Best saddle for adult on pony

[bspa05]

I have a 12.2 welsh b and I am 5ft4 and about 7 3/4 stone. I currently ride her in a 15 inch saddle but I need a new one as it was a cheapy one to break her in.

What saddle do people recommend? I do not want a really expensive one as she is 4 and still muscling up etc. I like the look of the thorowgood pony club ones but am worried it may be too small for me. Has anybody tried one of these?

The pony is a medium wide fit with standard withers. I would prefer a flatter seat as the diddy curved ones are too small for me.

thanks

[ShariN]

The most cheap saddle I know of and still good quality is the Thorowgood english saddle.

[Afellpony]

Personally I'd recommend a Wintec Synthetic saddle (it's made of a soft-ish but hard wearing material). I have been using a 16" wide fitting one on Falcon for almost 2 years and it's been really great. There's a saddler in Sussex that specialises in repairing and altering these as well. I had to have mine altered last summer. I have no complaints about it at all. The only thing I found with it is, because I have a disability in my hands (chronic arthritis), the synthetic sitrrup leathers too rigid, stiff and hard put on the saddle and to shorten or lengthen, so I use leather ones. Apart from that, I find it's really comfortable and Falcon seems happy with it.

[bspa05]

Afellpony - how big is falcon and what breed is he? I am just worried that a 16 inch will be to long for my pony. Is the seat on the wintec quite flat? My old saddle had a curved seat which made it hard to do a balanced rising trot and it threw me forward.

[Afellpony]

Falcon's a Fell pony and he's about 13.3hh and substantially built. He has quite a short back and powerful quarters. You can get these saddles in longer sizes - ie. 17"/18" I think.

[Mehitabel]

as you're tallish on her, i'd recommend having a saddler out. a friend of mine is much your size and has a short-coupled 13hh pony - saddle fitted the pony fine, but saddler assumed she wasn't the main rider and didn't mention that a short seat can concentrate the weight of an adult too much - with a child it's fine, as much less weight altogether, but her 8ish stone was being concentrated ebough to give the pony white marks. when saddler came back and was told who the rider has he was mortified he hadn't thought to qsk, as he would have recommended a saddle with bigger weight-bearing panels. luckily the marks have gone now and pony is happier in a bigger saddle.

[Afellpony]

Falcon's a Fell pony. His actual size is around 13.3hh/14hh and he's substantially built. You can get these saddles in smaller sizes - ie. 14/15 inch as well. They do them in narrow, medium, wide fittings.

[Pink's lady]

If she's a true medium wide, a wintec might be a good one to try. They're not well desgined for wide ponies, but would be fine for a narrower pony. They are adjuatble at the front but NOT anywhere else, so they don't suit all ponies. They come in all sizes, 15-18inch.

The thorowgoods might be the best bet though. The cob saddles and pony saddles have short, wide panels, which would be ideal for you, as the seats slightly bigger. Again, they come in all sizesz, from 14-18inchs.

You will need to try them both before buying, so a saddler would need to come out and fit them. BUT, once you know what size, have a shop around on-line and on ebay, since they are much cheaper on-line.

[notpoodle]

we (12.3hh pony and 5'5 me who weighs about 8st) used to have a 15" thorowgood maxam pony saddle which was fine (pony has quite a long back btw). now we have a size one Barefoot Cheyenne treeless saddle which is about 17" or 18", its fine :)

Julia
x

[Wally]

The Saddle Co do a 15.5 inch pony saddle, it's quite generous, but the beauty of it is, the tree can be altered so if the pony muscles up a lot, the same saddle can be re-adjusted. It also comes in a serge panel if you want so it's really good for the pony's back.

[MelanieD]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/brown-Thorowgood-griffin-pony-club-saddle-15_W0QQitemZ7244914934QQcategoryZ72594QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Thorrowgood-Griffin-Pony-Saddle-15-inch-NEW_W0QQitemZ7244471223QQcategoryZ72594QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[HairyCob]

In addition to what Wally said about Saddle Co saddles, they are also able to 'customise' their saddle, so you could have a 'pony' saddle (to suit the pony) with 'adult' size flaps on it... definitley worth looking into as they are fab saddles at reasonable prices and, as Wally said, can be adjusted as the pony muscles up or gains/looses weight etc.


Poohsmate would be the person to contact to find out more...:D

[miggy]

am a recent evangelical treeless convert. Am using a fit form and a barefoot nevada trailrider on a 13.2 and 13h pony. They fit both really well plus my bottom, very comfortable and secure. Have seen a huge change in the way both ponies work. Cant tell you how pleased I am!

