also ride dressage some and some saddles are too much stuff. You can find some on ebay and some allthebestusedsaddles.com worth a test ride but it has to be the older ones .

[Kitt]

My first bit of advice would be to work with a good fitter. In the 15 years I’ve been doing this job, I’ve seen precisely 2 horses that needed med-narrow trees, and both outgrew them within a few months of having a saddle that fit well.

If you can stand it, put 4 weeks of really intensive ground work into this horse, and then reassess his/her fitting needs.

If you can’t stand that, then yes, if you find a saddle that meets all other requirements, knee rolls can be removed by a good saddler.

[Bristol_Bay]

Can you elaborate on what you mean by really intensive ground work?

The MN County I loved was the personal saddle of a pro fitter, and she refused to sell it to me because it was too wide for him. He’s a 16.1 TB, and I am not a pro, nor do I want a super fit sport horse for my lessons and trail riding. But maybe the ground work you are thinking of wouldn’t necessarily result in SuperHorse.

I have never seen a Butet dressage saddle for sale, but the older Crosbys look good for me, just too curvy of a tree for the horse. I’ll check them out.

My CC saddle is a Pessoa, and their PDS would probably fit him, but the flaps are perpendicular and have external blocks, so not removeable.

[JB]

[QUOTE=Kitt;7288638]
In the 15 years I’ve been doing this job, I’ve seen precisely 2 horses that needed med-narrow trees, and both outgrew them within a few months of having a saddle that fit well. [/QUOTE]

I’m glad you said this. I’ve only ever seen a slenderly built pony need a MN, and have never seen a horse, personally or on the internet/all these saddle fitting threads on a variety of boards, who needed a N. Every single N saddle I’ve seen on a horse was chosen to clear the withers as the first priority, and they only did so because they were too narrow, and often FAR to narrow, sometimes with breast plates used to keep the saddle from sliding back

[Kitt]

JB, most of the ponies I see (unless they have serious muscle atrophy in that area) are anywhere from a medium wide to ohmyGAWD wide - even the elegant half-Tb types; they all seem to hark back to the hairy propane tanks.

Bristol Bay, I’d spend about 4 weeks doing in-hand work, long-lining, ground driving (up and down hills at the walk - amazing results) and longeing (I love sliding side reins). I’d work over ground poles and cavalettis, spiral in and out on the circle and do lots of transitions. You’d be amazed at the changes you can create in just a few weeks.

If you want to get more detailed info from some books, there are recommendations in this blog post: http://saddlefitter.blogspot.com/2009/04/ground-work-and-in-hand-exercises.html.

[Bristol_Bay]

JB, I am more concerned with suggested brands and models. I judge a saddle not on the tree size stamp, but on the angle of the shoulder. The County MN was too wide.

I would just like to know what direction to go in. A saddle fitter will definitely be involved, but all the locals are also brand reps, so I’m looking on my own for now.

[alto]

@Bristol Bay;7289161

The County MN was too wide.

How did the N tree fit? if your rep doesn’t have a N in their kit, ask for one to be sent out.

Pelham has a N with skidrow panels & rear gussets - request the serial number & discuss how the fit would differ from the local saddle you tried. This one may not be your price point, but that comes later once you know what fits …

but all the locals are also brand reps,

so use that opportunity to test ride the brand saddles & find what tree shape & panel & flap configuration you need for each brand (again request N etc saddles to be shipped in if local rep has nothing to try but insists that X saddle will be perfect … if only …)

If you have a dressage trainer, have trainer show you how to lunge to develop topline - 10 mins daily of correct work will do wonders, poles, hill work are good but you still want horse to be moving correctly.
Most horse will remodel in weeks, other take months to get the same degree of change.

OTOH if you’re never going to work your horse (in daily life) in such a fashion, then get a saddle that is going to fit the horse that you have - also be aware that too much change may result in a jump saddle that no longer fits :eek:

[Bristol_Bay]

Thanks, Kitt. I can do everything but the long lining and the hill work, but cavaletti can be just as good. It’s easy to forget about gymnasticizing the horse instead of just working on yourself all the time. I see how this type of work would be more focused conditioning rather than too much conditioning.

Alto, at this point I need to find a type of saddle that fits me, then I’ll look for that saddle to fit my horse.

My CC saddle has the changeable gullet plates, so he can go up and down, and he has.