ChloeAnWomble

Chloe and Merlin
Feb 3, 2016
65
11
8
Aberystwyth
I have a new horse and want to get him a leather changeable gullet saddle, I've been looking im generally aiming to do abit of everything with him I've seen a lovely saddle but it's a jumping cut, is there much difference between the jumping cut and the GP? I'm really not sure as I've never had to buy saddles before! Thankyou in advance for any advice!
 
Depends on the saddle, really! Kent and Masters are generally perceived as a good make of adjustable saddle, but they are a better fit on a cobbier size horse (my warmblood is too high withered.)

Jumping saddles aren't really suitable for hacking in. They're really only for jumping. You'd be better off with a GP to start with.
 
Best advice I can give is to buy what fits your horse best. Obviously you need to consider yourself and what you want to do with him too.
As for jumping saddle I wouldn't consider one over a gp saddle unless I was jumping big and regularly.
 
Depends on the saddle, really! Kent and Masters are generally perceived as a good make of adjustable saddle, but they are a better fit on a cobbier size horse (my warmblood is too high withered.)

Jumping saddles aren't really suitable for hacking in. They're really only for jumping. You'd be better off with a GP to start with.
He's a 14h Welsh section C so they might suit him, Thankyou though I was leaning more towards the GP cause he's currently got a Theowgood GP on its just not a great fit and needs a front riser under it so id rather get a saddle that actually fits properly and I can adjust coming from winter so summer while he changes shape
 
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@squidsin do you have any experiance with the shires optimus adjustable GP saddles?:)

Funnily enough, yes I do! I have one for my girl - it's a good fit on her and very comfortable for me but I really struggled to get a new gullet for her as Shires has stopped making both the saddle and the gullets and they don't even have any old stock left. If you do buy one, then find the gullets you're going to need online and buy them first before they disappear completely from the horsey shops!
 
Funnily enough, yes I do! I have one for my girl - it's a good fit on her and very comfortable for me but I really struggled to get a new gullet for her as Shires has stopped making both the saddle and the gullets and they don't even have any old stock left. If you do buy one, then find the gullets you're going to need online and buy them first before they disappear completely from the horsey shops!
Would they fit the cobbier type? As I've known a lot of people use them on TB and the finer types but not really seen them on the stocker types as my boys a section C/D was wondering how it would fit:)
 
Would they fit the cobbier type? As I've known a lot of people use them on TB and the finer types but not really seen them on the stocker types as my boys a section C/D was wondering how it would fit:)

I'd be surprised if they were a good fit on a cobbier type, even with a wider gullet. My girl is very narrow!
 
My friend has a Bates on her Section C and it fits him beautifully. Having said that I wouldn't advise you to buy any saddle before trying some out to see what suits him, and don't assume that just because the saddle has a changeable gullet it can be made to fit. I don't know much about saddles but I do know from my own experience sometimes the shape of the tree just doesn't suit the horse. Hope your horse is easier to fit than mine :)
 
Ziggy is a 14.1 and a bit Connie type, stocky, with a short flat back and big barrel like a lot of natives. I despaired of finding him a saddle I could afford but finally tried the Kent & Masters Cob GP. It has fitted him for 6 years with one gullet change (because he lost weight *proud*) and is a lovely saddle.

If I had the money I would buy their new short-fitting version of the Cob GP for shorter backed ponies, but we'll go on with the 17" K&M for now. I really recommend them (as long as they fit your po of course!)
 
My friend has a Bates on her Section C and it fits him beautifully. Having said that I wouldn't advise you to buy any saddle before trying some out to see what suits him, and don't assume that just because the saddle has a changeable gullet it can be made to fit. I don't know much about saddles but I do know from my own experience sometimes the shape of the tree just doesn't suit the horse. Hope your horse is easier to fit than mine :)
Thankyou!
 
Ziggy is a 14.1 and a bit Connie type, stocky, with a short flat back and big barrel like a lot of natives. I despaired of finding him a saddle I could afford but finally tried the Kent & Masters Cob GP. It has fitted him for 6 years with one gullet change (because he lost weight *proud*) and is a lovely saddle.

If I had the money I would buy their new short-fitting version of the Cob GP for shorter backed ponies, but we'll go on with the 17" K&M for now. I really recommend them (as long as they fit your po of course!)
See my boy is not wide really ass his throwgood is a M/W and needs a riser so I'm not sure what to get him am looking at getting a saddler out soon as money's saved
 
The one that fits the horse best! As others have said just having changeable gullets won't mean the saddle will fit a lot is to do with shape of tree, how wide the spine is to how wide the saddle should be at the back through the tree, what shape the flaps are and where they sit on the horse etc.

Wouldn't bother with a jumping saddle if you're not jumping that big and you want to do a bit of everything. I've got a jumping saddle and do everything in it including dressage lessons and hacking. But I mainly jump and pony is very enthusiastic so like having something a bit more secure. I don't do any dressage tests except in ODE's so went with a jumping.
 
He's currently in a M/W throwgood with a front riser so I'm not sure how saddles would fit or what size to get him

I wouldn't look at the Optimus, I am pretty confident from what you say that it would be totally the wrong shape. Kent and Masters sounds like a good place to start. Or I really like Paul Jones saddles - I had one for my other girl, who was a bit wider than Angel. I wouldn't buy one without getting a saddler out, not for your first one, as you really need to see them on the horse and ride in them to know which make will suit your horse.
 
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