Saddler

Feel free!!
I need a dressage 17.5” MW, it must have a neat or upswept panel though and an open seat (I don’t like deep seats), I don’t like big blocks and would prefer they’re movable. I don’t mind black or brown, and would prefer leather. No wintec or their other models and no ideal Jessica/suzanna. I’m trying not to spend over a grand.
I will get browsing. It will keep me from buying in anything else 😂
She's got the ONE saddle at the moment.
 
Something along these lines.
Open seat and moveable knee blocks.

 
Something along these lines.
Open seat and moveable knee blocks.

Yes, but those older K&M aren’t compact enough in the panel, the newer ones are as they have the upswept panel.
 
So you might find a Kent and masters with the right panel?
It's interesting to see how deep these dressage saddles are these days.
I know mine is considered deep, but gosh some of them I wonder if the rider is almost cemented into position. 😂
 
So you might find a Kent and masters with the right panel?
It's interesting to see how deep these dressage saddles are these days.
I know mine is considered deep, but gosh some of them I wonder if the rider is almost cemented into position. 😂

I think cemented in is a fair description @newforest , and it's not something I like. I get that with some of the top warmbloods and the massive movement they have the riders want extra support, but lower down the levels I wonder how much it compromises the horse and also hides a lack of ability in the rider? Could they ride their horse in a more conventional saddle? And does rhe very fixed position of the rider have a negative impact on the horse and cause tension and hence the incorrect paces that are becoming more common? Sorry, that's very off topic. I do know I wouldn't want to hack anything sharp in a very deep seated heavily blocked saddle, it may feel more secure but if it stops me moving with the horse it's not helping me, and if things go seriously wrong I want the option of a hasty but clean dismount!
 
I think cemented in is a fair description @newforest , and it's not something I like. I get that with some of the top warmbloods and the massive movement they have the riders want extra support, but lower down the levels I wonder how much it compromises the horse and also hides a lack of ability in the rider? Could they ride their horse in a more conventional saddle? And does rhe very fixed position of the rider have a negative impact on the horse and cause tension and hence the incorrect paces that are becoming more common? Sorry, that's very off topic. I do know I wouldn't want to hack anything sharp in a very deep seated heavily blocked saddle, it may feel more secure but if it stops me moving with the horse it's not helping me, and if things go seriously wrong I want the option of a hasty but clean dismount!
That’s exactly why I don’t want the deep seat, I need to be able to move or my back ends up sore and be able to get on/off without hindrance when out and about.

So you might find a Kent and masters with the right panel?
Yeah the saddler found one, but I didn’t find it hugely comfortable, it was the best we’ve found but still not exactly what I was after.

VSD is a possible, but it would need to be of the straighter cut variety, I’ve also been looking at older working hunters (newer ones seem to have a weird super low cantle, I just want a normal height one!)
 
That’s exactly why I don’t want the deep seat, I need to be able to move or my back ends up sore and be able to get on/off without hindrance when out and about.


Yeah the saddler found one, but I didn’t find it hugely comfortable, it was the best we’ve found but still not exactly what I was after.

VSD is a possible, but it would need to be of the straighter cut variety, I’ve also been looking at older working hunters (newer ones seem to have a weird super low cantle, I just want a normal height one!)
I am happy to carry on browsing.
I think it's fair to say that buying a saddle that suits both the horse and the tiger is just as difficult a task as finding the horse in the first place.

I may start another saddle thread because I don't want to derail this one.
But some of what I have found are interesting, however I can't see how they justify some of the prices.
 
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I had a Farrington WH for Raf. I don't know if I have the opposite problem to you, in that I'm quite tall - 5'7" - and Raf can only take a 17" saddle. So when the fitter produced the WH model I said there's no way my legs will fit in that. But weirdly they did; it was a very comfortable saddle. Apparently that's a known trick that Farringtons have!

 
I had a Farrington WH for Raf. I don't know if I have the opposite problem to you, in that I'm quite tall - 5'7" - and Raf can only take a 17" saddle. So when the fitter produced the WH model I said there's no way my legs will fit in that. But weirdly they did; it was a very comfortable saddle. Apparently that's a known trick that Farringtons have!

Good to know as that’s one of the ones I’ve been eyeing up.
 
I had a Farrington WH for Raf. I don't know if I have the opposite problem to you, in that I'm quite tall - 5'7"
I’m intrigued, what is your thigh measurement? Everyone chip in, I’m interested how it correlates to height, I’m only 5’4” but measure at 58cm. When I borrowed my neighbours saddles the other day, she’s the same height as me but I had to go down 4 holes on her stirrups!
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I’m so sick of looking through saddles, nothing stands out as being ideal (on paper), I’m waiting for a price back from saddle co. to build me exactly what I want but I still have reservations on that (some of you may remember back in 2015 when I rode to the coast on Jess and she ended up with a huge haematoma on her back, I had upgraded from my current saddle to their newer one, and that’s what caused it! And that’s still the model they do now). I may just end up going with the K&M and putting a seat saver on it!
 
How old is Monkey now @Jessey , and is he in full work or are you still working towards what you want? If he's likely to change shape then I think the K&M plus seat saver may be a wise move, then if he grows out of it you haven't spent a lot and either way you can change it in the future. If it was me I would be tempted to trial the Cavaletti if they don't charge too much for that, if nothing else then you can rule it in or out as a future option and something to keep an eye open for second hand.
 
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He’s 7, 8 at the end of June but I do feel like he’s still filling out, in fact I think he’s got taller this winter too.

I’m just conscious I’m currently riding in a saddle I know is a bit long on him, I should compromise my comfort before his so the K&M should work in the short term, until I find better for me.

There’s a few I’d be tempted to try, but it’s nagging at me that a week plus to get each on trial means it could be weeks (I can’t afford to get multiple at once which also adds on the cost of a fitting visit for each one) and I could still end up in the same position with less money left in the pot at the end.
 
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