Saddle for cob?

Jjgal77

New Member
Jan 25, 2020
4
1
3
46
Hey there. Has anyone got any suggestions for a saddle for xxw short backed cob? Had saddle fitters out but not found one yet that fits properly. Using wintec wide at the moment but it tilts forward. TIA
 

Attachments

  • 20200118_124509.jpg
    20200118_124509.jpg
    190 KB · Views: 22
  • 20200118_124421.jpg
    20200118_124421.jpg
    170.9 KB · Views: 22
How old is yours as they look to have a dipped back, that's either age related, lack of muscle or both. Young face though.

Any saddle you put on will tilt you forwards as you look to be higher at the bum than the front. And it sort of slopes you forwards to the shoulder. The is wither but it's hidden in the fat.
(no offence here as I am only going by a photo angle and not seeing in the flesh)

I have a treeless on my cob as she does her dramatic shape change. Possibly a slightly longer back being a mare. I am using a base that's actually 21" with a 17.5" seat as I measured last week.
 
Ahh ok thanks. Passport says 9 but vet says 7 so somewhere around there. We have only had her 7 months and no offence taken she was a lot more rotund when we got her lol! Her teeth hadn't been touched in years etc. She pig roots a lot and I am convinced it's the saddle.
We thought to go treeless but everyone put is off the idea. Which one do you use?
 
Treeless can be great on hard to fit horses, but still some care needs to be taken with fitting.
Lovely pony though and welcome to NR
 
I agree with everything @newforest has said. At 7 at least there's still a chance she'll la bit which will make life easier.

Is there another saddler you can get out? Budget is a big factor when buying saddles, for I I think a Wow with Flair instead of wool flocking an be a good option for tricky to fit horses, but they are expensive and some horses don't like the feel of the air - neither do some riders. You can look for a saddle with a flat seat because that can give you more room while taking a bit out of the saddle length you need on her. A good saddler might also be able to recommend a way of padding with saddle pads to lift the front a bit, but I wouldn't play around with that yourself unless you know what you're doing because it can alter the whole fit of the saddle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Margie and Magic
Welcome, and lovely horse! As everyone on here will testify, I had the same problem when I got my wide short backed cob. I'm a thorowgood fan, and a lot of people have found them good for this shape. Worked for mine. Mines not adjustable, but I had a fitter out who got it sorted. I think an adjustable one would have been even better. I did try a wintec, and a treeless, but they were not right for him. Anyway, good luck! Do tell us more about your cob, got to love a cob :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: Margie and Magic
Thanks all for your comments. Have had several out and one said they think they have one that would fit and despite a couple of chases they haven't replied. Will keep trying and look at your suggestions :). We got her as our 2nd pony to my daughters gypsy cob and after a couple of tries successfully got him an AH saddle and wanted a 2nd hand one for her but looks like will have I spend some more on my CC haha! She has had several homes in her short life because she lacks confidence won't go out on her own, naps and bucks! but we won't give up on her as she has come on loads since we have had her. She is 14.1 and bought from a dealer who supplies trekking horses who they got her as a part exchange. Cant fault her on the ground though she even lifts her feet to be picked!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huggy
Ahh ok thanks. Passport says 9 but vet says 7 so somewhere around there. We have only had her 7 months and no offence taken she was a lot more rotund when we got her lol! Her teeth hadn't been touched in years etc. She pig roots a lot and I am convinced it's the saddle.
We thought to go treeless but everyone put is off the idea. Which one do you use?
I have two. A Sensation for Spring/Summer and my old not much left of the original Freeform for Autumn/Winter. She shape changes and the Freeform is memory foam and below a certain temperature won't mould to her anymore.

Not everyone's horse suits treeless. I would be put off putting a saddle on a horse that didn't fit regardless of what it is. Your horse only has the one back and the saddle needs to fit you both. I have lent my treeless to people while they wait for fitters, but obviously they wouldn't be a good fit that way either as it's fitted to me and mine.

