Buying my first endurance saddle- Help with horse fit?

Sunny · 02-16-2013, 04:50 PM

Do you guys vote for a regular pad or a cutback?

tinyliny · 02-16-2013, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eolith

I rather like the look of that saddle of yours tinyliny! ^_^ I'll be doing a bit of saddle shopping for my mustangs soon, so I might just be in touch with you.

Well, I am happy to let you try it for a fitting. If your mustang is real mutton withered, it won't fit. But if he looks like the OP's horse, it might. It's a very well made saddle. No fluff or decoration at all, tho.

tinyliny · 02-16-2013, 05:10 PM

What's a cutback pad? You mean one with a cut out area for the withers? I find that pads that have a "slit" down the wither area don't work well unless the slit has it's opening end (at the very front edge of the pad) sewed close and supported by a leather strap. If it's like a slit that is fully open on the leading edge, it ends up being pulled down the horse's sides as you ride .

The Big Horn looks nice enough. Personally, I don't like cordura fenders. They will never take a twist, like a leather fender does , and if you bring your heel up to apply a touch of spur or heel high on the horse's side or shoulder, the whole fender bends and come up, even maybe wrinkling under your lower leg, then yo put your foot down and it doesn't always come down again with you, so you end up losing your stirrup more. A leather fender keeps the stirrup much more stable. Just my personal experience.

Sunny · 02-16-2013, 07:34 PM

Unfortunately leather is out of my budget, but I don't mind cordura.

By cutback I mean one like this. I just want her to have plenty of wither clearance.

grayshell38 · 02-16-2013, 08:46 PM

I don't like how that type slides back and puts pressure on the withers. I know Toklat sells with the option to get I think they call it "high profile" or contoured. Something like that. Go that direction.

Sunny · 02-16-2013, 09:02 PM

Thanks!

I saw the "high profile" but wasn't quite sure if that is what it meant.

toosexy4myspotz · 02-16-2013, 09:36 PM

I have a barely used impact gel endurance saddle pad for sale if you are interested.

Sunny · 02-16-2013, 09:43 PM

Sexy, I am still in the process of buying (affording?) my saddle, so I'm going to wait until then to actually purchase a pad. But I appreciate the offer. :-D

I have looked at the impact pads and wondered about them. What did you like/dislike about it?

toosexy4myspotz · 02-16-2013, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunny

Sexy, I am still in the process of buying (affording?) my saddle, so I'm going to wait until then to actually purchase a pad. But I appreciate the offer. :-D

I have looked at the impact pads and wondered about them. What did you like/dislike about it?

i absolutely love them. I have six of them. Bought the endurance one for my Hubby but its dark brown in color and he didn't like the way it looked on his black horse. I have no dislikes whatsoever about them.
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Stan · 02-16-2013, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunny

Hey, guys!

I am looking for my first endurance saddle. I am an endurance virgin (doing my first LD in October), but am ready to invest in a saddle now for numerous reasons.

I need a 15", don't care if it's synthetic, don't care if it's the prettiest thing in the world. I can spend about $600 on the saddle, preferably new for convenience reasons but am semi-open to used. I know it limits my options but it's all I can do. I don't know much about treeless but am willing to look into it if you guys think it would work for us.
I've looked at a ton of saddles that I like (Abettas, Big Horns, etc).

The hard part: Trying to fit my TB. I've been doing research, but I'm still lost. I took pictures today so hopefully you guys can help me out.
I found a western saddle in the tack room and measured it and stuck it on her. I have NO idea how to measure a western saddle's bars or gullet or whatever (and I was doing it one-handed to boot), so I did my best and hopefully the picture will help.
As you can see, it was right on top of her withers, literally touching them.
And before anyone asks, no, there isn't a tack shop I can try from, sadly.

So if you guys can help I'd really appreciate it. Let me know if I left out any info.

That saddle has the wrong angle of the bars in relation to the shape of the horses shoulders is not right for the horse not to mention not enough clearence on the withers.

I use an endurance saddle the type of riding I do is at times all day in the saddle and for days on end.. My wife uses a Fabtron wide tree fill bars and has a high clearance over the withers it is also in the price range you mentioned as new and US made.

Got to the horsesaddleshop.com and you can down load templets to measure the angle of the shoulders and wither of your horse. They will also help over the phone Ask to talk to Charlie. I deal with that shop via email and I live in NZ. I have never been disapointed, and no, I don't get a back hand for the recommenation. Tucker saddles also have templets for measuring the horse.

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