ponies ,small adults ,saddle problems .

[welshcoblady1]

hi all , i would like to ask those adults that have ponies,do you have problems finding a saddle that fits pony and you .
my ponies take 15 1/2 saddles and i just fit in as a 16 inch would be to long for my Cs ,finding a 15 1/2 saddle is like gold dust and

most saddles for ponies cater for children bums my saddles are mostly showing wh type straighter cut but not much room for raising the leathers more than 2 inches by then my knee is over the panel , the other problem is the weight bearing panels .
they are small and and for schooling i feel i have to use gel pad for broader weight bearing .
does anyone else feel this about small saddles ,may be oneday there will be a small adult saddle with broader seat and weight bearing panels .................just a hint to any saddle designers
passing through , the designs for ponies have much improved over the years ,now we just need one for small adults .
like to hear your opinions on this .
best wishes .

[Showjumper]

I have a 16" treeless saddle for Dolly. She too would probably prefer a 15.5" but it would be too small for me. The weight distribution in a treeless is different to a treed saddle, so even though my 16" treeless looks a little long on Dolly, it is more comfortable for her than a treed saddle of the same size.

[Waikato Valuta]

main problem i had was that i was training a pony that was very very fat. we couldn't get a saddle wide enough, one upside is I did start to get very good at bare back. :)

[Yann]

Have you tried the Saddle Co? They make to measure for a very reasonable price and would have no difficulty making you exactly what you are after. Have a look at the Better Saddles link on the RHS of the screen.

[haribo]

Haribo is 13.2, takes a 5.6 rug, hes about 48 inc along his back from withers to top of his tail, i managed to get a saddle which measures 16.5 and it looks small on him.

My friend has a 17 inch saddle on her pony but this is exactly the same lenght as mine but it measures 17 inch because it has a high back.

[Wally]

Ljóssie is 13.1hh, I ride him in a 17 inch saddle with no bother at all. He is not a long Icelandic either, quite short in fact.

Saddle Co saddles come in a 15, plus, have a look at thier website. If you phone Dave and explain your situation he may well be able to make you something which suits.

[haribo]

Has anyone every weighed there saddles???? i was shocked to find mine is 1 stone with its girth ect.

[Wally]

We have a huge amount of Saddle Co. ones now and everyone has noticed just how much lighter they are than our old ones. half the weight at least. The kids no longer struggle with them. I can carry 4 at a time with ease when the need is upon me!

[Esther.D]

Rupert is 13.2hh and wears a 5ft3 rug and a 17" saddle with no problems. I couldn't go any longer than that as he is not very long backed but 17" is fine on him.

[Hyper]

I think it's great that you asked: "Has anyone ever weighed their saddles?"

Re sizing for pony/horse and owner - I had no problem at all - after a long saga!!

However, intuitively/actually I have wondered about the weight of the saddle - because the can be quite heavy for a small adult to lift up and down from a high saddle-rack and at the same time I had this thought I wondered about it's weight on my horse. However, my next thought was - well, I'm a lightweight compared to what she actually can carry easily.....but still!!

[Yann]

Ever tried to lift a western saddle then? They're much heavier than even a fairly hefty english:eek:

Saddle Co are very light compared to your average, must be the polymer tree.

[Kanuma]

you think youve got problems with a 16 inch!!!!! harvey has a 14 inch saddle!!! and i cant get my bum in it at all! i show him and it is so difficult to get a deacent show from him when your legs are forced into a funny position to try and cope!!! i have earned to rise to a canter so that it affects him less!!! you could try it!

[joy70]

never had a problem with my ned

hes 13.2hh 5'9" in rugs :eek: yup 5'9" and has a 16" saddle, in fact a 17" wouldnt be too big for him either!

Ive never weighed my saddle either, but i wanted to buy a western saddle a while back and the weight put me off, even though they distribute it differently, i couldn't bear to think of nearly 1 1/2 stone extra weight on him!

[Esther.D]

Rupert has a Wintec Cair which weighs nothing and a Australian stock saddle which is heavy. He doesn't seem to notice the difference between the two particularly, we are sticking to the Cair at the moment as both he and I are rather on the round side and the Cair is both lighter and wider - perfect;) :D

[Drummers mum]

Im just getting my first pony (as you probably know from my bare foot post) he needs a saddle. I was told 17" might be too long as hes only a 13hh pony, don't know what rug size he would take and hasn't arrived yet so can't measure but hes not short in the back. I could probably get me in a 16" but i was looking at the Thorowgood Griffin range and not sure if they do it.
Anyone got a Griffin any comments? Any help at all welcome!

[tubby]

Don't wory the thoroughgood saddles come in a wide range of sizes & widths so there's sure to be one to fit both of you. They are very comfortable & seem to wear well. But please be sure to get a saddle fitter out to fit it properly, otherwise you could well find that it doesn't fit well enough.

[haribo]

A thoroughgood is a really good idea, I’m thinking of getting one, not only are they light weight but they’re good if your pony tends to change shape. My friends pony is 13.1, and has a 17inch saddle. The cut of the saddle also has a bit to do with the length you can get away with, but I suppose it all depends on the length of you pony's vertebrae and ensuring there saddle does not interfere with the pressure point.

If you get one let us know what you think.

[welshcoblady1]

i do agree the thorogood range are nice but i find them a little bulky as i like to ride close contact and for schooling to .

i will keep looking for english saddles that have a bigger weight bearing surface ,some of the older types have nice wb but are narrow on the seat i find it hell to sit in and makes ones bits uncomfortable after a bit ,lol.

nice of you all the answer and take an interest i will let you know when i have found a pony arm chair saddle .

best wishes .