I wonder if the pig root you describe is more pronounced in canter? I only ask because my lass did this/ potentially it's still there, and canter was the favourite.
It was a combo of fitness, lack of manners, changing the bit to what she liked rather than what I chose, a grab strap and firm nudge and sit tight, with a vocal pack it in!
Canter is still the gait she's going to be enthusiastic - to quote the dressage judge! and I am still proud we scored something and stayed in the arena :)
Cobs can, oh they sure can can when they want to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huggy
My mare is slightly crop high, XXW and with a slightly dipped back. She can only take a 17.5" saddle max and I have long thigh bones. It took us 7 saddles to find the right one for her and even though my current saddle isn't exactly right, she's a darn sight happier in it than the previous 6!! We have an older style GFS Monarch jump saddle, which has flat foam, upswept panels. These panels fit her back correctly for her shape and stop her bucking into canter and throwing her head up unhappily in trot! The forward cut flaps accommodate my length of thigh. The only thing wrong with it is the tree isn't right for her, but she's comfortable.

My two eldest children are getting married within 6 weeks of each other this summer so I'm saving hard for those, but after that I am going to order Gracie a bespoke Silhouette saddle, made to our exact spec, with a hoop tree. My fitter can get them at a good deal.

Wintec Wide, Thorowgood Cob, GFS Cob, Saddle Company bespoke, none of these worked for my mare..... they all felt very "perch and roll" and I know that this is because of the tree. They are designed to go very wide, but they just aren't the right shape for a traditional cob unfortunately.

To illustrate, the too pic is my current saddle, the bottom pic is a saddle with a hoop tree that I took off the internet for comparison

20191210_073212-800x800.jpg
 
Last edited:
My mare is slightly crop high, XXW and with a slightly dipped back. She can only take a 17.5" saddle max and I have long thigh bones. It took us 7 saddles to find the right one for her and even though my current saddle isn't exactly right, she's a darn sight happier in it than the previous 6!! We have an older style GFS Monarch jump saddle, which has flat foam, upswept panels. These panels fit her back correctly for her shape and stop her bucking into canter and throwing her head up unhappily in trot! The forward cut flaps accommodate my length of thigh. The only thing wrong with it is the tree isn't right for her, but she's comfortable.

My two eldest children are getting married within 6 weeks of each other this summer so I'm saving hard for those, but after that I am going to order Gracie a bespoke Silhouette saddle, made to our exact spec, with a hoop tree. My fitter can get them at a good deal.

Wintec Wide, Thorowgood Cob, GFS Cob, Saddle Company bespoke, none of these worked for my mare..... they all felt very "perch and roll" and I know that this is because of the tree. They are designed to go very wide, but they just aren't the right shape for a traditional cob unfortunately.

To illustrate, the too pic is my current saddle, the bottom pic is a saddle with a hoop tree that I took off the internet for comparison

View attachment 101311
I would feel if I were splitting my difference in the top one, but the bottom one looks comfortable.
The tree needs to be right agreed.
 
I can cope with the twist in my Monatch but the rise of the SC pommel was horrific and chafed me mercilessly! Just as well Gracie hated it too!!!
 
I have an Ideal on my cob. He is short to medium back and doesnt dip as much as your baby but he is wide. He was originally in a Wintec but i had to change it as the tree twisted.
My other cob has a Kent & Masters but hes a lot longer in the back and narrower but he does dip, but again not as much as your picture.
 
Will look it to them too! Thanks all :)

Yeah @newforest you are right she does pig root in canter, we put it down to her trying to get her balance however she never does this whilst out hacking! She also does it when you stop her from napping and when after she does small jumps and when she is spooked. But we love her x
 
Hey there. Has anyone got any suggestions for a saddle for xxw short backed cob? Had saddle fitters out but not found one yet that fits properly. Using wintec wide at the moment but it tilts forward. TIA

VSD saddles from Ideal, Albion tend to be good on cobs as they sit behind the shoulder
 
newrider.com