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Post by gotkiger on Sept 14, 2011 16:27:41 GMT -5
OK so this is the only saddle I have that halfway fits Fiona. While the length is ok the fenders seem to get in the way of her shoulder. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what might fit better. She is just so petite and compact. Thanks  |
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Post by Michelle Clarke on Sept 14, 2011 20:56:39 GMT -5
Way too big everywhere - even the length is too long for her. Your weight would be put onto her lumbar where there is no support for those vertabrae. Saddles are a bear...inexpensive wise, you could look for a nice barrel saddle with a rounded skirts or a ranch saddle with rounded skirts (just not a Wade tree). Off the rack, the Reinsman are nice and usually fit spanish horses well; the American Saddlery ranch saddles are good most times and Circle Y has some nice ones.
I can't remember but I think her back is dipped so you need a tree that is made that way - not straight bars which will pinch shoulders and rub the hip (creates pressure points). When you hold the saddle and look down the gullet, you want to see a banana shape for her. You also want the shoulders of the tree to flare open not be straight as they will kill shoulder movement and pinch.
Look for girth rigging to be close to the front of the saddle - not back as this will pull the saddle backwards due to where the girth needs to sit on these types of horses.
From what I've seen of the Australian saddles is that they fit more stock type horses and not these types, so even a different size of these may not fit her well. The other clue in not fitting is to have to pad the horse up. You want to be able to use a regular or thinner pad for a good saddle fit. Anytime I hear someone has to use pads or shims to fit a saddle then the saddle does not fit. Plain and simple (unless the horse has some body issues that are being worked out...).
Hope this helps some...!! HATE saddle shopping! That is why I am so glad I found the saddles in Spain that are made for these guys and they make western, dressage and schooling saddles all on the same tree so they fit everyone very well. Just not a cheap date but not too crazy either.
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Post by kimk on Sept 14, 2011 23:52:02 GMT -5
my Crates Arabian fits almost all my horses
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Post by duvers on Sept 15, 2011 10:21:22 GMT -5
Hi Gotkiger-
I have a little 13.2 (maybe 13.3) hand Sulphur horse. I got a 1984 Crates barrel saddle with semi quarter horse bars & it seems to fit her pretty well. The skirt length is only sbout 23" and it only weighs about 23 lbs. It has rounded skirts, also, which I think helps with fitting little horses.
I've tried a couple other saddles on her since then, and both, while having clearance over the withers, lift some in the back. I think this might be b/c they are too wide for her, but not sure.
Anyway, the fit of these other saddles makes me think I may have just happened to stumble upon decent fit for her with the Crates barrel saddle. If you want to see how it looks on her, go to Youtube and do a search by LimerockRanch. I have a video posted of the first time she was saddled.
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Post by gotkiger on Sept 16, 2011 9:02:49 GMT -5
thank you all fot your suggestions and comments
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