[haflingerfriends] Re: Saddle Fit

I am a small adult rider (5'2"" 110 lbs with a large (15 hh) super-wide Haffie. After months of trying just about every saddle on the market, I went with a custom Black Country Equinox saddle. I purchased it through Trumbull Mtn. in Vermont, but I know Black Country is UK based. The saddle has a spring tree and in my case is a custom width (b/c even their XW wasn't wide enough) and yet a relatively comfortable twist for a small rider (mine has a 17" seat). What I like is that the panels underneath the saddle are made of serge (wool) rather than leather, which really allows the saddle to mold around him a bit and me to get my leg where it should be rather than splayed out to the side. The saddle is designed with the billets on the outside of the flap and I use webbers rather than stirrup leathers to help eliminate as much bulk as possible under my leg. You can see the saddle on the Trumbull Mtn website, but they do make custom sizes in about 4 weeks. For my 5 year old daughter, who rides the same Haffie, we went with a Duett Piccolo in a 38 cm with a 14" seat size (available from the Chubby Pony). It is an all-purpose saddle and althought not as perfect a fit as my custom saddle, the only thing that came close to bridging the gap between his width and her small size without breaking the bank. THey make the Piccolo in up to a 40 cm. Hope that helps.

--- In haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com, "kiolak" <kiolak@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Selena,
>
> Since you are in the UK, have you looked at the treeless saddles by Heather Moffett? I am in the US, and they are harder to come by here. I have heard that the Fhoenix treeless saddles are nice because they offer a built up narrow twist, which would be more comfortable for a child rider.
> http://www.fhoenix-saddles.com/index.php
>
> Many treeless saddles out there will sit flat on the horses back, and you end up very sore straddling a wide horse after awhile. I found the Barefoot treeless saddles extremely uncomfortable for that reason. I ended up getting a Sensation treeless... but if I were in the UK, I would definately checked into the Fhoenix.
>
> I am curious as to what the bad reviews were about treeless saddles. Would you mind sharing what you have heard?
>
> Your Haffiefriend,
> ~Kiola~
> Brier, WA
>
> --- In haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com, "Moon Goddess" <goddessselinka@> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks everyone for the feed back.
> >
> > Some of these saddles we already looked at and tried. One good thing about living here in London is that there is many Haffie owners/breeders around!. Our "Storm" however was much more wide then their horses. The Passier Dressage XXL works great for me, it just simply is too big of a seat for her to use. I thought of the treeless .. there is a Treeless Saddlery about 2 hrs away, and they do ship out used ones as loaners for a 30 day trial for a fee. Then ship a new one if the fit works well.
> > What held me back from trying them, is all the negative remarks I've heard about treeless saddles. I must say I like their Western Treeless Saddles, but their English Style Endurance Saddle (they only sell 2 types) look very much like the kind I hear bad reviews on. It's a English saddle that Tisha needs for Storm in her English lessons.
> >
> > I will have to check out the other saddles you all mention, and see what is best. Perhaps getting one made just for him is the only way to go in the long run.
> >
> > Thanks again everyone!
> >
> > =)
> >
> > Selena
> >
> > --- In haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com, "cheriec" <cherie.mom@> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > I found a lovely fit in my medium wides Barnsby eventing saddle. And boy, can you stick the happy haffie bucks in that saddle! The model is pro-ride eventing. Not inexpensive but it will last nearly as long as the haffie himself!
> > > --- In haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com, nancy tiemann <nancy.tiemann@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > You might try to google the brand of saddle called Specialized Saddles.  It fits my Rosie and can be adjusted to provide the best fit.  I tried 2 or 3 saddles before I tried this.  I was lucky in that I got mine as a gently used saddle.  I have the dressage saddle and it really is a beautiful saddle.  Rosie is round and has no withers making saddle fitting very difficult.
> > > >  
> > > > Nancy in Texas
> > > >
> > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

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