[ShariN]

Personally I have found I like the Star Trekk comfort Treeless saddle better than even my flex panel saddles.
I did not put anything them about them above, because they are not cheap.
You would not believe the number of saddles I have been through!:eek:

[topsey]

hi
i would also recommed trying a wintec. i use one on my12.3hh welshie. its a 17" with a wide gullet, was extra wide, but she has slimed down now. It seems to fit her well. i'll post a picture of her with it on later (currently on uni computer so don't have pics)
Merryn

[No_Angel]

i rode a 13 hand pony (who takes a 15inch treed saddle and weares a 5ft rug) in my trekker dressage saddle and it fit him really nicely, lots of rom in the seat for a adult aswell:)

[topsey]

hi
as i said i would here is a picture of may (12.3hh) lunging with her 17 inch wintec 500 saddle
Merryn

[Pink's lady]

Topsey - you're saddle is WAY to long for that pony :eek:- with you in in, it'll be putting a hell of a lot of pressure on her loins. That's a very weak part of the back (made up of only muscle, with no ribs underneath for support) and shoul have no weight on it - saddle must finish before the last rib..

It also looks too narrow, with a huge gap between pommel and withers.

[poohsmate]

Topsey - you're saddle is WAY to long for that pony :eek:- with you in in, it'll be putting a hell of a lot of pressure on her loins. That's a very weak part of the back (made up of only muscle, with no ribs underneath for support) and shoul have no weight on it - saddle must finish before the last rib..

It also looks too narrow, with a huge gap between pommel and withers.

totally agree with pinks lady, you will create major problems for your pony if you ride in that saddle:eek: it is far to long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Afellpony]

Just had a look at the photo and also agree - far too long.

[HairyCob]

I see it's already been said, but I have to agree, sorry Topsey, but your saddle is WAY too long... the problems I'm having with Dolly's back and tack are probably caused by something similar- a too long saddle in the past, and if my experience is anything to go by I would strongly urge you to think twice before continuing to ride in that saddle.

[sam_pring]

i have the thorowgood pony club saddle for my two and have found it really good. is also comfortable. Both my ponies are 12.2hh and have 16.5 saddles, have to say it fits one better than the other (length wise) but the saddler said it was fine on the other pony, tried him in a 16 inch and found it made both me and my sis, who ride him really unbalanced and so wasnt actually helping him at all.

would be interested for peoples opinions of these two saddles. sorry dont have any pics of just the horses with the saddles on only have ridden ones although think you can see.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i264/sam_pring/horses/abiandvickicropped.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i264/sam_pring/horses/samonsmokes.jpg
sorry about the awful position in this pic!

both saddles are the same length but different widths, chestnut has x wide, dun has wide.

[joey_olop]

Ive got the wintec 2000 its excellent-im 6ft and ride a 14hh so I also need a saddle with a big seat.

[sam_pring]

could anyone comment on the saddles in the pictures above, i know they arent the best pictures but do the saddles look like they fit on the two ponies above. Thanks :D

[Pink's lady]

The little chestnuts saddle looks not too bad. Not too long and the balance looks ok (indicating the width is fine) Might be a little high at the front but hard to tell from that picture.

Dun's saddle does not fit. Far too long for it (panels digging into loins) and it looks far too narrow - sitting very very high at the front.

[Fizz]

cant see duns saddle front due to riders hands but looks a bit on the long side,chestnuts looks ok:)
my 11.1hh has a 14" saddle,15" griffin wasnt too long but 15" anything else was.
the 14" she has now fits when shes a bit thinner:rolleyes:

[ShariN]

Am so used to how the way folks fit saddles to the Icelandics. To me your Saddles do not look too long. They look for good fit around the shoulders, right gullet width and a good balanced saddle. With some well made saddles length can be better than a saddle too short.
Here are a few pictures with Icelandic's with saddles on.
http://www.eidfaxi.is/syrpur/myndir/302.jpg

http://www.eidfaxi.is/syrpur/myndir/298.jpg

http://www.imh.org/imh/bw/images/ipwalkz.jpg

[poohsmate]

The little chestnuts saddle looks not too bad. Not too long and the balance looks ok (indicating the width is fine) Might be a little high at the front but hard to tell from that picture.

Dun's saddle does not fit. Far too long for it (panels digging into loins) and it looks far too narrow - sitting very very high at the front.

second these comment's look where your weight is on the dun, it's all at the back of the saddle:( caused by the saddle not being level, if it was level your weight would be transferred forward 3-4 inches along the ponys back making him more comfortable and more able to lift his back and come through from behind.
IMO if you ride with the saddle like it is for any lenght of time you are going to have problems. Sorry if this sounds harsh:D
ps and it's tooooo long!!!