My pony Duncan will be two years old in March. By then I'd like to start putting a saddle on him-- not with any weight, or anyone riding, just getting him used to the sensation (having something on his back, have the girth around his middle, etc). I've already started putting a bit in his mouth every time I go out to see him (he doesn't like it, but he doesn't fight it... just chews on it for a while).
He's around 10hh at the moment, and I'm expecting him to top out at about 11. Keep in mind that I have absolutely no plans on riding him personally. He's too fine boned and small for me, and even when he's fully grown he'll be too small. I'm training him for my future kids to be able to ride.
So, after all that, I'd like to know what size saddles I should be looking at. I'm going to get him an English saddle first, but I have no idea where to start with sizing them, or even what to look for (I've ridden western my whole life).
Again, I'm not going to be riding him, and I'm not going to be letting any one else ride him until he's old enough. I just want a starting point to look for saddles. mmmk? So there's no need to lecture me on when to start him with the hard work. Just puttin that out there :wink:
Unless you can find an old used beat up one that you don't mind having be destroyed for like $25, Save your money until you know what size your kids and your pony will need. You never know what ponies are going to pull, and you don't want a nice new saddle rolled on and broken and have to buy another one! Look on CL and see if you can find a cheap old saddle and stick that on him ( as long as no one is getting on him like you said), if not- just use a bareback pad!
We bought a really nice pony saddle at a tack auction many years ago. Only paid about $10 - $15 for it. It wasn't pretty, but it was all there and quite useable, and my girls rode their pony in it for a good many years. You might check to see if there are any local tack auctions in your area. Sometimes pony saddles can be purchased for very little. It would work for training your guy, and just might fit the kids, too...assuming he doesn't demolish it?
Ditto on the auction. Our local auction house has a horse tack/horse auction every 3rd week of the month. They sell used tack first, then new, then the horses. If you go you must register for a number, which will stay in their records for a certain amount of time. Usually they write it on a 1/2 sheet size of cardstock with big numbers with a Sharpie. You will need to get the auctioneer's attention--usually by waving your card--in order to bid on an item. If the auction starts at 9 AM, get there early, and examine the used tack as it arrives. Pick more than one that suits you, and decide ahead of time what you want to spend. The items are tagged with an number, which enables the auction house to keep track of seller/buyer. If the bidding for a saddle gets too rich for your blood, drop out of the bidding. (For example, I've seen more than one USED Circle-Y Saddles at these auctions, and they start the bidding at around $150.00, then it goes way up.) The auction house gets about 10% of the winning bid, but that's only important if you are the seller.
A good way to do preliminary to saddle, is a someone suggested, use a pad and attach a cinch. A piece of webbing will do for across his back with a few holes to make it fit, if the cinch has buckle ends. Do it just snug enough to keep the pad on and have him wear it whenever you work with him. By the time you saddle him, it will be old hat.
Since he is still growing, a bareback pad will be your least expensive, most versatile option for getting him used to having something on his back/cinched around his middle. Since you never plan on personally riding him, you would probably be better off waiting until he is fully grown before spending money on tack for him.
If you really do want a saddle for him, however, a basic inexpensive model pony saddle should more than do the trick.
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