Saddle Fitting a roly poly table topped no withers welsh d cob

Mollymoo26

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May 22, 2009
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Hi all I have yet again hit a brick wall with my cob and my saddle fitting issue. I have had six fitters out in the past 2years each time I end up spending a bomb as she is just forever changing shape. It is costing me so much now and I dont want to keep buying saddles that only last me 3months max. I have had alot of trouble keeping her belly off as she is a very, very good doer atm she is on a bit of hay morn and eve as I have no grass at all in the field that she is in and thats all she has really apart from the odd hand full of chaff with her minerals in. She is ridden three/ four times a week and also lunged once per week. Just before Xmas she started rearing and bucking in canter and was generally mis behaving when being tacked up. So I got the back man out who told me she is in pain due to an ill fitting saddle. His reccomendations were to ride her in walk three times a week, ride over raised trotting poles and lunge her in a pessoa twice per week. The problem is the saddle am I meant to ride her bareback?? I have had Martin Wilkinson out who sold me a bates gullet changing saddle that didnt fit no matter what gullet I put in or if I use a riser pad just completely wrong. Then I had fitter called Russell who sold me a dressage saddle that didnt fit at all. Then I had Micheal Jennings who sold me a wintec which is the worst saddle that I have tried on her so far it slipped forward and rolled whilst riding her. Then I had Bridle Path international out who sold me a dressage bates saddle which I have been told is the closest fit I am going to get on her. Bridle path saying the saddle fits back man saying it doesnt. My horse is telling me it doesnt by her reaction and grunts whilst riding her. She is a very sweet natured Welsh D and doesnt have a nasty bone in her body this is why I know she is pain. After hacking her yesterday in walk I removed her saddle and started grooming only to be cow kicked when grooming her lumbar area and she is pain.

Has anyone else had this problem if sooo any advice would be much appreciated. I dont know what else to try I have also tried the througood saddles again they dont fit either. I have been reccomended the native pony saddle, the free form treeless and the ideal H&C.

Shoud I go down the treeless route with her any advice would be much appreciated. My pockets are now empty I also spoke to Batchelors this morning who told me that cobs like this are just a nightmare and they will not be able to fit anything to her. They told me try Ingatestone, David Dyer or Ken Living Dykes. If anyone has tried them please do give me your feedback. To all those who have read this far thank you :frown:
 
Wintecs were completely wrong for my sec d too. I found that out to me cost when I got a physio out as I didn't trust my first saddler.

I have her in a Thorowgood cob 3D GP which was the beast fitting saddle for her and I'm glad as I really rate it. The panel option best suited to her is the thoroughbred ones!!!!!! They do 5 options of panels to chose from. Then you can change the gullet as well. I wouldn;t ever change a gullet myself as a change of gullet could mean changes in other regions under saddle and that's saddler territory in my book.

I have my saddler out a couple of times a year due to seasonal variations in Joy's shape. I haven't needed the gullet or the panels changed in the 3 years I've had the saddle but I have had to have the stuffing rearranged under the cantle as that's the area she changes the most. I've also just had it completey restuffed so we're ready to go for another 3 years or more.
 
Batchelors did an amazing job on my roly poly mare years ago and the saddle still fits like a glove and has never caused any pain! Maybe just ask them to take a template and see what they think?

I've also had very good experiences with Minster saddlery in the past and can highly recommend them - they too have done a great job on a pony I know who has no wither at all!
 
Hi, I may have just the thing for you. It is a Korrector Pad, which is a saddle pad with four separate air bags, 2 front and 2 rear. The only thing the Korrector can`t correct is a saddle with a too narrow gullet. The air bags are inflated separately so that you can get your saddle to fit correctly and being filled with air they disperse pressure points. I have had it quite a few years but no longer need it so was going to list it on ebay tonight. It will be in auction format but with a `buy it now` price of £50. It comes with a saddle pad and a dressage style pad, both in white although the saddle pad is now a bit off-white with use! Comes complete with pump and everything else. If you are interested you can PM me. I won`t be listing it on ebay while about 9.00pm.
I can`t seem to attach the photo of it here so will put it in my album.
 
Having a smaller version of your problem we went treeless and I have a different pony. They don't cone issue free by any standards but in our case no saddle did!! 18months on she still goes mad if a treed saddle appears!
 
The only saddle I found that fitted Little Un - another very flat backed welsh cob - was an Ideal H&C. He's had it a while now & despite growing a lot (I bought it when he was 4 & he's now rising 7) it still fits well & all I've had done is the flocking tweaked on occasion.

A word re Korrector pads - not all horses like air flocking! My ID has a Wow & loves it (if she likes it & you're feeling rich then that's another option & they're incredibly comfortable for the rider too) but when I tried it on Little Un he hated it with a passion even though it was a good fit on him.
 
