HM St merryn WH saddle - jumping Q

[Twinkle]

Hi,

Can anyone help me, as I am worrying that I will not be able to do decent size X-country jumps (3ft - 3ft 6inchs) in the above saddle.

Would the position of the stirrup bar affect my balance over certain tpes of jump?

I have a horse who is a good Riding club all rounder type, but although I do quite a bit of showing and non jumping stuff, I dont want to be restricted at a later date with height of SJ/ X-country, and will only have the one saddle for all disciplines.

Feed back from anyone with same/ similar saddles, would be really helpful.

(sorry, I dont know my way around the forums, so if this is in the wrong place could a Mod please move it ) :)

[Mehitabel]

mine's not a HM one, but it is a WH. the stirrup bars are pretty far back - pics here
http://www.historicalfact.com/~es/pony%20pictures/malvern-canter-proof.jpg
http://www.historicalfact.com/~es/pony%20pictures/wessexridden.jpg

i've jumped 3 foot plus in it, no problems. it isn't ideal for xc - tough to stay in a forward position between fences as your thigh is kept fairly vertical. also less than ideal when lovely pony does handstands with excitement after the jump as it's tough to dig your knees in! :rolleyes: but the jumping itself is fine.

[Twinkle]

thanks for reply Es.

Will have to hope my lad does not want to do hand stands then.

:eek:

[Mehitabel]

it's perfect apart from the handstands!
btw, it's a calcutts one - saw you're in hants, so might be somewhere for you to try out. i've ridden in a few calcutts saddles - 3 of our show ponies hve them and i used to ride for someone else who used them too. lovely saddles.

[nix]

Hi Twinkle

Vicki (Remmy on here) sells the St Merryn and other Barry Swain saddles. If you email her she may be able to help and she does cover the Hampshire area. Her website is www.bettersaddles.co.uk, you should be able to email her from there and there is also some great info on saddle fitting etc.

Hope this helps.

Nix

[Yann]

When I bought my Saddle Co GP, partly with jumping in mind, I asked about set back stirrup bars and was advised they probably wouldn't be a good idea, for the reasons outlined above.

[ros]

I have to say, I have a St Merryn, which I use without the detachable knee rolls, and I don't think there's much I'd feel uncomfortable about doing in it (although obviously I'm not up to Grand Prix show jumping or Badminton style cross country!)

I think some people are more comfortable than others with the set-back stirrup bars, but whether that's because we get used to them or because we're all built differently I'm not entirely sure.

[Maria]

Hi

Best thing to do would be to contact Heather or Debbie via the EE website to seek their advice.

I had a GP some years ago that I couldn't get on with because of the stirrup bar placement, although I had no problems with the dressage version. But then I ride a short, round cob, and I'm tall, and relatively long from hip to knee. I found on the GP that my leg felt as though it was being pulled back tipping me forward with the stirrups at jumping length. But lots of other people have jumped in the saddles with no problems.

I think that Heather has adjusted the stirrup bar position on GP and working hunter saddles slightly to avoid any problems like this.

[Twinkle]

thanks for the replies so far.

I have a HM Stmerryn on order, which is why I am asking about the jumping safety.

I sat in the saddle on the flat and felt more comfotable than I have done in many years, but I didnt get to jump in it.

I realize that some people due to phsical shape, will feel more at home leaving the ground in one than others, and am hoping that it would be OK for me.

I am not trying to find fault as such, just asking for honest opinions from other people with similar saddles, so I can think about possibly getting my old saddle adjusted, if I dont feel comfortable jumping in the St Merryn.

Untill it arrives, and is bedded in, I will obviously have no idea, just how I personally will feel , leaving the ground in one.

The waiting is torture!!!

[ros]

Unless you're doing serious cross-country, the general concept of ear/shoulder/hip/heel alignment should be the same whatever you're up to, be it hacking, dressage or jumping; it's just the angles that are different - in dressage you're much more elongated, whereas for jumping you're rather more folded, if you see what I mean?

So I reckon that if you like the feel of the set-back stirrup bars you'll get on with them whatever you're doing.

One thing I'd add is that with the odd exception the people I've met who don't like the St Merryn are those of fairly chunky build who perhaps aren't as supple as they might be, and I suspect that those people would be much happier with the stirrup position if they used the saddle without the knee rolls. I feel more secure in my St Merryn without knee rolls than I've ever felt in any other saddle, even those WITH knee rolls, deep seat and built-in superglue!

[Mehitabel]

the trouble i had with the handstands in the WH was that it keeps my legs a bit too long - tough to dig the knees in! so i was talking about knee rolls rather than stirrup bars, and WH saddles in general rather than the HM.

[Twinkle]

Thanks Es, Guess I wont know if I have the same problem in an HM WH, until I try it out. :) ( BTW I'm LBP from SU)


Ros, the saddle improved my overall position instantly, except for my head, which still insisted on admiring my horses neck, and not looking at where i was going Lol.

Before (http://groups.msn.com/skon/lbpspiccies.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=829) I was having big issues with balance in my old saddle, and my poor horse was showing his discomfort. To stay in balance with him, I was either left on the back of the saddle, when he rushed, or was leant forwards in an effort to keep my lower leg in positon!!!

HM st merryn saddle try out. (http://groups.msn.com/skon/lbpspiccies.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=870) My horse was less tense behind the saddle, and was beginning to track up, and lift his back, where before he was hollowing the whole time.

[Mehitabel]

aaaah, hello!:D i'm sure the lovely duncan wouldn't be so rude as to do handstands!