I hate saddle shopping.
I hate saddle shopping for a TB with a high withers and broad shoulders.
I hate saddle shopping for a TB with high withers and broad shoulders and a tall rider.
I hate saddle shopping for a TB with high withers and broad shoulders and a tall rider with a 37 inch inseam.
I hate saddle shopping for a TB with high withers and broad shoulders and a tall rider witha 37 inch inseam, most of that being my femur.
Sigh.
I love my saddle, it's a Harry Dabbs and it feels wonderful! It does feel a bit to small since I have to REALLY REALLY work to keep my knees behind the knee roll, and when I get my knee behind the knee roll my butt goes on the uproll of the cantle. If that makes sense. It just doesn't feel very comfortable.
As for Denali, the saddle USE TO FIT HER until she decided to beef up like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now the saddle doesn't fit her in the shoulders (it's a MW, but a W is to wide) so I use a pad to bump it up a little.
I sat in a 19 inch seat yesterday and it felt SO GOOD. The saddle was an extra wide, and no good. I'd love to have a saddle custom made, but I don't feel that I ride enough to justify spending the 3,500. I'll so that someday, but for now I keep saving. I also saw a 19 inch dressage saddle, but it had short flaps. Not sure who rode in that saddle!
The quest to find the perfect saddle is ongoing. Any suggestions?
Yesterday I rode in my trainers new Isabell Werth saddle (shh...dont' tell the doctor) for a few minutes. It is only a 17 inch seat, and the leathers, even on their longest point were WAY too short. I refused to remove my leathers (since it take a string of explatives and about 20 minutes to get them off) so I just rode without irons. My hips felt so good, it's been so long since I rode and my hips kept cramping while we were trotting, but it felt good! I think I can ride without irons and will be fine. My knee didn't hurt at all, even at the trot. I think the pressure put on it by being in the iron is what caused the major pain last time.
7 comments:
Love the new background... it is new right?
I've been looking for a new saddle too and feel your pain!! Full bars are too wide and semi bars don't give enough clearance for her high withers... plus she is out of shape and I'm sure I'll need a new one in another few months once she is fit... oh the joys! Good luck with your search!
http://www.trumbullmtn.com
trace your horse, Trumbull mountain will find the saddle that fits you and your horse.
Shipping can be a pain tho. but I have heard loads of people say how helpful they are at finding the right saddle.
Finding a saddle here in town sucks. Even if you are ready to shell out big cash...
Also email me direct; the GF is an expert at finding the right saddle. Well... she's a tack geek so maybe expert is a bit over the top, but she can go on for hours about it. With the right details of what kinda saddle you want im sure she will have the right direction to take.
I am a big fan of saddles with changable gullet systems. I ride in a Wintec Pro Dressage and I love it. I really like the fact that I can adjust the saddle to fit my OTTB and his ever changing bod. While some people don't like Wintecs, I really, really like mine. They are built very well and are extremely low maininence. The equisuede makes it extra grippy too so I feel extra secure when in the saddle. Mine also has the CAIR pannels which my horse loves.
So if you aren't wanting to spend a huge chunk of change on a saddle I'd suggest a Wintec or if you wanted real leather I'd go with a Bates. I also couldn't justify spending $3,500 on a saddle at the time. While some people don't like Wintec saddles I have nothing bad to say about mine.
That website looks promising! I had quite a bit saved up for a saddle, but then vet bills were needed and down payment for the truck, so back to square one. I am not in a HUGE rush since mine fits us both ALMOST perfect. She's not uncomfortable in it (thanks to padding) and I can make it work 99% of the time. It's just not perfect which makes it not my favoriate thing... I'm just continuously looking for IT.
Yay! So glad you are riding! I wasn't able to go out yesterday evening either... these 13 hour days in Seattle are really draining me. At least she is getting a nice break. I miss the D girl! I miss riding! Oh well, I will be back out (finally!) on Sunday morning for a ride and then hopefully all will go back to normal. Tell her I miss her!
~ Megan
Ugh. Saddle searches are a lot of work. I second the trumbull mtn idea, or you mentioned that there's a saddle fitter in your area. It probably is a higher start-up cost, but it's probably worth it in the long run.
Or you can just give up and go treeless, like I did... however, that's probably not ideal (and certainly not cheaper) when you're dealing with shark fin withers.
You really know how to talk about a topic that excites me. You know where there are lots of nice quality, used saddles that you can look at, all under one roof? THE 4-H TACK SALE!!!
I would suggest searching around your barn, trying saddles (any english one) on Denali, just to see what fits her. Record the measurements of the saddles that DO fit, then bring your recordings to the tack sale (that is, of course, if you want to go to the tack sale). Then, you can apply those measurements to saddles that fit you. I will admit, I haven't tried this method out, but it seems like it could give you a really likely fit for both of you.
And best of all, you could have me for company! Just a suggestion, of course...
P.S. - I think you know this, but in case you don't...Denali could be a wide in one kind of saddle, and a medium in another. All kinds of saddles run a different way, the tree size is more of a guideline. So don't give up hope on any size that looks slightly possible until you try it.
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