Having a smaller version of your problem we went treeless and I have a different pony. They don't cone issue free by any standards but in our case no saddle did!! 18months on she still goes mad if a treed saddle appears!

Hey Powerfulball if you dont mind me asking what problems have you incurred with the treeless? can you do jump in a treeless? I have never ridden in one and I really dont know much about them most saddle fitters dont sell them. I have been enquiring about them for most of today and I am getting conflicting views on them. I feel like :banghead: arghhhh haha x
 
The pad and girth combination can take a bit more trial and error.

There can be pressure distribution errors (but that's no different to an I'll fitting treed)

Doing the girth up can be a faff until you get the hang of it.

Some can't mount from the ground without a balance.

You can incurr stability issues.

Some find them too wide due to lack of twist

However, on the upside

So comfy - I ache horrendously if I ride in a treed now

I am much more sensitive to be off balance or the sddle being off side

It is a much more dynamic fit to the horse than the rigidity of a treed

You can jump in them just make sure you read descriptions as some suggest max 2"6 and others have weight limits

They adapt to weight gain/loss with minimal adapting


I love ours, though I do want to upgrade at some point (in an entry level libra). We use a haf pad with sympanova underside and a regular thorowgood cub saddle girth.

I am fortunate though - within a few rides madam will not lete tack up or mount if she is uncomfy. And although I have concerns about stirrup pressure distribution in our libra, she is happy - I have bought other treeless and treed an this is the only one she is happy with - so what she says goes - sometimes a perfect fit on paper is not a perfect fit in life and vice versa.

I
 
You mentioned freeform, maybe see if there is a rep. local to you who could bring a trial one over for you to try. I did that and decided on one.

My short round pony went very well in it and it was extremely comfy, only issues I had was that it was a little too long for her, (she is tiny) so with your welsh that prob wouldnt be an issue, and I did find leaning over to do the dressage size girth up a bit diff, but I think that was more down to me being a twit. Once done up I didnt have any stability issues and took part in some long distance rides in it quite happily. I also tried a saddle company saddle on her which she was also fine with.

The only other treeless I have any decent experience with is a barefoot used with a grandeur pad, which my long distance riding partner uses on her round flat pony, which didnt seem to have any probs at all and she could easily mount from the ground. If I go down the treeless route again, which I may with my young fjord I will try a barefoot first coz of what I saw of hers.

By the way, do you mean Batchelors in Essex?
 
If you want to stay with a treed saddle, then the Native Pony company are very well recommended by everyone in the Exmoor Pony world.

However, personally (with a tight budget that would never stretch to a NP saddle) I went down the treeless route - and would not ride on anything else now. I have Libra saddles - which are on the cheaper end of the market, but fab quality and much admired by everyone who sees them. Frayne loves them, will go literally all day on all terrains, they are lightweight/easy to clean, very very comfy (especially with a HM Hipsaver on top), fit every pony/horse that I have tried them on and cost less than £200 each. I have upgraded to a leather version, but still have my older synthetic one and it is a favourite by all of my friends who borrow it.

I should be on commission (or sell themselves), as I am always raving on about them - but they really are the best thing if you are on a budget (I would love to try a Barefoot Atlanta or a Ghost saddle - but no chance at the moment!).

Ali xx
 
I would too suggest you have a go at using a treeless saddle.

It sounds like you've tried out enough tree'ds to keep you going for a life time lol! :giggle:

As PFB said treeless saddles are quite difficult to get right at first, but when you do get the right pad/girth they are fab!

Another vote for Libra too! They are fab little saddles, have just had to put mine on ebay though :cry: as ive ordered a custom made tree'd.

But yeah seen as your horsey fluctuates in weight so much, it might be a better option.

:happy:
 
I have a circular Fell, 13.3, who I ride in a Trecker talent. I tried various pads without success and ended up with a suberpad with thin rubber on both the saddle side and the horse side. It gives me more feeling of a twist and never shifts. Pony strides out in it.
 
Word of warning about the makers of the Native Pony saddlers, if your saddle slips or has issues make sure you complain to them VERY loudly :mad:
 
I second the suggestions of Saddle Company (they do a cob version that fitted my very wide New Forest pony beautifully), Ideal H&C, Native Pony Saddle Company and Freeform treelesses. I've ridden on or owned all of these and really like them. Good luck!
 
Thank you all for kind replies although I am still confused.com - to go for treed or treeless. I checked the saddle company online I wander would they do part ex's xx
 
A few table top/ roly polys on here (including myself) have a Kent and masters cob saddle with adjustable gullets. Lovely comfortable leather saddle made by same people as thorowgood. Just mentioning as another option, sorry mm your head must be mince trying to decide what to do. Good luck!
 
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