I would like to purchase myself a nice English saddle, but I'm unsure about sizing. I've seen many guides, but they seem to be all over the place.
If anyone knows a good guide that properly explains things, please I have all the time in the world these next few days to read it(rain, rain and more rain in the forecast)
But basically, the things that have made me ponder deeply, are the following.
One guide said a lot is measured a lot by the the length of the riders leg. I have very long legs. 36 inseam is okay, unless I'm wearing boots, at which point I need 38. Yet, I don't even top 6' :B
I've also seen a lot that say that you knock a inch off of your western size if you know it, is that true? There are some old western saddles in my barn that I could measure, and see how they fit me if that's the case, but is that any good way to estimate what size to look for?
To add to my woes, I have never bought myself a saddle to fit me. All of my life, I've just hopped into whatever was handy. Anymore, I mostly ride in my parent's saddles, 17 inch Tucker Troopers, but they aren't exactly your average seat. http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=138/468.1.22293.28173.0.0.0 I'd like to say that they're perhaps a bit big... But again it's a weird seat. I mean, if I go up a steep hill when riding, I usually have to adjust and slide myself forward when I reach the top...
I know that it would be best to go to a store and try some saddles, and ask for assistance there, but I'm not the biggest people person, and I won't have the money to afford one for a few months anyway, plus I'd rather buy used... I'm not the richest person out there by any stretch of the imagination.
Also, if anyone knows, what's a good english saddle type to go with a TWH? I've been staring at saddles in the Stateline catalog, and I've been thinking a general purpose that is more dressage style, for a deeper seat... As opposed to one that's more jumpy because to me, it looks like that puts your seat more forward, which is not what I'd want for riding my horses.
I think that I'd like to fit my four year old, so should I wait a bit longer, as in a year of more? She's recently had quite a few growth spurts, but she's only just turned four a few months ago, and I think she has a bit of filling out to do...
 Black English Dressage Horse Saddle 17 US $299.99 |
 Black English Dressage Horse Saddle 16 US $299.99 |
 Thinline Contour saddle pad white or black US $101.70 |
Related Dressage Sites
- Supplies for owning a horse – my list. anything missing or not neccessary?
- Saddle Set | Everything Equestrian
- Western Saddles: 10 parts common | Night Vision Binoculars
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
You don’t have to be a big people person to shop at a tack store. Just go in there and sit in some English saddles. That’s really the best way. Just because you sit in it doesn’t mean you have to buy it! You don’t have to explain yourself- just start pulling out saddles and sitting in them. Suck it up, stiffen your spine, and just do it!!! Not only do you want to see what seat size you are most comfortable in, but sitting in saddles will give you a better idea of what style of saddle you like.
I can understand your reasoning looking for a general purpose saddle with a deeper seat. But just because it makes sense that you might like that style of saddle, doesn’t mean you’ll like it when you actually sit in it. Flap length, seat width, knee and/or thigh blocks, amount of cushioning, etc…these are all examples of variables you want to take into account. Find your personal preferences.
Everyone is different. Your body type, length of thigh, and shape of your pelvis will make what is a comfortable saddle for one person very uncomfortable for the next. A saddle that fits you just right will make you feel very secure and balanced, and it will be easy to keep your position. The wrong saddle makes you fight for your position and continually make adjustments to stay in balance.
Since your horse is still growing and changing, you might consider a saddle where you can change the gullet plate. That way you can make the same saddle fit your horse as he/she changes shape. I know the Wintec, Bates, and Collegiate saddles have this. If you want cheap and don’t ever plan to show, I’d go with the Wintec. Their all purpose has the deep seat/dressage tendency you mentioned, plus it’s soft and comforatable for the rider and very easy to care for. I have a Wintec dressage saddle myself and I love it. Not as much as a $4000 Amerigo that is my dream saddle, but the Wintec is much more in-line with my budget.
Hi! The best way I can tell you to find your seat size, is go to the tack store. Otherwise, you said you have access to some western saddles. You actually have to add an inch. They are measured differently, western saddles from the horn to the cantle, and english saddles from the little button thing on the front of the saddle to the middle of the cantle. I am a 17" western, and a 18" for english, for example. As for fitting your growing horse, and wanting an a/p saddle, I reccomend a wintec. They are affordable, synthetic english saddles. They are VERY comfortable and they come with a gullet that can be changed.
Im not sure if you know how english saddles are measured, but they are measured from the billet to the center of the cantle. Often times used saddles will have the size worn off, and my tack store often doesn’t mark them. This shows how to measure:
http://www.equusite.com/articles/basics/basicsEnglishSaddle.shtml
But don’t rely too much on saddle size, because its more about what is comfortable to you. Different leg lengths, riding styles, etc. make size less important. How deep the saddle is also affects how big it feels.A deeper saddle will feel more cramped than a flatter saddle.
Any big tack shop should let you look at their saddles, and have a fairly good selection of used ones. If you know what type of saddle you want, then they shouldn’t bother you too much. Since your not in a huge hurry, you can take a look at other tack shops on trips over the next few months, and hopefully find a nice used one thats reasonable.